ISSUE 40: NOVEMBER 2005-FEBRUARY 2006
network of research and training centres/programmes
FRONT PAGE | ARCHIVE |
UNU to help build virtual academy in Tunisia
UN University has announced a joint initiative with Tunisia's Borj-Cedria Science and Technology Park to build a virtual academy to support sustainable development in Africa. The academy’s primary focus will be online training in water management, environment, renewable energy and biotechnology. It will exploit new technologies to share information and expertise throughout Africa and offer electronic technical assistance.
The project was announced by UNU Rector
Hans van Ginkel at the World Summit on the Information Society held in
Tunis November 16-18. It will include a media centre, digital library and computing centre to foster cooperation between African universities and research institutions and to network with other online initiatives worldwide, including the
UNU-affiliated Global Virtual University, UNU’s Water Virtual Learning
Centre, and the African Virtual University, based in Nairobi, Kenya with over 57 Learning Centers in 27 African countries.
The project also builds on Tunisia’s existing national Digital Library under the Ministry of Scientific Research
and a Virtual University under the Ministry of Higher Education.
"United Nations University (UNU) now has extensive experience in online and distance learning and is well positioned to extend this know-how to promote Africa’s sustainable economic development,” said Prof. van Ginkel. “Tunisia’s Borj-Cedria Science and Technology Park, with its environmental focus, is an ideal partner."
UNU experts says that innovative use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) will help Africa to quickly achieve decades of progress in the transition to sustainable development and bridge a widening gap between its prosperity and that of other regions.
By facilitating training, information sharing, decision making and environmental monitoring, the Internet and other high-tech tools hold the promise of improving African international competitiveness and lifting its productivity and the incomes of millions without sacrificing the environment,
Prof. van Ginkel said.
"It cannot be stressed too strongly how important it is for Africa to be equipped with the advantages of modern ICTs, especially for training people throughout the
continent," he said. "The health and food security of tens of millions of Africans today and of billions more in generations to come depend on this outcome being achieved as rapidly as possible. If Africa is ever to fully meet its potential in a sustainable way, these technologies must be a central part of its
strategies."
Prof. Manef Aderrabba, general director of the Borj-Cedria Technopark, said that Tunisia is strategically placed – at the geographical intersection of Africa and Europe. "African researchers are missing out on tremendous opportunities in research and business because they are either too isolated or unaware of the tremendous commercial potentials of sustainable development efforts," he said. "We hope this academy will help Africa create a brighter economic and environmental future."
Three UNU events at information summit
UNU organized three parallel events at the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis from 14-18 November 2005. These included an event entitled Widening Access to Knowledge through Open Sharing: The Growing OpenCourseWare Movement co-organized with MIT and the Hewlett Foundation.
The second parallel event was organized by UNU-MERIT and focused on the Impact of ICTs in Development. It was followed by an event on e-Governance organized by UNU-IIST in collaboration with INWENT.
UNU representatives also participated in events organized by other bodies at the summit. This included the Conference on African Research and Education Networking Infrastructure organized by the Association of African Universities (AAU) and sponsored by IDRC and the Partnership for Higher Education in Africa, amongst others. UNU participated in a panel discussion that brought together various international stakeholders including the World Bank Institute, ITU, CERN, UNDP, IDRC and CISCO Systems.UNU Rector Hans van Ginkel addressed the summit plenary on the subject of Information Society Open to All. He also participated in three UNESCO organized events including the Roundtable on the Role of UNESCO in the Construction of Knowledge Societies through the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme on 18th November 2005.
© 2006 United Nations University