25 years of shift-work computing: meeting a pressing social need

This article is taken from the "The day when" section of Omalius magazine for June 2024.

" How were four small numbers -2000- capable of putting the whole world in a state of ebullition, where every company, from the smallest to the largest, wondered whether its IT system would cope with the midnight switchover from the XX to the XX century? It may seem a bit far-fetched today, but back then, in the late 90s, it was on everyone's mind. The demand to adapt computer programs to this transition was enormous. And at the same time, the prospect of the changeover to the euro was also creating new needs in IT systems. Never before had the need for IT talent been so great," recalls Professor Jean-Marie Jacquet, who taught in the staggered timetable program from the very first year. Spontaneously, under the leadership of Professor Jean Fichefet, the Faculty of Computer Science, proactively applied for accreditation to organize a shift-timetable training program in computer science.

UNamur was then the first French-speaking Belgian university to express the wish to occupy this promising terrain. "Faced with these societal challenges, we were aware that many people had the desire either to enrich their short-form IT training or to reorient their careers towards IT. Offering a training program that could be reconciled with a professional and family life demonstrated its relevance," adds Jean-Marie Jacquet. As a result, the faculty was soon given the go-ahead to organize the course on a staggered timetable. A preparatory year and two years of bachelor's degrees made up the program, which was launched in September 1998. The first years are taught in premises in Charleroi, before returning to the Namur premises in 2010.

The reputation of the Namur faculty's computer science teaching in daytime training contributes to the immediate success of that in staggered hours. "As soon as the course was launched, we counted around 100 students enrolled," Jean-Marie Jacquet points out. Among the latter were people who already had a short course in computer science, but also students with a professional profile rather removed from computers, or programming software. "We welcomed, for example, people from healthcare, teachers, economists, etc.", says Jean-Marie Jacquet. From the outset, and still today, the HD program has set itself apart by offering an active pedagogy adapted to an adult audience. The teaching principles are based on a constant interaction between theoretical concepts and the practical application of theory. Numerous examples and exercises draw on students' professional experience.

Since its inception, the program has undergone constant evolution, most notably with the transition to the Bologna Decree in 2004, reorganizing higher education training. "It was then that we were able to offer a complete curriculum, comprising three years of baccalaureate and one year of master's degree. It should be noted that the valorization of prior learning, and in particular professional experience, enables the majority of students to substantially reduce these 4 years before obtaining a graduate degree ".

25 years after its creation, interest in training and its societal necessity, emanating from both students and the IT industry, have not diminished. Last May, surrounded by numerous former students, as well as major players in the IT industry (Agoria, Agence du numérique, etc.), the course joyfully celebrated its 25th anniversary, while already dreaming of its 50th birthday."The demand for computer scientists is not going to weaken. There are still many societal challenges in this field to be met: the deployment of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, the increasing digitization of our society to name but a few", concludes Jean-Marie Jacquet. "The field remains exciting, constantly evolving and at the heart of many concerns. We're re-signing for 25 years. At least!".

Noëlle Joris

While on this staggered schedule Master's course, I was really interested in the content of all the courses, probably thanks to the business experience I'd gained previously. Thanks to this staggered timetable training, I got the job I was aiming for some time after obtaining my Master's degree.

Something I had no inkling of at the start of these studies, they enabled me to gain a great deal of confidence in my abilities. After these studies, and even now, I have the feeling that if I decide to go into something, I'll succeed, whatever the field."