Message of the Head of School of Innovative Technologies and Engineering (SITE)
19/08/2022 2022-11-21 15:46The University of Technology, Mauritius (UTM) was established in 2000 to provide quality tertiary education to the country’s changing needs. Little did we know at that time, 22 years later, it would impose itself as an esteemed university in the educational and economic landscape. At the School of Innovative Technologies and Engineering (SITE), we have undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, mounted with diligent care to enable human capital to adapt to the changing working environment and make a meaningful contribution to a technology-dominated society. We take pride in acknowledging that our students play key roles at national and international levels, distinguishing ourselves in developing their skills through proper pedagogy, using relevant technologies, and incorporating research into our programmes. SITE has also positioned itself to provide a solid and fertile platform to academic and non-academic staff for personal and professional development. Undoubtedly, the human capital the University has invested in, contributed immensely to its growth. Reflecting on the confinement period during the Covid-19 pandemic highlights humans’ capabilities in adapting to unpredictable situations, leading us to ponder UTM’s roles in empowering the workforce in society. Indeed, every cloud has a silver lining, and we witnessed how bright minds could take advantage of opportunities. In the education sector, teachers and students adopted an e-learning mode quickly. In SITE, we used the right strategies and innovative tools to interact with students at the academic and administrative levels. We witnessed how humans are designed to adapt to ever-changing contexts quickly. UTM has input in these fields, and we must continue to face future challenges with practical and sustainable solutions. SITE has moulded the minds of many. Regarding quality programmes in this technological era, the school offers courses (including Ph.D.) in various fields: Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Security and Digital Forensics, Graphics Design, Film and Video Production, Mathematics, Applied Statistics, and Financial Engineering. The Immersive Lab with virtual and augmentation reality capabilities is another example of innovation that the school has set up. This lab is used for research to help society with issues such as child abuse and drug addiction. Our duty and responsibility are to coerce digital native students to be proactive, innovative, and at the nation’s service to help the country become a digital hub. At the School of Innovative Technologies and Engineering, we privilege teamwork and collaboration and endeavour to provide a space of service and wellbeing.