Dear IT Professional,
This year sees the BCS taking a more proactive role in providing improved communication facilities for all levels in the society.
This web site and branch email facilities are just a part of the development of the BCS into a working online society.
Not only will UK members benefit from this initiative, but also UK members abroad on work, and there is potential for the BCS to expand to grow the international membership.
The BCS are also re-examining how best to serve its potential new members, and also members looking to step up the membership levels once their experience and education meet the appropriate criteria.
In the past, it has been easy to self-assess whether you meet the levels required for membership. The new "Programme 2000" system will allow individuals to assess their basic application by adding up on a points system for experience as well as academic achievement. This should give individuals a much clearer path in joining the BCS and moving up the grades at the appropriate times.
The Branch Web Sub Committee (BWSC) "Schools on the Web" competition is gathering pace. The various members of the BWSC have already secured a substantial amount of new sponsorship as well as re-securing existing sponsorship and resources.
This includes RM Plc, Zaxus, Entranet, Cranfield University, Focus Multimedia as well as the British Computer Society! The new BCS Oxon web site will have a dedicated section for the Web Competition.
This years theme for the Branch is the "Wired World" and we look forward to hosting a number of presentations on how communications and digital information channels are changing the information is being delivered to us.
I look forward to meeting you at the Branch Meetings – and if you are not already on the Automatic Emailing System to receiving meeting notifications, please contact me at nls(at)bcs.org.uk
Yours Sincerely
Neill Lawson-Smith
BCS Oxon Branch Chairman 1998-2001
