BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT Annual Report and Consolidated ...

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT
TRUSTEES’ REPORT (continued)
In July the Royal Society began a study into the state of Computing in schools and its importance and
implications for the economic and scientific wellbeing of the UK. The Institute is one of twenty four
organisations, including the Royal Academy of Engineering, supporting the Royal Society with their study.
The Institute coordinated an initial fund raising activity in March 2010 to demonstrate the level of
commitment from the Computing community for such a report on behalf of the Royal Society. Many thanks
go to all those who provided financial assistance and pledges of funding. Namely the Universities of
Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Greenwich, Imperial, Leicester, Loughborough, Manchester, Open
University, Oxford, Queen's University of Belfast, Sheffield Hallam, Surrey, UCL, York, and Dundee, and
larger pledges from the Institute, CPHC, EPSRC, Google, Microsoft Research and Praxis. Without this
support, the study would not have been possible. The Academy and CAS are both represented on the
Royal Society Advisory Group for the Study.
In April 2010 the Academy with financial sponsorship from the ACM ran the ACM- BCS Visions of
Computer Science Conference in Edinburgh. Over the three days approximately two hundred delegates
attended the event.
The Academy was also represented on the Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE) task force
conducting a study into the Digital and Creative Industries. The subsequent report ‘The Fuse’ was widely
reported in the media, including the BBC, the Guardian and the FT.
Engineering and Science Board Vice-President: Professor Andrew McGettrick
The Engineering and Science Board (ESB) has responsibility for ensuring the Institute enhances and
promotes the status of science and engineering amongst the professions and society in general. It is also
responsible for ensuring effective engagement with the Engineering Council, Science Council, and the
Royal Academy of Engineering.
Its objectives include:
� Influencing and informing the Government and the public about professional issues in information
systems engineering and technology.
� Assisting companies and other organisations in improving professional competence in software
development.
� Encouraging individuals to develop their own skills and capabilities.
ESB has been conducting a study into the principle roles of Engineers and Scientists within the IT
profession in order to drive further recruitment for CEng and CSci within the Institute. This is important
work to ensure the institute will be effective in attracting professionals from across all the different sectors
of IT and supporting them in their professional development whether as Engineer, Scientist or IT
professional.
ESB has also set up a Safety Critical Systems working group chaired by Professor John A McDermid. The
working group will prepare guidance for senior decision makers in the area of safety critical systems. It will
also liaise with relevant government authorities to investigate how best practice can be established and
shared across the many varied areas that encompass safety critical systems.
Membership Board Vice-President: Adrian Walmsley
Membership Board (MB) has responsibility for the strategic oversight of all aspects of membership
including application, recruitment, retention, member benefits and communications: broadening the
membership in all areas of activity in IT and computing.
Our Member Groups – which include Specialist Groups, Branches, the Young Professionals’ Group, ELITE
(the forum for IT Directors and Senior Managers) and International Sections – are in many ways the
lifeblood of the Institute. They run hundreds of events every year on a vast range of computing related
topics.
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