Software development an economic enabler.The Cuban experience

PROFESSOR E . Y. V. MARTINEZ (ed is t ioyoe l@gmai l .com)

Computer Sc ience Depar tment / Facu l ty o f Sc ience

Bindura Un ivers i ty o f Science Educat ion

Roadmap • Cuba, Information technology and blockade.

• Education and public policies.

• The First step and take off.

• Some reflexions.

CubaHealth Services

Sports

Education

Habanos

Havana Club

Tourism

hospitality solidarity

One doesn’t usually associate Cuba with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) start-ups. Cigars, classic cars, salsa, yes, but a nascent technology center? The

answer is a resounding si! Cuba has embarked on ICT revolution with the goal of becoming the Caribbean’s digital hub.

http://hir.harvard.edu/silicon-island-rebooted-cubas-information-communications-technology-revolution/

Cuba, ICT and embargo

bloc

kade

Education and public policies

•Education is free.•Free Internet access from schools, research centres, public health institutions and others government organization.

•The use of ICT has as a goal “to computerize the country”, this include education, health and other processes.

ICT Education in Cuba

UniversityICT

technician

Youth Club of Computing and

Electronics

The Cuban Computer and Electronic Youth Clubs were created by President Fidel Castro almost 30 years ago. There are about 600 such clubs in urban and rural Cuba, which aim to train the Cuban people in the use of up-to-date technologies. Members of the clubs have created new web resources including a Cuban version of Facebook, "The Clothesline".

Youth Club of Computing and Electronics

Degrees

Engineering in Telecommunicat

ions and Electronics

(CUJAE, UCLV, UO)

Automatic Engineering

(CUJAE, UCLV, UO)

Biomedical Engineering

(CUJAE)

Informatics Engineering (CUJAE, UPR, UMCC, UC, ...)

Engineering in Informatics Science (UCI)

Bachelor in Computer

Science (UH, UCLV, UO)

ICT Education in Cuba

Characteristics:• Defined by a national committee headed by one university and members of

the rest.• 5 years (10 semesters full time) or 6 years (12 semester part time)• Free of charge, all the educational system in Cuba is free, from kindergarden

to PhD.

The first BIG STEP, ICT Revolution in Cuba2002 Creation of the University of Informatics Sciences

University +SW Production Centre

Russia military baseCold war / USSR

A military centre transformed in a XXI century university

University of Informatics SciencesBorn as a project of the Cuban

Revolution called the "Future Project" which has two objectives: to computerize the country, develop the software industry and to contribute to economic development.

Professional's training model

Development

Training Research

This university should be

characterized by the different

ways of teaching and preparing

professionals. You must have a

high level of flexibility, must be

an experimental teaching

center, an educational center

and a producer center.

Fidel Castro Ruz

Some results

The Cuban state-sponsored Linux distribution launched in February 2009. Currently in its version 5.0.

GOALbreak the technological

dependence from private technologies

UCI graduates

Conventional 13,481Part time 91

TOTAL 13,572

Engineering in Informatics Science Masters programs

Applied Computer Science

161

Software Project Management

115

Software Quality 24

International results

• Venezuela• Mexico• Panama• Uruguay• Angola

http://www.uci.cu/?q=entorno-productivo

ICTs marketing revenues(public sector)

•2009• Software - 1,376.40 thousands of pesos

•2010• Software - 2,935.70 thousands of pesos

According to published data by the NSO.

Software made in CubaFreelance behind the facade

• The opening of self-employment had Cuban start hinking on how to create jobs that wouldn’t focus only on bars and cafes.

• Among them is software development, an activity that appeals to more than one computer professional looking for options that will provide them with some income.

• Anyone with a degree in IT where they have learned some programming language, knows he has in his possession the ease of exercising a very popular activity in the world today.

• Groups, in most cases, are formed between friends or acquaintances.• sites like www.jobs.com , www.freelance.com and Revolico are used to

conctact customers.http://oncubamagazine.com/economy-business/software-made-in-cuba-2/

Software made in CubaFreelance behind the facade

• Presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro on December 17 made an historic announcement that the adversaries, separated only by 90 miles, would work to reopen diplomatic channels.

• “You have a highly educated workforce, excellent programming talent and a huge amount of opportunity for companies that want to invest in the knowledge economy,”

• Faquiry Diaz Cala, Tres Mares Group CEO

http://oncubamagazine.com/economy-business/cubas-tech-start-up-sector-people-are-hungry-to-work/

Some very personal reflexions

•For society• Education is one the keys.• Technological independence is the other key.• Nothing is for free.

Some very personal reflexions

• For individuals• Education is the key but not only the “university education”

ICT industry recognise first the skills and then the degrees, especially Certification associated to the big names on industry.

• Promote yourself with a portfolio of products and services.• Get some friend, make a team and start to work right now,

the industry have place for all.• Learn to walk before running.

Some very personal reflexions

We need to be seen

The path is not easy but rewards are for hard working people

It is a knowledge industry, it is all about the “knowledge”.

Sources• http://reports.weforum.org/global-information-technolog

y-report-2015/

• http://www.mincom.gob.cu/?q=node/321• http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/statistics/Pages/default.aspx

Software development an economic enabler.The Cuban experience

PROFESSOR E . Y. V. MARTINEZ (ed is t ioyoe l@gmai l .com)

Computer Sc ience Depar tment / Facu l ty o f Sc ience

Bindura Un ivers i ty o f Science Educat ion