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The government of New Zealand has signalled its endorsement of the NZi3 facility through a generous $9.7 million grant. The government's ICT taskforce has rightly identified ICT as one of three areas with the potential to make the greatest positive impact on the economy.
That optimism has been tempered by concerns among those within the sector that its potential might not be realised unless more is done to increase the number of ICT qualified people and encourage innovative thought and creativity. This is where NZi3 plays a fundamental role in futureproofing ICT: The Institute's primary output will be excellent research graduates, nurtured within an environment that fosters innovation and inventions, provides access to world-class knowledge and resources and facilitates the integration of commercial and academic research.
As the ICT taskforce rightly noted, the future of ICT in New Zealand requires that an appropriate number of graduates are produced to meet the needs of industry; and more importantly, that the graduates' skill levels are relevant to match the rapidly changing needs of these sectors. For this reason, NZi3 seeks long term strategic research partnerships with national and international ICT companies to ensure research capabilities match industry needs.
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Increase the number of ICT qualified people and encourage innovative thought and creativity |