The issues and needs
It is often claimed that Estonian IT-infrastructure is on a high level - as evidence people cite the Tiger Leap program, the amount of internet connections, mobile phones and PC-s per person. However, the reality is somewhat bleaker: while there is a good amount of low- and mid-range IT competence, the amount of high-level IT professionals in Estonia is relatively low. The estimate of the Estonian Government puts the required number of new IT specialists at more than 500 annually. This seriously hinders both the development of strong IT-companies, technological advances of telecommunications companies and the whole technological infrastructure of the country, and indirectly in the whole Scandinavian and Baltic Sea region.
The main problem lies in the seriously underdeveloped and under financed IT education at universities. There are very few new teachers, the amount of new doctorates per year is extremely inadequate. The low salaries - when compared to industry - do not motivate talented people to pursue the career in teaching. Also, the education given at existing IT departments does not correspond well enough to the needs of the companies.
Solutions
The solution to satisfy that need was proposed by the government (represented by the Ministry of Education), the largest Estonian universities - Tallinn Technical University and Tartu University - and the Estonian information and communication technology (ICT) industry as a unique public-private partnership to create an Estonian Information Technology College (IT College or ITC). The College is a private institution, established and financed by the Estonian Information Technology Foundation (EITF). It works very closely together with both universities as well as with IT and telecom industries. The EITF will further have a role in supporting the IT research and development activities of the academic universities and the private sector.
IT College gives a three-year applied higher education. The education combines both IT and telecommunications, is of a very high quality and has a strong applied trend. Up to 150 students will be prepared every year, although the capacity lies at about 250. After finishing the education the majority of students will go to industry, both in Estonia and abroad. Students may also continue at universities, pursuing the bachelor\'s, masters and finally a doctorate degree. The college enrolled its first students at autumn 2000.
The Minister of Education actively supports the IT College. In the first years the state will take part of the foundation for IT College and cover a large part of the costs.
The founders are interested in finding interested parties among companies both abroad and in Estonia, who would participate both in financing, supporting and managing the IT College.
infologged
