Dr. Jan Ments, appointed as the new head of the Information Technology School at STADIO, advocates for a transformative approach to IT education. He asserts that future specialists in this field will require not only technical qualifications but also creativity, empathy, and the ability for independent thinking.
IT as a Social Science
According to Ments, information technology is closer to social sciences than to pure engineering. He believes that the future of IT education lies not only in mastering technical skills but also in understanding people, systems, and human behavior. Throughout his career, which spans nearly three decades in higher education, Ments has held leadership and academic positions at Belgium Campus iTversity, UNISA, and Tshwane University of Technology.
In a world where educational institutions globally are striving to prepare graduates (especially in IT) for the rapidly changing digital economy, Ments posits that the solution lies in rethinking the goals of IT education. He defines IT learning as acquiring the skills necessary to use technology for the benefit of human activity. He emphasizes that a human-centric understanding of technology is becoming increasingly vital amid workplace and industry transformations driven by artificial intelligence, automation, and digital systems.
The Importance of Critical Thinking
Ments insists that the primary skill to develop is the capacity for independent thought. He speaks to the necessity of being able to critically evaluate the world and solve problems with a clear objective—to serve humanity. Furthermore, he believes that empathy and creativity will remain indispensable qualities for IT professionals, despite continuous technological advancements. In his view, a specialist capable of listening carefully and understanding a person's problem can solve it effectively.
Education as a Creative Process
Ments notes that many institutions mistakenly view IT education solely as technical or mechanistic, rather than seeing it as a discipline aimed at creative problem-solving. He argues that educational institutions often forget that typical IT education is more related to developing creative abilities than to mechanically mastering principles and frameworks. At the same time, non-standard thinking and experimentation must be encouraged and permitted, and mistakes and practical learning should not be penalized.
STADIO confirmed that Ments' appointment aligns with the institution's focus on preparing graduates who are ready for the industry and capable of adapting in a changing world. Dr. Stan du Plessis, CEO of STADIO Higher Education, expressed pleasure at Dr. Ments joining the team, noting that his vision for IT education fully matches STADIO's belief that higher education should prepare students not only for today's jobs but also for lifelong learning and making a significant contribution to a rapidly changing world.
Interdisciplinary Approach in IT
One factor that attracted Ments to STADIO was the institution's emphasis on expanding access to higher education and its interdisciplinary academic environment. He sees STADIO as a platform demonstrating the interdisciplinary nature of IT as an enabling discipline. Ments believes that the most interesting technological breakthroughs are increasingly occurring at the intersection of different disciplines, and therefore IT cannot be viewed as an isolated field. He stresses the need for collaborative learning across various disciplines.
Ments holds a PhD in Information Systems from the University of South Africa and has supervised numerous postgraduate research projects in areas such as corporate architecture development, digital systems, e-learning, cloud migration, and business opportunity development. At STADIO, his goal is to help shape graduates who understand both technology and the people for whom these technologies are intended. He aims to demonstrate to the market that an STADIO IT specialist is capable of understanding human activity and providing solutions that serve human goals, rather than the other way around.