The Future of the IT Faculty

IT as we know it is sliding down the value chain. Hardware and software are increasingly becoming commodities. So where does this leave IT degrees and the IT faculties of higher educational establishments?

My view is that IT faculties will have their place. But their role will be to churn out operatives for the IT service firms that manage the technology boiler rooms. However what we also need is an e-Business degree that focuses on what IT can do to strategically impact organizations. On top of that we need an Innovation degree; one that is focused on business innovation, which more often that not will be powered by IT.

I think the e-Business and Innovation degrees will sit better in the Business School Faculty. My reasoning is that IT faculties seem too preoccupied with the academic aspects of IT and have broadly failed to respond to market needs.

I am not sure that this will appeal to either faculty. But the sooner we compartmentalise operational IT, the sooner we can capitalise on the good stuff.