The British Computer Society (BCS) is pleased to support the UKCRC's response to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee's Inquiry into the International Policies and Activities of the Research Councils.

  The British Computer Society is the leading professional body for the IT industry. With almost 60,000 members, the BCS is the leading professional and learned society in the fields of IT and computing.

  BCS is also responsible for setting standards for the IT profession. It is spearheading the IT in Professionalism programme and is also leading the change in the public perception and appreciation of the economic and social importance of professionally managed IT projects and programmes. In this capacity, the Society advises, informs and persuades industry and government on successful IT implementation.

  BCS, as a Learned Society, also has direct responsibility for leading, encouraging, promoting, supporting and developing all aspects of teaching, research and technology transfer in the disciplines of, and relating to, computing, computer science and information systems.

  BCS is determined to promote IT as the profession of the 21st century especially as IT is affecting every part of our lives. Therefore, BCS is pleased to take this opportunity to comment on such an important issue and endorse the views expressed by the UKCRC—an Expert Panel of the British Computer Society, the Council of Professors and Heads of Computing and the Institution of Engineering & Technology.

April 2007