How would you help raise the status of IT professionals? And what is the criteria for being recognised as an IT professional? CHAN: Now that the IT industry has been recognised as one of the most important forces driving the local economy, we should further improve our professional standard and social status. To do so, a united mechanism for assessing IT professional qualifications is a must.
Regarding a registration scheme for all IT workers, I think we need more consultation before coming to a decision, but the IT industry could establish a professional body similar to the Institute of Engineers to promote professionalism.
SIN: Recognised professional certification programmes and registration schemes compel codes of practice and hence secure the interests of professionals and society at large. However, certification must not lead to unnecessary conformity and must not reduce creativity, since innovation and creative ideas are important to IT. Academic qualification and in-field experience are essential requirements for membership in an IT professional body.
YUNG: I support raising the status of IT professionals, but not all IT workers. The basic requirements for professional registration should include academic qualifications, relevant working experience at an appropriate level, and professional ethics. To a certain extent, they are similar to the membership requirements of some existing IT professional bodies.
How should the Government foster IT startup firms? Are you satisfied with the Hong Kong Industrial Technology Centre (HKITC), which was set up in 1993 to serve this purpose? What is your opinion about the $6 million grant from the Industry Department to assist local companies in applying for patents in order to encourage local hi-tech R&D? CHAN: To help the local IT industry, we should look at Singapore, where the government is committed to providing consulting support and services to local companies, with subsidies of up to 70 per cent. In Hong Kong, government-funded organisations, such as the HKITC or the Productivity Council can fill the gap in order to increase local companies' productivity and improve product quality.
SIN: To foster local technology start-ups, the Government should have a long-term development plan to establish Hong Kong as a leading information centre. I propose 'Digital Hong Kong 2005' to build up a new educational and technological culture to sustain the economy. The Government should offer ideal terms and regulations to promote technology development and to attract local and overseas professionals and enterprises. University professional staff should be encouraged to work with private sector in both technology and services.
The establishment of the HKITC was a step in the right direction at that time; however, its results have been unsatisfactory and need to be reviewed. The HKITC's incubation program has produced lacklustre results. As of now, it is mainly a landlord talking about building another building to rent out.