Excerpted from the Hong Kong Career Guide
Everywhere one turns these days,
information and communication technology (ICT) developments seem to
be driving and enabling changes in all areas of business, services,
domestic and leisure activities. The technology covers a broad range
of applications, forming an integral part of many industrial and
service markets such as consumer products, vehicles and medical
devices, or as part of things such as Octopus cards, e-banking and
tracking courier deliveries.
Hong Kong lags behind many other
parts of the world in ICT research and development, but a strategic
initiative from the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology
Research Institute (Astri) is set to change this. The institute's
work is designed to enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness in
technology-based industries by carrying out high-quality,
customer-focused R&D to improve the transfer of technology to
industry. Collaboration between Astri and local firms is one of the
most important elements to ensure only enterprising commercial R&D
work is carried out. The government-funded institute, which was set
up in 2001 and operates as a limited company, has formulated a
five-year plan to create a critical mass of ICT experts. To carry
out its plan, Astri is increasing its headcount from 250 to 800.
According to Astri, 800 professionals will form a minimum critical
mass to carry out R&D in four key interrelated areas known as
domains. These include wireless communications, consumer
electronics, ICT designs, and material and packaging technologies.
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:: Information Technology