The Higher Institute of Information and Communication Technologies is a public academic institution created by the decree No. 2011-1010 of August 24, 2011 and the decree No. 1645 of 2012, under the supervision of the University of Carthage. The Institute provides a high-level training in the fields of information and communication technologies, as part of the LMD system (bachelor / master / doctorate).
The Higher Institute of Information Technologies and Communication (HIITC) /(ISTIC) is a component of the science and technology park technopole of Borj Cedria. The latter, focusing on emerging technologies, is also home to other academic institutions offering training in the fields of environment and renewable energy, and research centers specializing in the fields of Water Technology (CERTE), Energy of Tomorrow (CRTEN), Biotechnology and Eco-development (CBBC).
The institute offers various specialties in the ICT sector organized in three departments, such as the computer science department, industrial IT department and the telecommunications department.
So that it would be able to attain its teaching objectives, the ISTIC involves an original educational team that comprises academics (teachers, teacher-researchers), professionals and business executives, as well as high-quality technological equipment installed in convenient recently-constructed premises.
The institute provides the learners with original curriculum evolved by the teaching staff with an unparalleled and innovative approach based on the removal of any kind of boundaries or scientific and technological hindrances that may separate learning fields as telecommunications, IT and multimedia. Hence, this integration has enabled the user to access a wide range of increasing platforms as well as the mobility and sophistication of information accessibility.
The feature evolution of the laptop computer is enough to prove this trend of merging and melting of areas already mentioned. Indeed during the 90s, computers were used, most often, in word processing, slide preparation, emailing and calculation. Currently a laptop is a telephone terminal with the voice over IP service, a video communication terminal (Skype, Messenger ...), a TV to receive programs and view photos and videos produced by other users ( Youtube, Instagram, Flickr, ...) and a film editing station relying on videos taken by a smartphone ...
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is required, these days, like a lever for economic development. According to the European Commission reports ICT has a direct contribution of 5.9% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Europe and 7.5% in the United States, and thus representing, as a matter of fact, over 50% of the productivity growth in Europe. Similarly, the Boston Consulting Group has revealed that the growth prospects for ICT sector will also be considerable with a rise of 8% per year for Internet economy by the year 2016. Some data processing centers consume as much electricity as 250,000 domestic households. If the Cloud were a country it would rank the world’s 5th top electricity consumer and its needs will multiply by 2020. The Internet Protocol (IP) has exponentially grown and now it exceeds 60,000 petabytes per month against just one petabyte per month 20 years ago.
The World Economic Forum annually publishes the Networked Readiness Index NRI, which is calculated according to the place of use and the benefit that can pull a country out of ICT. According to its 2015 ranking report they are Singapore and Finland who share first place with an NRI of 6 against 5.6 for the United States which occupies the 7th place. Tunisia ranks 81st with an NRI of 3.8, overtaken by Morocco whose ranking is78th with an NRI of 3.9, whereas Egypt totaled an NRI of 3.6 that puts it in the 94th rank.
Future challenges of higher technology training are global. Vertical conventional approaches and disciplinary boundaries are no longer current. The range of courses offered in the ISTIC institute are expected to train future employees to be able to work in different sectors as diverse as telecommunications, mobile telephony, mobile applications, WEB application development and video games , electronic commerce, system and networks administration, multiple databases management, Big Data, the internet of things, e-reputation, robotics, telemedicine including precision farming and forest management, without forgetting to mention the applications related to the eco-development and biodiversity -innovative sectors with high added value.
The ISTIC future graduates will be autonomous, responsible, equipped with critical thinking abilities, receptive to innovation and able to engage with and get involved in a business project service.
The scientific and educational project ISTIC is not aimed solely at ensuring high level courses, quality and cutting edge innovation, it seeks, too, to produce future workmen holding on to civic values and cleaving to a sense of commitment and responsibility. Substantial work, a sine qua none condition to meet the requirements of excellence in a rough and fierce global competition is required from the students of the ISTIC.
Lazhar Manai
ISTIC Director
