Opportunities in
Challenges of Estonian IT
development in World context
Marek Tiits

Outline of this presentation
• Global technological frontier in IT
• Emerging new markets
• Key success factors

Global technological frontier in IT

Where do new knowledge and
technologies come from?
Share of R&D personnel in employment
www.worldmapper.org

Things that think, everywhere!
Ubiquitous computing
Ambient intelligence

Computing
REALLY tiny
devices with
self-contained
sensing,
computation,
communication
and power

Communications
Mobile phone based
on nanoelectronics
and flexible low-
thermal circuitry
Nokia and Cambridge University 2007

Data management & interfaces
Mouse &
keyboard
replaced
by voice,
gestures,
etc.

New areas of competence in IT
3,75
to be established in Estonia
Today's strengths:
User interfaces, Secure ICT systems
Required new competences: incl. language tech End-user apps, system
3,5 integration
Internet of Services, GRID
Computer science
Alternative foundations of
comp. sci. Microelectronics Computers and electronic
Required competence level in 10 years
components systems
3,25
NBIC convergence
Components of comm. systems
Interoperation of comm
systems Data comm. systems
3
Operating systems
ICT energy supply
Peripherals
2,75
Memory systems
2,5
2,25
2
2 2,25 2,5 2,75 3 3,25 3,5 3,75
Estonian competence level today

Emerging new markets

Education

Health care

Energy efficiency

Financial services
party.unlimited
@paypal.ee

Industry
小心，
鐵人從愛沙尼亞是來了！

Key success factors

Enrolment of IT students in Estonia
1200
1000
Number of first year IT students enrolled
800
600
In 2014, the number of local first
year IT students will be half of
400
the todays level
200
0
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Enrolment statistics forecast

Priorities for action in Estonia
Increasing the quality of ICT RTD carried out in the universities
Attracting students to technology studies, incl. ICTs
Increasing the quality of ICT higher education, incl. part-time studies abroad
Strengthening the technology and product development in enterprises in the
field of ICTs
Fostering future take-up of ICTs, incl. closing the digital divide
Better co-ordination of the governance and co-ordination of ICT policies
Extending the provision of early phase VC funding to start-ups
Supporting export activities of the ICT enterprises
Simplifying and fostering the immigration of ICT specialists from 3rd
countries
Monitoring major ICT related trends and interpreting their impact for Estonia
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Thank you!