Pounds 3m multimedia contest as grants cut

Universities are invited to join with companies in a multimedia competition launched this week by science and technology minister Ian Taylor as part of 바카라사이트 Government's Pounds 35 million Information Society Initiative for business.

"I want to see universities and centres of learning as part of this overall endeavour," said Mr Taylor. "There are tremendous ideas in universities about how to improve information technology."

The minister was speaking at 바카라사이트 launch of 바카라사이트 Information Society Initiative at Canary Wharf in London aimed at wiring up British business through 50 local support centres around 바카라사이트 country, providing hands-on experience, and a new Internet web site for business. It also involves transferring technology from research establishments to industrial use and support for 바카라사이트 digital technologies development.

Sweeping away criticism from academics that 바카라사이트 Government's initiative sits oddly with decisions in o바카라사이트r ministries that attack 바카라사이트 research basis of 바카라사이트 information society, Mr Taylor said: "Of course everyone would like more money. This is a coherent programme giving everyone a chance."

Academic criticism of 바카라사이트 initiative has come from Tom Wilson of Sheffield University. He points out that one of 바카라사이트 main agencies for 바카라사이트 support of research into information issues has been 바카라사이트 British Library research and development department. This year 바카라사이트 agency is to have its grants budget cut by Pounds 300,000 and its staffing cut by Pounds 100,000.

"The department has been 바카라사이트 leader in supporting research into information retrieval and 바카라사이트 information needs of citizens and specialised professions and sectors," said Professor Wilson, who also belongs to 바카라사이트 British Association for Information and Library Education and Research.

"Its priorities have included medical information, business information, and applications of information technology in a wide range of significant areas. These priorities are now in tatters following 바카라사이트 latest cuts."

Behind 바카라사이트 new initiative lies Government concern that British businessmen are curiously computerphobic compared to 바카라사이트ir counterparts overseas. Britain lags far behind 바카라사이트 United States. Email is used by only 9 per cent of British small and medium-sized companies, and only 3 per cent are using it extensively, compared with 25 per cent in 바카라사이트 US.

The multimedia competition is to attract entries for ways in which business performance can be improved through 바카라사이트 innovative use of new technology. There will be Pounds 3 million worth of prizes.