INFRASTRUCTURE PANEL
The first panel session in the 'Our Future Information and Communications Technology Needs' panels was facilitated by Assoc Prof John Yearwood, Director of the Centre for Informatics and Applied Optimization (CIAO) at the University of Ballarat.
This event was held at the Greenhill Enterprise Conference Room at the University of Ballarat Technology Park on 9 November 2006. Participants included Panel Members, members of the Project Team and other interested individuals.
Infrastructure, for the purpose of this panel session, was seen as a strategic enabler, and was concerned with infrastructure factors that specifically affect the ICT sector. These include:
- "Hard" infrastructure - appropriate communications infrastructure - bandwidth for quality of broadband and wireless access; appropriate locations and real estate; R&D facilities
- "Soft" infrastructure - tailored business support for ICT firms; funding packages, expertise and professional services for the ICT sector
- "Other" - not specific to ICT but which are critical to the development of the sector: location, linkages between firms and other organizations, general business advice
Panel Members were provided with background information in the leadup to the Panel. This material identified that the dimensions of infrastructure may affect different types of ICT firms in different ways. When discussing the questions below Panel Members were asked to try to identify which particular sectors/ organisations are affected most by infrastructure changes.
A possible taxonomy of ICT organisations might be:
- Software, Hardware, Data and content, E-Businesses
- Large, medium, small, public private
- Research, sales, production/services
What are the main areas of ICT infrastructure that need improvement?
How could the current situation be improved on in the next 2-3 years?
In 5 years and 10 years time what will a national standard for ICT infrastructure be like?
What are the main areas of change and key challenges required for Ballarat to reach?
- National
- International - standards
What do you see as the main priorities for internationally competitive ICT infrastructure, users, and suppliers (producers) in Ballarat over the next 10 years?
What is the ONE thing you think needs to happen for Ballarat to become more internationally competitive as an ICT centre over the next 5 years?
To have a vibrant, sustainable ICT sector with potential for growth, what are Ballarat's ICT infrastructure needs and requirements
a) now?
b) In the next 5 years
c) In the next 10 years
d) In the next 20 years
What are some of the infrastructure improvements/advances that need to occur?
 Click here to find out more about Panel Members
Click here to read about the Panel Outcomes
Click here to view images from the Infrastructure Panel
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