The Science, Technology and Society paradigm is increasingly becoming a reality in the Azorean society even on smaller islands. According to the Regional Secretary for Science, Technology and Infrastructures, this commitment corresponds “to an emerging culture which the Regional Government wants to create in the Azores in order to foster economy through a concerted and strategic effort.”

The development of a digital culture in the Azores is an important project because its transverse nature places the archipelago at the level of other places where modernity has reached through this emerging digital culture, “which is essential to the business world, citizens in general and, of course, to economic sector,” stressed José Contente.

The Regional Secretary spoke after a visit to the B@dsector Computer Club in Santa Cruz das Flores and said that the regional government has invested about 100,000 Euros in the ICT spaces of Flores Island over the last decade, adding that this investment “corresponds to a political effort to continue to disseminate the information and knowledge society on the islands where there are still difficulties in the Internet access, but we hope that the installation project of the new optic fibre cable may partially solve this problem.”

According to José Contente, the 80 ICT spaces, spread across several Azorean villages, “are in fact breeding grounds of digital culture” as it is evidenced by the daily attendance at the Santa Cruz space which receives a daily average over 20 children and youngsters in addition to tourists.

The Regional Secretary also stated that the Azorean Government will continue to invest in the dissemination and performance of these spaces as well as in the implementation of the Digital Schools programme.

In addition to these projects, the 2nd Phase of the Wi-Fi project on the Cohesion Islands will begin on Flores later this year. After the provision of free internet in various public spaces on the island of Flores, the project also includes the installation of interactive digital boards at airports providing scientific information to visitors and to the local population as well.