Remarkable progress has been made in applying computing technologies to real-world problems. However there exists a class of problems, specifically knowledge discovery problems, for which traditional computational methods are not applicable or sufficient. Given the explosion of digital information and knowledge that permeates all sectors of the society today, there is a great need for expertise in processing existing information and knowledge banks for the betterment of society. This category of problems requires solutions that mimic human intelligence.

This thematic area focuses on the planning, designing, building and managing corporate computing systems; as well as people involved with the design, implementation and maintenance of telecommunication networks. It invloves Distributed Applications, Telecommunications and Internet Technology, Cloud and Grid Computing  and Management of Network Infrastructure.