A Maltese delegation consisting of representatives of the Maltese government, private enterprises and the media paid a two-day visit to IBM Research Labs in Zurich, Switzerland, last week.

Members of the delegation came from the Information Technology Secretariat within the IT Ministry, MITTS, Philip Toledo Ltd, Computer Solutions Ltd, the Maltese Lotteries and Gaming Authority and the St Martin’s Institute for Information Technology and Mr Martin Debattista.

The visit was a result of the Vertical Strategic Alliance between the Maltese government and IBM and is one of several visits planned to enable IT-related Maltese organisations, including the government, to exploit the possibility of joint research projects with IBM.

The IBM Research Lab in Zurich is the European branch of the company’s research network that employs some 3,500 people in eight labs across the world. For the last 50 years it has been at the forefront of research and innovation, twice winning the Nobel Prize. It was the top recipient of US patents in 2004.

In Zurich, the Maltese delegation was briefed on the latest trends in research, with particular focus on security and

privacy. IBM’s speakers gave an overview of the global technology outlook and the global innovation outlook, IBM’s research efforts in current trends in information technology.

Exhibits showing research applied to

different aspects of everyday life were also made available. These included the latest application of research in biometric identification and the use of RFID for the location of people and goods.

The Maltese participants were made aware of the opportunities in joint research projects between their organisations and IBM, especially within the framework of the European Union’s FP7 funding.

The IT Ministry is planning follow-up meetings in Malta to explore further the opportunities presented in Zurich and to visit other IBM research labs.