Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2005 04:13:48 -0700 (PDT) From: K M Haneefa Apologies for cross postings Dear All, I am glad to inform you that we are going to organise a two-day seminar on Knowledge Technology & Knowledge Industry: Kerala's Development Potentialities on 27th & 28th May 2005 at Calicut University Campus. Fall of Information Technology IT offers an unlimited access to the vast depositories of data or information in terms of millions. But nobody can make use of more than 10 per cent of such a vast ocean of data or information, for they are fragmented, disorganized, unrelated and inassimilable. Now we can imagine the magnitude of the great wastage of human brainpower and other resources associated with IT for the generation, processing and transfer of such an unusable data and information. Humanity cannot afford such a loss for long. Hence a great fall of IT is inevitable within five years. Humanity needs filtered, logically organized or structured and meaningful information. That can be assimilated and retained. That alone becomes the part of the knowledgebase. Without Knowledge, data or information has no value. IT makes people rich in information and poor in knowledge. Now even ordinary housewife needs knowledge in so many domains in dealing with day-to-day problems. IT has not yet matured enough to handle or process knowledge and meeting the ever-expanding knowledge needs of humanity. All efforts in Artificial Intelligence, Experts Systems and the recent advances in web technology, XML and Semantic Web could not make much stride. This is because of a lack of proper understanding of the structure, meaningful organization and representation of knowledge and how knowledge is created, developed and retained in the brain for further use. When we study the thinking processes of the human brain, we can identify well-structured patterns of knowledge processing and communication of thoughts with a series of well-defined symbols. The existing pattern of the accessibility of knowledge and its processing and its creation or generation of man is very inefficient. Human beings still now could use only less than 8 per cent of the actual potentialities of the brain. Rise of Knowledge Technology All the existing knowledge, from the time of Vedas to the latest developments in Information Technology, has a common pattern and it is coded. If we could develop a device or formula for decoding the existing pattern of knowledge by analyzing the symbols used for the representation of their meaning and modify these patterns, then we could attain wonders in understanding the existing knowledge and creating a massive amount of new knowledge or even wisdom within a very short span of time. It is possible to find out a network-like pattern or structure when we put together all the existing knowledge, either scientific or aesthetic or mystical or spiritual. The total knowledge stock acquired or accessed by an individual in his life span is so small and there is no justification for spending so much time, energy and resources to acquire such a small stock of knowledge and to brand oneself as scholar or specialist. Our education system and the learning models are totally inefficient and unsuitable to the modern society, for they originally evolved when the total stock of knowledge was very small. A major shift from information to knowledge has been taking place. That leads to the emergence of a true knowledge society on a global basis. Knowledge Industry The future of humanity will be determined by 'Knowmatics' or Knowledge Science and 'Knowledge Technology'. They provide the tools for the effective processing and application of knowledge so as to develop Knowledge Industry and the Cyber Society. Then it is possible to bring all the knowledge spread across hundreds of domains or disciples into a single or unified system of conglomerated or embedded system so that an individual with average intellectual caliber can attain expertise in several domains within a short span of time. Knowledge Science and Technology are to be designed and developed to deal with augmentation of the thinking process by way of deliberate modification of knowledge assimilation and knowledge creation processes of the human brain and restructuring the pattern of knowledge organization with the development of suitable hardware and software that involves a series of complex tasks. Advanced level study and research in this field must be conducted. Knowledge Technology and Industry offer unlimited employment and developmental opportunities to India, especially Kerala. The actual strength of India is its traditional knowledge base that stimulates and activates the Indian youth to assimilate new knowledge. South India, especially Kerala can be considered as the global brain reserve of the twenty first century. If we can tap the superior brainpower of our youth, India can emerge as the most wealthy and powerful nation of the world within ten years. It is high time to develop and implement strategies and policies for the development of Knowledge Industry in Kerala. The Seminar In order to address these basic issues, it is proposed to organize a two-day seminar on 27th and 28th May 2005 in the Calicut University Campus by the Department of Library & Information Science. The Department has been conducting internationally recognized research / published works on Theories, Policies and Applications of Informatics / Information Technology, besides Knowledge Bases and Knowledge Theories, for the last twenty four years, under the leadership of Dr. Raju M. Mathew, one of the twelve members of the FID International Committee on Research on Theoretical Basis of Information, Moscow for two terms and the author of Mathew's Theories of Knowledge / Informatics (1985). The Seminar deals with the basic issues of the Fall and decline of IT and the Emergence of Knowledge Science / Knowmatics, Knowledge Technology, Knwoledge Industry and Potentialities of Kerala in Knowledge Industry. Emphasis will also be given for the formulation of the future oriented Knowledge Technology-Industry Policies and Strategies, besides exploring the Theoretical Foundations of Knowmatics and Knowledge Technology and Redesigning Universities for the Age of Knowledge Industry. T he Seminar is sponsored by the Kerala State Industrial Finance Corporation (KSIDC), the State Bank of Travancore and several other agencies. Experts from IISc, IIT and IIM, the Top Policy Makers and Major Players of IT Industry, besides the Central and State Ministers, are expected to participate in the Seminar. This is the first time that a seminar is organized on Knowledge Technology and Knowledge Industry. The registration and the other details of the seminar will be announced shortly. Tracks of the Seminar. The Seminar has been designed to run into Four Parallel Tracks. Detailed discussions will be made based on the invited papers presented by the experts. Following are the Tracks of the Seminar. I. IT & Knowledge Processing IT is still trapped in Data Processing, Storage and Transmission Social Importance of Knowledge over Information Fate of AI, Expert Systems, Semantic Web and XML Fall and Decline of IT in the Emerging Knowledge Society II. Knowmatics and Knowledge Technology Rise of Knowmatics & Knowledge Technology, Theoretical foundation of Knowmatics & Knowledge Technology Uses and Application Knowledge Technology KT and Society - Benefiting the Common Man and Experts alike. III. Knowledge Industry & Kerala Emergence of Knowledge Industry Global Markets for Knowledge Products and Services Tapping Kerala's Brain and Talents for Knowledge Industry. Policies and Strategies for Knowledge Industry in Kerala 1V. Universities and Knowledge Industry Knowledge Society and Failure of Universities in Kerala Redesigning Universities for the Knowledge Technology Study and Research in Knowmatics & Knowledge Technology Knowledge Industry and University Linkages. Registration Fee: The Seminar is open to IT Companies, Professionals, Trade and Business, Policy Makers and Academic Community. The registration fee for a Company or Firm is Rs.5000/- and two of its representatives can participate. For individuals representing trade, business and profession the registration fee is Rs.2000/-. It is Rs.500/- for a Faculty Member or Librarian and Rs.250/- for a Student. Sponsors need not pay registration fee. Participants will be served lunch and dinner and tea / coffee during sessions, besides seminar kit. The registration fee must be remitted by DD in favour of A/c No.CA 199075 of The Head of the Dept. of Library & Information Science, Calicut University payable at SBT, Calicut University. The DD along with duly filled registration form must be sent to: The Head of the Dept. of Library & Information Science, P. B. No 10, Calicut University, Kerala -673 635. Accommodation The organizers will provide necessary help in booking hotel rooms in Calicut City or the nearby Kadave Resort. Five and Three Star Hotels are available in Calicut City. A limited number of rooms are available in the University Guest House for which advance booking is required. The Venue of the Seminar is the spacious and beautiful Calicut University Campus, 12 KM away from the Calicut Air Port and 22 KM away from the historic Calicut City, with a lot of tourist attractions, including five and three star hotels. Registration Form 1. Name (Individuals or Company/Institution) : 2. Mailing Address : 3. E-mail : 4. Phone : Mobile : 5. Order of Preference of the Seminar Tracks (Please mark as I, II etc) (i) IT & Knowledge Processing (ii) Knowmatics and Knowledge Technology (iii) Knowledge Industry & Kerala (iv) Universities and Knowledge Industry 6. Food - Vegetarian or Non -Vegetarian : 7. Accommodation a) Calicut City Hotels: Five Star, Three Star b) University Campus Guest House 8. For booking accommodation any help is required or not : 9. Registration Fee : Rs. DD No Date Bank 10. Signature 11. Place : 12. Date : For further details, please contact: Dr. Raju M. Mathew, Reader & Head Dept. of Library & Information Science P.B. No 10, Calicut University Kerala -673635 Phone/ Fax : 0494-2400859 ( R ) Mobile: 9847411945 Mr. M.G. Sreekumar, Librarian and Head Center for Development of Digital Libraries (CDDL) Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode Kozhikode-673 571, Kerala Phone No: 0495-2809140, Fax: 0495-2803010-11 E-mail: mgsree@iimk.ac.in K.M. Haneefa Lecturer Department of Library & Information Science University of Calicut, Calicut University P.O Kerala -673 635 Phone No. : 0494-2401144 * 286 (Office ); 9895842431 (Mobile) E-mail: haneefcalicut@yahoo.com; hanee4u@gmail.com regards K M Haneefa Lecturer Department of Library & Information Science University of Calicut, Kerala E-mail : haneefcalicut@yahoo.com Phone No: 09895842431, 0494-2401144*286 (Office)