For employers trying to decide which are the best
universities for developing high quality IT graduates the selection
can be confusing.
There are an enormous range of IT degrees with an array of titles
and widely varying content. And what is a good IT degree for one
employer may not be so for another organisation.
League tables are only part of the picture, said Wendy Hall, head
of electronics and computer science at Southampton University,
which ranks itself as one of the UK's top five IT
universities.
An attempt by Adrian Low, an academic at Staffordshire University,
to produce a guide to the best universities for IT produced a
flurry of complaints from several high-profile universities that
his findings did not accurately reflect their departments'
standing.
Hall, who has just stepped down as president of the BCS, advises
businesses to think carefully about the sort of graduates they need
before attempting to make any decisions.
Many employers find the distinction between computer science and IT
degrees confusing, she said. The two types of degree produce
graduates with very different skills and specialisms.
In general, computer science degrees are more mathematically based
and have a strong focus on programming. IT degrees tend to be more
management and business orientated.
"A company such as IBM is looking for systems developers who will
be developing the next generation of programming languages. A user
company will want someone who can work with current systems," Hall
said.
Ollie Ross, head of research at corporate user group Tif,
criticised universities for failing to emphasise these softer
skills. "Some computing courses are so focused on the computing
side that communications skills are just not included - they need
to be," she said.
Ken France, an interim IT director with experience in a range of
companies, said he would like to see more universities teaching
students about the way IT is used in different industries to
improve their understanding of business.
Looking for BCS and IEE accredited courses offers employers a good
indicator that they cover softer issues, such as ethics, team
working and business.
"There is an increased need for softer business and professional
skills. The universities are beginning to respond to that. The old
polytechnics are often very keen to offer flexible courses and
change their curriculum," said Terry Watts, chief operating officer
of training body E-skills UK.
Employers should look at the A-level results universities require
from students, he said. "If they say they only want 3Bs, for
example, that is a good indication they are highly regarded by the
market," Watts said.