The 5th Acariya PuZaw Pwe of ICST (Institute of Computer Science and Technology) and UCSY (University of Computer Studies Yangon) was held in January 2018.
Saw Yan Naing (son of Dr. Saw Naing and nephew of Saya Dr. Myo Khin (C70) gave me a ride to the SPZ.
The SPZP was held in five batches. As a member of “Generation Zero of UCC”, I covered some milestones of the Introduction of Computers to Burma under the leadership of Sayagyi Dr. Chit Swe.
Ma Nge (Daw Nge Ma Ma Than, GBNF) attended the SPZP.
ICST/UCSY published a commemorative magazine for the 30th Anniversary of the founding of UCC. I wrote “Paying Back to My Alma Mater” (a summary of the 30+ posts about UCC) for the issue.
San Yin Myint (Samanta), one of the organizers for the Pu Zaw Pwe, is a niece of Saya U Win Kyaing (GBNF) and a cousin of U Hla Myint Thein (Maurice Chee, M75).
Saya Dr. Chit Swe founded UCC (Universities’ Computer Center) with the help of Saya U Soe Paing, Saya U Myo Min and Saya U Ko Ko Lay (GBNF). The UCC staff and students address the founding members as Saya Chit, Saya Paing, Saya Myo and Saya Lay.
U Soe PaingU Myo MinU Ko Ko Lay
Projects
I have written about Saya Chit in several of my posts. He is a Pioneer and a believer of Life Long Learning, Knowledge Transfer, Leapfrogging Technology and the Talents of the Burmese sayas and students. He is my mentor. More importantly, he allowed me to work on most of his projects (including Preparation for the UCC Project, High School Mathematics Curriculum Change, Children’s Treasury of Knowledge, and Team of System Specialists).
Vision
Saya Chit ensured that there would be a component in the UCC Project to invite short term and long term Computer Scientists and Educators to UCC. Professor Harry D Huskey (Past ACM President and a Computing Pioneer) was given the sub contract to help with the academic and professional courses being given at UCC.
Saya Chit made sure that the post-graduate diploma (DAC) and post-graduate Computer Science courses were given under the “Mathematics Department” until a separate CS Department could be opened.
Passion
Saya Chit served as Director of UCC in addition to being Professor of Mathematics.
Saya Chit moved back to RASU, but never lost his passion about his pet baby UCC.
Saya retired as Rector of RASU. Saya then relocated to Thailand and Australia. Saya continued supervising graduate students in Australia. Saya is still passionate about UCC, Computers and Education in Burma and beyond.
Dr. Tin Maung
Saya Chit was succeeded by Saya Dr. Tin Maung as Director of UCC.
Saya Dr. Tin Maung retired as Rector of ICST.
DCS
During Saya Tin Maung’s tenure, the Department of Computer Science (DCS) was established under RASU. Saya U Ko Ko Lay (GBNF, brother of U Than Htut M67) was Professor. U Tun Aung Gyaw served as Associate Professor. I was a Lecturer.
The Institute of Computer Science and Technology (ICST) was established in 1988 with Saya Dr. Tin Maung as Rector.
There were initially four Departments :
Hardware Technology (with U Tun Aung Gyaw as Associate Professor and Head)
Software Technology (with Yours Truly as Associate Professor and Head)
Information Systems (with Saya U Ko Ko Lay as Professor and Head)
Computational Mathematics
30 students were admitted to the first B.Sc (Computer Science) course.
15 students were admitted to the first B.Sc. (Computer Technology) course.
ICST later became UCSY (University of Computer Studies Yangon).
Gatherings
There have been gatherings to
celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the founding of UCC
celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the founding of ICST
5th Acariya Puzaw Pwe of ICST/UCSY in January 2018
6th Acariya Puzaw Pwe of ICST/UCSY in December 2019
In January 2018, I was invited as the Generation Zero Member to attend the ICST/UCSY hosted the 5th Acariya Puzaw Pwe and give a short speech.
During my visit to Yangon in January and February of 2018, I spent almost three whole days writing “Memories of UCC”. I had provided Word and PDF files, but the UCSY sayamas suggested that I should submit a shorter version for the commemorative magazine for the 30th Anniversary has come out.
HlaMin 