Regional Government committed to overcoming challenges to increase digital skills, says Regional Director for Science and Technology
The Regional Director for Science and Technology stated today that the Government of the Azores "is committed to overcoming the challenges towards digital competence," pointing out that, for this reason, "it has set some goals for the technological transformation" of the Azorean society.
Bruno Pacheco spoke in Ponta Delgada at the opening of PLAYNESTI Campus Party 2017. Organised by the Information Technology Centre of the University of the Azores, the event will address issues such as artificial intelligence, web security or the professions of the future related to information technology.
In his speech, the Regional Director welcomed this event, pointing out that the organisation of PLAYNESTI "proved that it is possible to position the Azores and their University in the path of discussion and reflection on technology and digital accessibility."
Bruno Pacheco stressed that the Regional Government has established "some goals for the technological transformation" of the Azorean society, defending, however, the need to provide the Region with "skilled human resources, especially in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics."
"This is where we have to undertake a special effort so that the Azores can assert themselves in the sectors, namely those in information and communication technologies play a key role," said the government official.
In this regard, he launched a challenge to the University of the Azores to "follow a path that will provide the Region with more resources in these areas, especially in engineering."
Bruno Pacheco also mentioned that the Regional Government is setting "guidelines for the revision of the Digital and Technological Agenda," adding that this agenda is intended to be "increasingly focused on Azorean reality."
"The effort and commitment of the Regional Government is not limited of the revision of the Digital Agenda," said the government official. In this context, he stressed that this document "is just one of the tools of a wider range of dynamics," namely the incentive systems in business context, the funding of research projects where there is "integration of technology" and the development of "anchor projects such as those related to space."
In addition to workshops and seminars, the PLAYNESTI Campus Party 2017 also features a recreational component, the LAN Party, which will run for three days at "Portas do Mar" in order to capture, through computer games, the interest of young people in technology, innovation and the computer sciences.