Scottish Informatics and Computer Science Alliance: Difference between revisions

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'''The Scottish Informatics and Computer Science Alliance''' ('''SICSA''') is a "research pool" funded by the [[Scottish Funding Council]]. A research pool is a collaboration of Scottish university departments whose broad objective is to create a coherent research community that will improve the quality of research carried out in Scotland in the pool-related discipline.<ref>[http://www.sfc.ac.uk/research/researchpools/researchpools.aspx Research Pools] Scottish Funding Council, Edinburgh, Scotland. 3rd November 2011. </ref><ref>[http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=402333 A collective ambition that builds up to a critical mass]. Times Higher Education, 12th June 2008. </ref>

{{Use British English|date=December 2011}}

{{primary sources|date=March 2015}}

'''The Scottish Informatics and Computer Science Alliance''' ('''SICSA''') is a "research pool" funded by the [[Scottish Funding Council]]. A research pool is a collaboration of Scottish university departments whose broad objective is to create a coherent research community that will improve the quality of research carried out in Scotland in the pool-related discipline.<ref>[http://www.sfc.ac.uk/research/researchpools/researchpools.aspx Research Pools] Scottish Funding Council, Edinburgh, Scotland. 3rd3 November 2011. </ref><ref>[http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=402333 A collective ambition that builds up to a critical mass]. Times Higher Education, 12th12 June 2008. </ref>

SICSA's goals are to improve the quality of research in informatics and computer science across universities in Scotland, to promote the transfer of research results to benefit companies and the public sector in Scotland and to create a university community that represents all aspects of Scottish Informatics and Computer Science.<ref>[http://www.sciencescotland.org/feature.php?id=119 The net worth of networks] Science Scotland 10, Royal Society of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. January 2011. </ref><ref>[http://www.sicsa.ac.uk SICSA's objectives] 3rd3 November 2011. </ref>

SICSA was launched in December 2008 and is funded with an award of £14.5 million from the Scottish Funding Council with SICSA member universities providing matching funding.<ref> [http://www.sfc.ac.uk/web/FILES/PressReleases_SFCPR382008/sfcpr3808.pdf SFC Press Release] SFCPR/38/08, Scottish Funding Council, Edinburgh. 5th5 December 2008. </ref> It is managed by the SICSA Executive which is comprisedcomposed of a: Director of Research (who is also the SICSA Director), the Director of the SICSA Graduate Academy, the Director of Knowledge Transfer andExchange, the Director of Education, the SICSA Executive Officer and the SICSA Executive Assistant.<ref>[http://www.sicsa.ac.uk/people SICSA people and governance] 3rd3 November 2011. </ref>

== Membership ==

SICSA has adopted an inclusive membership policy and all universities in Scotland that have computer science or informatics departments/schools are eligible to be members of SICSA. {{As of|20122011|10|alt=In OctoberApril 20122013|url=http://www.sicsa.ac.uk/about/SICSA_Universities}}, the following departments/schools were SICSA members.<ref> [http://www.sicsa.ac.uk/about/SICSA_Universities SICSA members] 3rd17 NovemberApril 20112013.</ref>

#[[University of Aberdeen]]. Department of Computing Science

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#[[Glasgow Caledonian University]]. School of Engineering and Computing

#[[Heriot-Watt University]]. School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences

#[[The Robert Gordon University]]. School of Computing

#[[University of St Andrews]]. School of Computer Science

#[[University of Stirling]]. Department of Computer Science and Mathematics

#[[University of Strathclyde]]. Department of Computer and Information Sciences

#[[University of the West of Scotland]]. School of Computing

#[[University of the Highlands and Islands]]. School of Computing

== Research themes ==

SICSA’sSICSA's research activities are organized around four broad research themes<ref>[http://www.sicsa.ac.uk/themes SICSA research themes] 3rd3 November 2011. </ref>

*Next-generation Internet<ref>[http://www.sicsa.ac.uk/themes/next-generation-internet Next-generation internet] 8th8 November 2011 </ref>

*Complex Systems Engineering<ref> [http://www.sicsa.ac.uk/themes/complex-systems-engineering Complex systems engineering] 8th8 November 2011 </ref>

*Modelling and Abstraction<ref> [http://www.sicsa.ac.uk/themes/modelling-and-abstraction Modelling and abstraction] 8th8 November 2011 </ref>

*Multi-modal Interaction<ref>[http://www.sicsa.ac.uk/themes/multimodal-interaction Multi-modal interaction] 8th8 November 2011 </ref>

Each research theme is managed by a theme leader and organizes workshops and events for the computer science research community across Scotland.

== SICSA staff appointments ==

To help achieve its goal of improving research quality, SICSA has funded the appointment of 30 academic staff across Scottish universities.<ref>[http://www.sicsa.ac.uk/people/SICSA-Staff SICSA staff appointments] 3rd3 November 2011. </ref> Appointments have been made in Edinburgh, Glasgow, St Andrews, Stirling, Strathclyde, Abertay and Aberdeen Universities.

== The SICSA Graduate Academy ==

The SICSA Graduate Academy (SGA)<ref>[http://www.sicsa.ac.uk/graduate-academy SICSA Graduate Academy] 3rd3 November 2011. </ref> is an international graduate school in informatics and computer science. It provides funding for PhD students, supports graduate training and summer schools and runs a Distinguished Visitor scheme which supports visits from distinguished computer scientists to Scotland. The SGA runs an annual conference for all PhD students working in computer science and informatics in Scotland.<ref> [http://www.sicsaconf.org/ SICSA annual conference]3rd 3 November 2011. </ref>

=== SICSA Prize studentships ===

SICSA has made available 80 prize studentships for PhD study in Scotland to students from around the world, with the aim of attracting the research leaders of the future to work in Scotland.<ref>[http://www.sicsa.ac.uk/graduate-academy/prize-studentships SICSA prize studentships] 3rd3 November 2011. </ref>

=== SICSA summer schools ===

SICSA provides support for PhD students in Scotland to attend international summer school and sponsors up to 3 international summer schools per year for PhD students in Scotland. Nine summer schools have been sponsored in Scottish universities between June 2009 and SeptemberAugust 20112012.<ref>[http://www.sicsa.ac.uk/graduate-academy/sponsored-summer-schools SICSA-sponsored summer schools] 3rd17 NovemberApril 20112013. </ref>

=== SICSA Distinguished Visitor Scheme ===

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== Interaction with industry ==

SICSA interacts extensively with local industry in Scotland with a view to transferring technology and informing the industrial community of informatics and computer science research in Scotland.<ref>[http://www.sciencescotland.org/feature.php?id=118 Commercialisation: From Blue Sky to Real World] Science Scotland 10, Royal Society of Edinburgh, January 2011. </ref> An annual "Demofest" is organized that showcases Scottish University research.<ref>[http://www.informatics-ventures.com/connect/demofest SICSA demofest] 8th8 November 2011 </ref>. Specific projects with industry are concerned with smart tourism<ref>[http://www.smarttourism.org/ Smart Tourism] 3rd3 November 2011. </ref> and migrating high-value software services to the cloud.<ref>[http://www.servicestothecloud.com/ Services to the Cloud] 3rd3 November 2011. </ref>.

In 2013, SICSA developed a portfolio of funding mechanisms which have the specific aim of increasing exchanges between academics and industry.<ref>[http://www.sicsa.ac.uk/industry/ SICSA Industry] 17 April 2013.</ref> These mechanisms include: SICSA Postgraduate Industry Internship Program; SICSA Early Career Industry Fellowship; SICSA Distinguished Industrial Visitors Fellowship; SICSA Elevate - Incubator Program; SICSA Proof of Concept Program; SICSA Team Based Industrial Placements Program.

== Computer science education ==

Uniquely amongst the SFC research pools, SICSA has extended its remit to include education as well as research.<ref>[http://www.sfc.ac.uk/web/FILES/CNP_CouncilMeeting2September2011_02092011/SFC11_64_CEO_items_to_report.pdf Scottish Funding Council: Chief Executive's Report] SFC/11/64. Scottish Funding Council, Edinburgh, Scotland. 2nd2 September 2011. </ref> The aim of this move is to allow SICSA to become the single representative body for all aspects of university informatics/computer science research and education in Scotland.

SICSA maintains information about undergraduate and postgraduate taught courses in Scotland for potential students and provides information for industry on opportunities for graduate recruitment.<ref>[http://www.sicsa.ac.uk/sicsanew/education SICSA education] 3rd3 November 2011. </ref>

== References ==

{{ Reflist }}

==External links==

[[Category:Computer science organizations]] [[Category:Academic organizations]]

* [http://www.sicsa.ac.uk/ Official SICSA Web site]

[[Category:Academia in Scotland]]

[[Category:Academic organisations based in the United Kingdom]]

[[Category:College and university associations and consortia in the United Kingdom]]

[[Category:Computer science education in the United Kingdom]]

[[Category:Computer science organizations]] [[Category:Academic organizations]]

[[Category:Information science organizations]]

[[Category:Information technology organisations based in the United Kingdom]]

[[Category:Research institutes in Scotland]]

[[Category:2008 establishments in Scotland]]

[[Category:Scientific organizations established in 2008]]