Monash Memo - articles - 24 October 2001

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Enterprising centre open for business

A centre aimed at ensuring fair access to the benefits of information technology for all Victorians is just one of four major new initiatives launched recently by the Faculty of Information Technology.

Dean of the faculty Professor John Rosenberg welcomed about 100 guests, including Monash vice-chancellor Professor David Robinson, to the launch hosted by the Enterprise Information Research Group (EIRG) at the university's Caulfield campus on 25 September.

The new Centre for Community Networking Research is a joint project involving the state government's Multimedia Victoria, the Library Board of Victoria and Monash University.

In declaring the programs open for business, executive director of Multimedia Victoria Mr Randall Straw said the four undertakings would explore the complex relationship and interplay between information and communications technology and human behaviour.

"Each draws upon the recognition that the quality of the system is dependent on how well it takes the human and organisational contexts into account," he said.

"These undertakings represent the outcomes of a fruitful collaboration with external partners, which is one of the hallmarks of the Enterprise Information Research Group."

Building upon Victoria's world reputation in community networking through VICNET and other Victorian Government initiatives, the new centre will study and develop initiatives to ensure fair access to the benefits of information technology for all citizens.

The three other initiatives, solely funded by Monash, include the Information Systems Development Research Group, the Information Systems Management and eBusiness Research Group, and the SIMS Graduate Research Centre.

The Information Systems Development Research Group will focus on the information systems development process across a wide range of platforms and industries, while the Information Systems Management and eBusiness Research Group will apply this perspective to information systems in electronic business. A current interest of this group, shared with other EIRG colleagues, focuses on the potentialities of online banking for the Australian community.

The SIMS Graduate Research Centre, located at the Caulfield campus, will accommodate up to 25 research students from the School of Information Management and Systems.

EIRG program directors and guests at the launch.