E Economic and Social Council

United Nations
E/ESCAP/CICT(2)/1
Economic and Social Council
Distr.: General
30 August 2010
Original: English
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
Committee on Information and Communications Technology
Second session
Bangkok, 24-26 November 2010
Item 6 of the provisional agenda
Regional capacity-building and overview of information
and communications technology for development
Report of the Asian and Pacific Training Centre
for Information and Communication Technology
for Development on its activities during the period
2008-2010
Note by the secretariat
Summary
The Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and
Communication Technology for Development is a subsidiary body of the
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific that has a mandate
to build the human and institutional capacity of the 62 members and associate
members of the Commission to use information and communications
technology (ICT) in their socio-economic development. The Centre was
established in June 2006 pursuant to Commission resolution 61/6 of 18 May
2005. The Commission in its resolution 66/14 of 19 May 2010 noted the
successful performance of the Centre and decided that it should continue to
operate beyond its initial five-year term.
The present report provides an overview of the progress achieved by
the Centre in formulating and implementing its programmes within the region
over the last two years under the three interrelated pillars of training, research
and knowledge management, and advisory services.
Under the training pillar, the Centre adopted a training-of-trainers
approach and achieved rapid expansion of its Academy of ICT Essentials for
Government Leaders programme. This programme has been initiated in 16
countries of the region, including many countries with special needs, by
establishing strategic partnerships and gaining the support of many other
donors. The Academy training curriculum has already been translated into
Bahasa Indonesia and Russian by Academy partners and further localizations
are under way. In accordance with the recommendations of the first session of
the Committee on ICT, two new Academy modules on the use of ICT for
disaster risk reduction and climate change mitigation and adaptation are being
developed to build the capacity of policymakers and government officials. In
June 2009, the Centre also developed and launched the APCICT Virtual
Academy, the online distance learning version of the Academy. In addition,
DMR A2010-000340 TP211010
CICT2_1E
E/ESCAP/CICT(2)/1
the Centre organized thematic training on various topics relating to
information and communications technology for development (ICTD), such as
e-government, ICT accessibility for persons with disabilities, and ICT
capacity-building for women.
Overall, the Centre has organized 35 Academy and thematic training
workshops and events since the first session of the Committee. Together with
the number of course enrolments in the APCICT Virtual Academy, a total of
3,596 participants have been reached.
As part of the Centre’s efforts under the research and knowledge
management pillar, it achieved increased membership on e-Collaborative Hub,
an online knowledge-sharing platform for ICTD. It also launched the ICTD
Briefing Note Series and Case Study Series, two research publications aimed
at enabling a better understanding of ICTD among decision-makers and
improving the dissemination of ICTD best practices.
The Centre provided advisory services to the participating national
Governments and training partners of the Academy in curriculum
customization, instructional design and delivery of ICT capacity-building
training. It also institutionalized the Academy in national capacity-building
frameworks to reach as many relevant policymakers as possible. Moreover, the
Centre initiated a new project for enhancing the coverage of ICTD in
undergraduate and graduate curricula in universities in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Centre’s plans for the future include seeking to further expand
ICTD capacity-building initiatives—including the Academy programme—
using an inclusive and participatory approach, and aligning these initiatives
with regional and national needs in order to promote existing as well as new
partnerships.
Contents
I.
2
Introduction ................................................................................................. 3
A.
Institutional arrangements ................................................................. 3 B.
Mandate ............................................................................................. 3 C.
Work programme .............................................................................. 3 II.
Alignment of the programme of work with regional needs for building
human capacity in information and communications technology for
development ................................................................................................ 4
III.
Results and outcomes achieved since the last session of the committee
on information and communications technology ........................................ 7
A.
Training ............................................................................................. 7 B.
Research and knowledge management ............................................ 11 C.
Advisory services ............................................................................ 13 D.
Strengthening partnerships .............................................................. 15 E.
Other matters ................................................................................... 16 IV.
The way forward ....................................................................................... 16
V.
Issues for consideration ............................................................................. 18
E/ESCAP/CICT(2)/1
I.
A.
Introduction
Institutional arrangements
1.
The Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and
1
Communication Technology for Development (APCICT) was established
and inaugurated on 16 June 2006 in Incheon, Republic of Korea. The statute
of APCICT is contained in the annex to Commission resolution 61/6 of 18
May 2005. APCICT submitted an annual report on the progress achieved in
the implementation of its programmes (E/ESCAP/66/13) to the Economic
and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) at its sixty-sixth
session, held in May 2010. At the same session, the Commission it its
resolution 66/14 recognized the successful performance of the Centre and
decided that it should continue to operate beyond its initial five-year term.
2.
The resources of APCICT are generated through voluntary
contributions from members and associate members of ESCAP. The
Government of the Republic of Korea is the main financial contributor to
the Centre and initially provided $10 million in cash and in kind for the first
five years of its operation.
3.
The Governing Council of APCICT comprises eight members and
associate members of ESCAP, each of which is elected for a three-year
term, and the host country, the Republic of Korea. The current members of
the Council, elected by the Commission at its sixty-fifth session for the
period 2009-2012, are Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia,
Kazakhstan, Mongolia, the Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The
Council meets once a year to advise the Director of the Centre on the
formulation of the work programme. It reviews the administrative and
financial status of APCICT as well as the implementation of its programme
of work. For the most recent report of the Council, see E/ESCAP/66/13,
annex III.
B.
Mandate
4.
As stated in the statute of APCICT, the objective of the Centre is to
build the capacity of members and associate members of ESCAP through
training programmes in the use of information and communications
technology (ICT) for the purpose of socio-economic development.
5.
The principal target group of APCICT consists of national
Governments and their ICT ministries/departments/agencies, as well as
those concerned with other sectors. The Centre aims to equip them with a
development-oriented framework for ICT-based and ICT-supported
interventions in a range of development sectors, with a view to achieving
the Millennium Development Goals. Other target groups of the Centre
include local government organizations, non-governmental organizations,
training institutions, universities, research institutions, United Nations
agencies, donor agencies and private companies.
C.
Work programme
6.
In pursuance of its mandate, the Centre performs the following
functions:
1
www.unapcict.org.
3
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(a)
Enhancing knowledge and skills in ICT for policymakers
and ICT professionals;
(b)
Enhancing the capacity of ICT trainers and ICT training
institutions by providing training-of-trainers programmes and exchanges of
trainers and experts;
(c)
Undertaking analytical studies related to human resource
development in ICT, including identifying training needs and sharing best
practices on human resource development programmes and training
methods;
(d)
Providing advisory services on human
development programmes to members and associate members.
resource
7.
The work of APCICT is thus focused on three interrelated pillars—
training, research and knowledge management, and advisory services.
Together, they form an integrated approach to ICT human capacity-building
and each pillar reinforces the reach and impact of the other pillars.
Figure 1.
Integrated approach of APCICT to capacity-building in information
and communications technology for development
II.
Alignment of the programme of work with regional
needs for building human capacity in information and
communications technology for development
8.
The last 20 years have witnessed a sharp growth in various
economic sectors around the world. A significant proportion of this growth
is attributed to productivity and efficiency gains resulting from the
increased use of ICT. According to a recent study, an increase of 10 per
cent in Internet penetration in emerging economies correlates with an
2
incremental increase in gross domestic product of 1-2 per cent.
2
4
The Boston Consulting Group commissioned by Telenor, “Socio-economic
impact of Internet in emerging and developing economies” (2009), in “ICT for
Economic Growth: A Dynamic Ecosystem Driving the Global Recovery”,
World Economic Forum, (Cologny/Geneva, Switzerland, 2009), p. 3. Available
from www.weforum.org/pdf/ict/ICT%20for%20Growth.pdf.
E/ESCAP/CICT(2)/1
9.
In fostering an information society and ensuring that information
and communications technologies are available to all development sectors,
many governments have invested in building and improving their ICT
infrastructure. At the same time, governments realize that bringing
technologies to people goes beyond the provision of infrastructure,
hardware and software. According to Bridges.org, the provision of
technology alone will not be sufficient unless people know how to use it
effectively as part of their everyday lives or their work. When technology is
not utilized, it is usually due to a lack of training or a lack of awareness of
3
the possibilities for its productive utilization.
10.
Countries that lack human resource skills in ICT risk falling behind
in their ability to access information and knowledge and to interact in a
digital and networked economy. In fact, research shows that level of
education and computer skills are important factors contributing to the
digital divide, as they influence a person’s ability to know about, learn how
4
to use, and subsequently make effective use of ICT.
11.
Currently, the Asia-Pacific region suffers from a dearth of
professional skills and expertise in information and communications
technology for development (ICTD) to support national planning and
development processes. Without visionary policymakers and other ICTcapable government officials, the opportunities presented by ICT for
accelerating the process of socio-economic development and achieving the
Millennium Development Goals are unlikely to be recognized or applied.
Capacity-building in this area is therefore critical. The range of ICTD
training, research and advisory programmes provided by APCICT is
designed to address this need.
12.
In developing its work programme and strategy, in addition to the
above-mentioned considerations, APCICT is guided by a number of global
and regional agreements, entities and forums, including the following:
(a)
The World Summit on the Information Society. APCICT
is committed to meeting the targets of the Summit through human capacitybuilding in ICT, particularly in achieving the outcome on capacity-building,
which states that each person should have the opportunity to acquire the
necessary skills and knowledge in order to understand, participate actively
in and benefit fully from the information society and the knowledge
5
economy. Moreover, the Plan of Action of the Summit notes the
importance of capacity-building and highlights the need to promote
international and regional cooperation in the field of capacity-building,
including country programmes developed by the United Nations and its
6
specialized agencies;
3
4
5
6
Bridges.org,
“Real
Access
/
Real
Impact”.
Available
from
www.bridges.org/Real_Access.
John P. Robinson, Paul Dimaggio and Eszter Hargittai, “New social survey
perspectives on the digital divide”, IT & Society, 2003, vol. 1, No. 5 (Summer
2003), pp. 1-22.
See the Declaration of Principles in the report of the Geneva phase of the World
Summit on the Information Society, Geneva, 10-12 December 2003
(A/C.2/59/3, annex), Chapter I.A, para. 29.
See the Plan of Action in the report of the Geneva phase of the World Summit
on the Information Society, Geneva, 10-12 December 2003 (A/C.2/59/3,
annex), Chapter I.B, para. 11(m).
5
E/ESCAP/CICT(2)/1
(b)
The General Assembly, the Economic and Social
Council and ESCAP, particularly in the provision of an overall
strategic development framework. The ESCAP strategic framework for
2008-2009 gives the contribution of APCICT as: improved national and
institutional capacity through training programmes in the use of information
and communication technology for the purposes of socio-economic
7
development. The current strategy is harmonized with the strategic
framework for 2010-2011: improved institutional capacity of ESCAP
8
member States to apply ICT for socio-economic development;
(c)
Committee on Information and Communications
Technology. The Committee held its first session in Bangkok from 19 to
21 November 2008. The current work programme and future strategy of
APCICT are aligned with the priority issues identified by the Committee.
At its first session, the Committee recommended that APCICT play an
important role in assisting member countries, especially countries with
special needs, in addressing capacity-building needs in ICT policy
development and applications (see E/ESCAP/CICT/6, para. 4), which could
be accomplished through such programmes as its Academy of ICT
Essentials for Government Leaders;
(d)
The Governing Council. The members of the Governing
Council advise the Director of APCICT on the programme of work. At the
four annual sessions of the Governing Council held since 2006, the
members have reviewed the implementation of its programme of work. The
Governing Council has been influential in guiding the Centre’s strategy and
setting its workplan;
(e)
The Information and Communications Technology and
Disaster Risk Reduction Division of ESCAP. The work programme and
future strategy of APCICT complement the activities of the Division with
the aim of contributing to the Commission’s expected accomplishments;
(f)
Regional forums. One such forum was the Regional Forum
on ICT Capacity-Building: Where are we? Where are we going? and What
will it take to fill the gap?, which was organized by APCICT and held in
Incheon, Republic of Korea, on 5 and 6 March 2007. The Forum brought
together about 200 stakeholders in ICTD and capacity-building from 45
countries, representing governmental organizations, multilateral and United
Nations agencies, civil society, academia and the private sector, to plan an
agenda for ICT capacity-building. The recommendations of this Forum
served as the basis for the APCICT strategy at its inception. Since then,
similar forums with key stakeholders have been important in ensuring that
the Centre’s strategy and work programme continue to meet the needs of
member States;
(g)
Underlying principles of APCICT work programme
development. APCICT seeks to align its principles with regional and
national needs on human and institutional ICT capacity-building, to develop
niche programmes for value-added contribution, to form strategic
7
8
6
See Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-first Session, Supplement
No. 6 (A/61/6/Rev.1), Programme 15, subprogramme 7c.
See Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-third Session, Supplement
No. 6 (A/63/6/Rev.1), Programme 15, subprogramme 5d.
E/ESCAP/CICT(2)/1
partnerships and to design programmes in an integrated and cohesive
manner;
(h)
Feedback. APCICT regularly solicits feedback from
partners through meetings and round-table discussions, as well as from
training participants via workshop evaluation questionnaires. Furthermore,
the Centre employs various means to conduct training needs assessments,
which are taken into account in the formulation of its work programme and
strategy.
III.
A.
Results and outcomes achieved since the last session of
the Committee on Information and Communications
Technology
Training
13.
In its resolution 61/6 on the establishment of the Asian and Pacific
Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for
Development, the Commission recalled the need to prioritize information
and communication technology development, capacity-building and the
fostering of partnerships in order to advance the region’s information
society. In its resolution 66/14 on the continuation of the Asian and Pacific
Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for
Development, the Commission again underscored the critical importance of
human and institutional capacity-building in ICT. The APCICT training
pillar actively incorporates these dimensions into its long-term strategy
aimed at demonstrating the potential of ICTD to policymakers and enabling
them to become champions for the incorporation of ICT into development
programmes and policies.
14.
Upon its establishment in 2006, APCICT began by offering demanddriven but stand-alone training courses for government officers, academics
and development practitioners on different thematic aspects of ICTD.
However, the Centre was quick to realize that an ad hoc activity-based
approach to fulfilling its mandate, although it met specific needs, was
insufficient and had a limited impact.
15.
Accordingly, APCICT conducted a comprehensive needs
assessment survey and organized a number of consultative workshops with
member States, the results of which showed that almost all of the
developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region recognized the importance
of human capacity-building in ICT for national development. Some policies
had been formulated and actions initiated at the government level to
monitor and expand ICT skills. Yet, in most countries, the focus had been
limited to developing ICT skills for the ICT sector rather than doing so for
the nation as a whole with a view to fully leveraging the opportunities
presented by ICT to achieve development goals. This limited focus can be
attributed to the lack of a holistic view in ICTD policies and processes, and
of the potential application of ICT in various development sectors.
16.
To foster this holistic view, APCICT launched the Academy of ICT
9
Essentials for Government Leaders programme in June 2008. This flagship
programme of APCICT includes a comprehensive, 8-module ICTD
curriculum. It is designed to meet the growing and diverse demands of
9
See www.unapcict.org/academy.
7
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policymakers and encourages national ownership. An inclusive and
participatory approach was used to develop the curriculum modules and
implement the activities.
17.
As part of the Academy programme, regional and subregional
training-of-trainers workshops have been held regularly to build a core
group of Academy trainers, and the Centre has worked in partnership with
about two dozen national training institutions to drive the national roll-out
of the programme.
18.
Adopting a participatory and inclusive approach to programme
management has resulted in high-quality modules, as well as commitment
from participating countries in customizing, translating and delivering the
Academy at the national level on a regular basis. By providing support to
national partners in the localization process, APCICT has not only helped in
the development of course materials that are both relevant and more easily
understood by national policymakers, it has also strengthened the capacities
of national training institutions, thus contributing to the effectiveness, reach
and sustainability of the Academy programme.
19.
The Academy has attained high impact and continues to gather
momentum and reach, especially among countries with special needs,
which include least developed countries, landlocked countries and small
island developing States. Overall, since the first session of the Committee, a
total of 22 Academy workshops and events have been organized by
APCICT at the regional, subregional and national levels, primarily training
policymakers and government officials.
20.
The workshops and events organized by APCICT since the first
session of the Committee include:
(a)
Regional workshops and events. APCICT organized the
second Regional Academy Training-of-Trainers (March 2009), a regional
workshop on options for funding ICT for development (November 2009),
the first Academy Partners Meeting (November 2009) and a web-based
workshop on climate change and ICT (May 2010);
(b)
Subregional workshops. A subregional Academy
workshop for the Pacific island countries was held in the Cook Islands,
September 2008. A workshop for the Commonwealth of Independent States
and Russian-speaking countries was organized in Tajikistan in September
and October 2009;
(c)
National workshops. National Academy workshops were
held in the following countries: one each in Afghanistan, Cambodia,
Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Viet Nam;
two each in the Philippines and Timor-Leste; and three in Indonesia;
(d)
Workshops organized independently by partners. In
addition to the above, 16 workshops and training sessions were organized
by partners independent of APCICT support in Indonesia, Kiribati,
Kyrgyzstan, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mongolia and the
Philippines, thus signifying a strong demand for and field uptake of the
Academy programme.
21.
The following are among the key impacts and achievements of the
Academy:
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E/ESCAP/CICT(2)/1
(a)
High level of participant satisfaction. As evidence of the
quality of the training, more than 80 per cent of the participants who
attended APCICT training workshops and were surveyed through postworkshop questionnaires said that the training content met their needs. The
composite percentage includes participants who agreed or strongly agreed
with the relevance of the subject matter, the usefulness of the training
content and the case studies presented, and the enhancement of their
knowledge and skills, and who felt that the workshop objectives had been
met;
(b)
Integration
into
national
capacity-building
frameworks. Beyond the initial roll-out at the national and subregional
levels, the APCICT strategy accords importance to the institutionalization
of Academy training so that it will continue to be utilized over the long term
to carry out capacity-building activities for policymakers. The Academy has
now been integrated into national capacity-building frameworks in
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Mongolia and the Philippines for the training of
senior officials and chief information officers, while the Royal Institute of
Management of Bhutan is planning to integrate the Academy modules into
its Management Development Programme for the training of civil servants;
(c)
Influence on policy formulation. The Academy training
has constructively contributed to policy formulation. In Indonesia, for
instance, knowledge-sharing events organized by Academy alumni have led
to the establishment of a national e-government forum and the drafting of egovernment regulations. The Academy has also highlighted the need for
ICTD awareness among government functionaries, and ICT-related
questions adapted from the Academy modules have been added to the
qualifying examination for civil servants in the Philippines;
(d)
Support from other donors. A number of donors have
supported Academy initiatives, demonstrating the value that the programme
has brought to its stakeholders. Partners of the Academy have successfully
mobilized funds from various sources, including their own governments.
Examples of such resource mobilization by partners include funding from
the following sources: the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) to promote the Academy in Uzbekistan and to extend its reach to
six out of the seven provinces of Kyrgyzstan; the European Union to
implement Academy training in 14 Pacific island States; the World Bank in
Mongolia; and the non-governmental organization Open Society Institute
Assistance Foundation for curriculum localization in Tajikistan. APCICT is
also collaborating with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the
National Information Society Agency of the Republic of Korea on a joint
project to improve public services through ICT in the Philippines, Mongolia
and Viet Nam. The project aims to develop a customized e-government
competency maturity model for the target countries, which will be used to
measure the ICT capacity maturity of governmental and other
organizations, and to prepare an e-government road map. An ICT project
guidebook will also be developed. Both resources will be based on the
Academy modules;
(e)
South-South cooperation. APCICT has been actively
using the Academy to promote South-South cooperation and to bring about
wider dissemination of the benefits of ICTD training. It has provided a
platform for government agencies and Academy partners from member
countries to exchange new ideas, expertise, and ICTD programme and
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policy implementation experiences. To cite another example, resource
persons from Indonesia helped to launch the Academy in Timor-Leste, and
a Russian-speaking Academy alumnus from Mongolia served as a resource
person for the subregional Academy workshop in Tajikistan. Moreover, the
Academy has been made available in Africa through collaboration with the
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). Discussions are
also under way with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission
for Western Asia (ESCWA) and the United Nations Economic Commission
for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) to extend the Academy to
their regions;
(f)
Customization of the Academy. APCICT recognizes the
diversity of the Asia-Pacific region, and encourages its national and
subregional partners to customize the Academy to meet their specific needs
in terms of target groups, training content, delivery channels and
mechanisms for programme replication. Customization also enables the
workshop participants to better relate to the training being imparted and to
understand its applicability in their own context. For example, the
University of Indonesia is developing a master’s degree programme based
on the Academy curriculum, while the Academy modules are being
integrated into the course for students working towards a master’s degree in
public administration at the Academy of Management in Kyrgyzstan. In
Uzbekistan, UNDP is customizing four Academy modules under its project
on ICT policy through the addition of case studies, while the Cabinet of
Ministers is supporting the adaptation of the Academy to train
approximately 600 government officials in 12 regions of the country;
(g)
Localization of Academy curriculum. Localized versions
of the Academy curriculum are vital for enhancing its reach and
effectiveness. To meet this need, Bahasa Indonesia and Russian versions of
the Academy modules have been developed and launched. Furthermore,
translation of the Academy modules into eight more languages is either
already under way or in an advanced stage of planning. These languages
include Dari, Pashto, French, Khmer, Mongolian, Myanmar, Tajik and
Vietnamese;
(h)
Development of new Academy modules. In response to
demand from member States and to address the recommendation of the
Committee on Information and Communications Technology at its first
session that APCICT develop a new Academy module on ICT for disaster
risk reduction (see E/ESCAP/CICT/6, para. 17), APCICT is currently in the
process of drafting two new Academy modules, one on ICT for disaster risk
reduction (module 9) and the other on climate change and ICT (module 10).
For module 9, the Centre conducted a training needs assessment in the
Pacific islands and an expert group meeting. A significant amount of effort
was invested to gather content from various leading disaster risk reduction
institutions. For module 10, the first draft was completed and presented at a
web-based consultative workshop held in partnership with Microsoft to
obtain further feedback from experts. The web-based mode helped to
minimize the carbon footprint of the event. A similar web-based
consultation for module 9 is also planned for 2010.
10
22.
The APCICT Virtual Academy (AVA), launched in June 2009,
represents the online, distance learning version of the Academy. It is part of
10
10
See http://ava.unapcict.org.
E/ESCAP/CICT(2)/1
the APCICT strategy to diversify its delivery channel, extend its reach and
encourage continuous self-learning. AVA allows learners to take the
training courses at their own pace and minimizes disruptions to their work
environment. All eight Academy modules have been made available on this
platform in the form of video lectures synchronized with presentations, selfassessments and quizzes. Since its launch, AVA has rapidly expanded its
reach and has 2,470 course enrolments from 92 countries and territories so
far. In May 2010, the first three modules of AVA were successfully
localized into Bahasa Indonesia and Russian, and were made available to
users in order to increase the reach and impact of the online training. For
users with limited or no Internet access, AVA DVD-ROMs were produced
and are being disseminated to recipients from various countries, such as
government ministries, national training institutions, diplomatic missions
and development agencies. As an indication of the relevance and usefulness
of AVA in a variety of national contexts, the Government of Bhutan
published an advertisement in a national daily in February 2010 to promote
it, following which the number of AVA enrolments from Bhutan increased
sharply.
23.
Since the first session of the Committee, APCICT has also
contributed to ICTD capacity-building for policymakers in specific thematic
areas. The Centre, in partnership with a range of organizations, has
conducted 12 demand-driven training courses or events, focusing on egovernment (3), ICT accessibility for persons with disabilities (2), ICT
capacity-building for women in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
region (2), information security (2), disaster risk reduction (1) and other
themes (2).
24.
Overall, 35 Academy and thematic training workshops and events
have been organized by APCICT since the first session of the Committee.
Together with the number of course enrolments in AVA, 3,596 participants
have been reached.
B.
Research and knowledge management
25.
ICT is arguably one of the most dynamic and fastest evolving fields,
as innovations in ICT devices, applications and services take place at a
rapid pace. It is becoming increasingly difficult for policymakers and
government officials to keep track of new solutions and models, the
opportunities they create and their implications for policy and programme
design.
26.
To compound the problem, policymakers and government officials
also have to cope with an excess of information concerning the various
constituencies under their charge. They are frequently faced with the
complex task of sorting through high volumes of data to isolate key issues
in order to reach an informed and balanced decision. Anecdotal evidence
gathered by APCICT from discussions held with member States points to
an urgent need for the compilation and analysis of ICTD best practices and
case studies from the region that draw out innovative solutions and lessons
learned which policymakers and government officials can use for effective
decision-making.
27.
In recognition of the need for focused and timely sharing of
evidence-based knowledge, APCICT has produced a number of
11
E/ESCAP/CICT(2)/1
11
publications on human capacity-building in ICT and various aspects of
ICTD, including ICT human resource development trends, indicators and
methods, training needs assessments and instructional design. APCICT
collaborated with UNDP in producing two primers, one on small and
medium-sized enterprises and ICT and the other on ICT for disaster
management. The Centre also sponsored four issues of the journal ICT
World Today, in partnership with the Korea Information Society
Development Institute. Furthermore, APCICT contributed a paper on ICT
human and institutional capacity-building, focusing on the Academy
12
programme, to Digital Outreach for a Better Future, a landmark
publication produced by the International Telecommunication Union.
28.
To streamline APCICT research for the purpose of helping
policymakers make timely and appropriate decisions on the choice and
adoption of relevant ICT tools, APCICT has initiated two research series—
the Briefing Note Series and the Case Study Series. They are fundamental
in guiding advisory services and substantiating the training programmes of
APCICT.
13
29.
The Briefing Note Series aims to provide at-a-glance information
on key ICTD issues for policymakers and to facilitate their understanding of
the potential of ICT when formulating national development policies and
programmes. The first set of eight Briefing Notes, focusing on policy
considerations drawn from the eight Academy modules, was released in
both print and online versions. APCICT has initiated discussions with
partners to explore the possibility of translating the Briefing Notes into
various languages so that policymakers and senior officials can refer to
them more easily.
14
30.
The Case Study Series provides analyses and a compilation of best
practices in, as well as case studies on, different aspects of ICTD. The series
assists policymakers and ICT professionals in their work by making the
project experiences and findings more accessible. The two inaugural issues
that have been released focus on human capacity-building in ICT for
development and ICT for disaster risk reduction.
31.
APCICT is in the process of distributing the above-mentioned
Briefing Notes and issues in the Case Study Series to 13 countries in the
Asia-Pacific region. Recipients include government ministries, training
institutions, national libraries, universities, diplomatic missions and
Academy partners. APCICT is continuing to identify recipients and to work
with other stakeholders to further disseminate these publications.
15
32.
The printed versions of the eight Academy modules were launched
in March 2009, and the Bahasa Indonesia and Russian versions were
launched in the last quarter of 2009.
11
12
13
14
15
12
See www.unapcict.org/ecohub/apcict-publications.
Hyeun-Suk Rhee, “Building tomorrow together through ICT human and
institutional capacity building”, in Digital Outreach for a Better Future
(Geneva, Switzerland, International Telecommunication Union, 2010).
See www.unapcict.org/ecohub/briefing-note-series-1.
See www.unapcict.org/news/un-ict-hub-publishes-ictd-case-study-series.
See www.unapcict.org/academy/academy-modules.
E/ESCAP/CICT(2)/1
33.
ICTD programmes are being implemented across the region in a
wide range of contexts, with differing needs, target groups and resource
availability scenarios. These diverse contexts provide immense scope for
developing local solutions to common problems, which can sometimes have
broader applicability. Adequate knowledge sharing among stakeholders is
critical to prevent each player from having to reinvent the wheel. The e16
Collaborative Hub (e-Co Hub) is the dedicated APCICT online platform
for knowledge sharing on ICTD. It offers easy access to relevant resources,
such as case studies, presentations, web links, analytical papers, and an
interactive space for sharing best practices and lessons on ICTD. Its
membership base has expanded to include 888 members from 144 different
countries and territories, of which 50 are ESCAP members and associate
members. The e-Co Hub also serves as an online avenue to discuss and peer
review research studies, disseminate research results and contribute to
building a community of practice on ICTD and capacity-building. The
platform offers 495 ICTD resources from various reputable organizations.
The total number of unique visitors to the site has reached 23,953.
34.
APCICT conducted an online survey from 14 January to 17
February 2010 to obtain feedback and suggestions on ways to improve e-Co
Hub. Over 70 per cent of the respondents found e-Co Hub to be very
valuable or valuable and rated its features, including the quality of content,
variety of content, amount of content, usability and navigation, interactivity,
and look and feel, as very good or good.
C.
Advisory services
35.
The socio-economic, cultural and political diversity of the AsiaPacific region necessitates the customization and localization of the training
content and roll-out strategies to suit different contexts and to enable widescale adoption.
36.
APCICT has been offering advisory services to national
Governments and training partners in order to help mainstream ICTD
capacity-building into national human resource development plans. The
advisory services include consultation and technical inputs for the
customization of the Academy, curriculum localization, instructional design
and the delivery of ICT capacity-building training. APCICT is also
providing advisory support for the institutionalization of the Academy in
national capacity-building frameworks to maximize reach to relevant
policymakers and to mobilize resources for implementation.
37.
The Centre has offered advisory services to national training
partners of the Academy in the following 16 tier I countries, meaning those
where national roll-outs have been initiated or are in progress, which
include a number of countries with special needs: Afghanistan, Cambodia,
Cook Islands, Indonesia, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic
Republic, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Samoa, Tajikistan, TimorLeste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Viet Nam. APCICT is also providing advisory
services to tier II countries, meaning those that are in the stage of planning
their national roll-outs. They include Armenia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,
Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan and a few countries in the Commonwealth
of Independent States.
16
See www.unapcict.org/ecohub.
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E/ESCAP/CICT(2)/1
38.
There exists a large and growing gap between the demand for
workers skilled in ICT and their supply in the Asia-Pacific region. Greater
ICT penetration in the region is triggering demand for ICT skills across all
economic and social sectors. As the demand grows, educational institutions
are unable to produce future employees with the right skill sets quickly
17
enough, or in adequate numbers, for the companies needing to hire them.
39.
In the above context, the APCICT Future ICT Leaders Programme
is focused on equipping the future workforce of Asia and the Pacific with
the requisite ICT knowledge and tools to promote socio-economic
development. Under the ongoing programme, the Centre has been offering
internships to graduate students in order to build their ICT capacity and
provide practical exposure to work in the ICTD field. APCICT has also
partnered with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
University Network, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the
Government of the Republic of Korea, Daejeon University and Korea
University to provide guidance and mentoring in the form of 1- to 2-month
work opportunities for undergraduate exchange students from ASEAN
countries and Korea University, who will go on to become part of the future
workforce. A total of 25 students participated in the programme in 2009 and
2010, while a total of 41 students have benefited to date.
40.
As the next step in expanding the programme, in August 2010,
APCICT initiated a new project on strengthening ICTD education in
institutions of higher learning, with funding from the Korea-ESCAP
Cooperation Fund. This project supports the objectives of the United
Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014), as
proclaimed by the General Assembly in its resolution 57/254.
41.
The new project draws upon what has already been learned from the
Academy programme, which strongly highlighted the need to build the ICT
capacity of students and youth. Feedback from national partners of APCICT
and participants in APCICT workshops further attests to the need for ICTD
in education. It is also worth noting the following findings from desk
research conducted by APCICT into the courses offered in university
majors related to ICT or socio-economic development:
(a)
There is very little interdisciplinary effort between majors
related to ICT and those related to socio-economic development;
(b)
Very rarely is there an opportunity for students to study the
concept of ICTD in the majors that are best positioned to groom them to
become future ICT leaders.
42.
The new project aims to enhance the coverage of ICTD education in
undergraduate and graduate programmes at universities in targeted
countries of the region through the provision of advisory and advocacy
services to government and university decision makers based on firm
background research and analysis. In accordance with the Centre’s
participative approach, comments from Academy partners on the overall
strategy of the project have been gathered as part of a consultative exercise
conducted by circulating a questionnaire.
17
14
Ravi Raina, ICT Human Resource Development in Asia and the Pacific:
Current Status, Emerging Trends, Policies and Strategies (APCICT, 2007), p.
51-53. Available from www.unapcict.org/ecohub/resources/ict-human-resourcedevelopment-in-asia-and-the.
E/ESCAP/CICT(2)/1
D.
Strengthening partnerships
43.
In line with the Geneva Plan of Action of the World Summit on the
Information Society (see A/C.2/59/3, annex) and the ESCAP strategic
18
framework, which call for international and regional cooperation to
enhance the ICT capacity of leaders and personnel in developing countries,
APCICT has adopted the “we DID it in partnership” approach, where DID
stands for developing, implementing and delivering the Centre’s
programmes by establishing and nurturing partnerships as an integral
19
component.
44.
APCICT believes that synergistic and coordinated efforts on behalf
of all stakeholders are required to address the issue of the digital divide. The
Centre proactively engages and strategically partners with United Nations
agencies, governments, civil society, training and research institutions,
academia, international and regional development organizations, and the
private sector to develop and implement ICTD capacity-building
programmes, and to mobilize resources by, for example, soliciting cash and
in kind contributions that help to scale up the reach, sustainability and
impact of these programmes.
45.
A partnership approach is fundamental to the APCICT strategy since
the demand for its services greatly exceeds its current capacity. Examples of
successful partnerships range from the sharing of experiences to
collaborations in the joint implementation of new demand-driven initiatives,
or the adoption and replication of existing initiatives. In kind contributions
have been especially critical in the roll-out and expansion of the Academy
at the national and subregional levels.
46.
Some of the institutions with which APCICT has collaborated on its
capacity-building programmes or the organization of workshops and events
include:
(a)
International, regional and subregional development
agencies, such as the International Telecommunication Union, the United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development, UNDP, the United Nations
Global Alliance for ICT and Development, ESCAP and its regional
institutions, ECA, ESCWA, ECLAC, ADB, the ADB Institute, the Central
Asian Research and Education Network, the Secretariat of the Pacific
Community and the Pacific Islands Forum;
(b)
Private sector entities, such as Microsoft, Accenture and
Intec (Mongolia);
(c)
National partners, including ICT ministries, other relevant
ministries and government agencies, national training institutes and civil
society organizations in countries where APCICT has or is planning to
implement its capacity-building programmes;
18
19
See Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-third Session, Supplement
No. 6 (A/63/6/Rev.1), Programme 15.
Richard Flaman, Evaluation of the Asian and Pacific Training Centre for
Information and Communication Technology for Development (APCICT): Final
Report (ESCAP, 2010), recommendation 9. Available from www.unescap.org/
pmd/documents/me/APCICT.FINAL.REPORT.160410.pdf.
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E/ESCAP/CICT(2)/1
(d)
Various ministries and agencies of the host country, the
Republic of Korea. The Government of the Republic of Korea is also using
the Academy modules to deliver ICTD training as part of its international
development cooperation programme.
E.
Other matters
1.
Governing Council
47.
The third and fourth sessions of the APCICT Governing Council
were held on 9 December 2008 (Ulaanbaatar) and 13 November 2009
(Incheon, Republic of Korea), respectively. The following were among the
20
major outcomes of the fourth session:
(a)
The Council applauded the achievements of APCICT and
noted that the Centre had already demonstrated sustainable impacts at the
national and subregional levels. It endorsed the proposed APCICT
workplan for 2010;
(b)
The Council unanimously and strongly recommended to the
Commission that the operations of APCICT be extended beyond the initial
five-year term specified in its statute to enable it to continue to deliver its
services for the benefit of ESCAP member States;
(c)
The Council acknowledged the importance of diversifying
funding sources and increasing ownership for the sustainability of the
Centre’s operations in the coming years. It was also agreed that each
member would explore the possibilities and various means of making
regular annual financial contributions.
48.
As a follow-up to the recommendations of the Council, APCICT
will develop and present a mid- to long-term business strategy, including a
resource mobilization plan, at the next session of the Council, to be held in
2010.
2.
Sixty-sixth session of the Commission
49.
The sixty-sixth session of the Commission was held in Incheon,
Republic of Korea, from 13 to 19 May 2010. In its resolution 66/14 of 19
May 2010, the Commission recommended that APCICT continue operating
beyond its original five-year mandate and expressed appreciation to the
Government of the Republic of Korea for its offer to continue to provide
financial support to the Centre. The decision of the Commission that the
Centre should continue to operate beyond 2011 was based on an evaluation
report (E/ESCAP/66/18), which commended its successful performance,
and the Commission’s recognition of the strong demand for the services of
the Centre expressed by member States.
IV.
The way forward
50.
Based on the experience gathered through APCICT capacitybuilding programmes to date, the following practices have proved
successful, and the Centre will continue to incorporate them in its
programmes:
20
16
See E/ESCAP/66/13, annex III.
E/ESCAP/CICT(2)/1
(a)
Providing member States with value-added capacitybuilding services and products that are based on comprehensive
assessments and peer reviews;
(b)
Adopting a region-wide, focused and integrated programme
approach that builds on other ongoing initiatives of the Centre as opposed to
an ad hoc, activity-based approach;
(c)
Focusing on the establishment of strategic partnerships to
develop more effective and efficient programmes;
(d)
Investing in the identification and capacity-building of
champions with common goals;
(e)
Involving all relevant stakeholders from the start by taking a
participatory, inclusive and consultative approach in the design and
planning stage, as well as in the implementation and monitoring stages;
(f)
groups;
Localizing training materials to suit local contexts and target
(g)
Encouraging lifelong learning by providing mechanisms for
knowledge sharing and facilitating ongoing dialogue, online and offline.
51.
Drawing upon the lessons learned, APCICT will aim to further
expand its initiatives through a broad-based, consultative and participatory
approach, align these initiatives with regional and national needs, and
nurture existing partnerships, as well as foster new ones.
52.
Under its training pillar, APCICT will maintain the Academy as its
flagship programme and will continue to expand its national and regional
roll-out via strategic partnerships. Efforts will be directed at creating a
larger pool of resource persons, identifying local champions, expanding the
network of partners at the national level, ensuring ongoing partner
engagement and motivation, and promoting greater South-South
cooperation in terms of exchange of experts and trainers and sharing of best
practices, lessons learned and case studies.
53.
To further broaden the reach of the Academy, APCICT will
undertake the translation of the curriculum into different languages through
partnerships and the development of new Academy modules. An Academy
partners resource centre will be launched to serve as a platform to improve
exchanges of experiences and lessons learned among Academy partners.
For AVA, APCICT will focus on a renewed promotion strategy to enhance
its utilization.
54.
The APCICT research and knowledge management strategy will
focus on scaling up the exchange of information, experiences and best
practices. The Centre will aim to expand the resource base of e-Co Hub,
particularly in the topics addressed by the new modules. With regard to the
ICTD Case Study Series and Briefing Note Series, new issues will be
developed for relevant ICTD themes and promoted to relevant target
groups.
55.
As part of the work carried out under the advisory services pillar,
APCICT plans to develop a monitoring and evaluation framework for the
Academy and for other ICTD capacity-building programmes at the national
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E/ESCAP/CICT(2)/1
and subregional levels. Given the rapid expansion of the Academy since its
launch in 2008, there is now a need for a well-structured monitoring and
evaluation mechanism that can provide practical tools and methodologies to
capture the progress and impact of such programmes and to help APCICT
partners achieve more focused, need-based and sustainable delivery of
ICTD training.
56.
APCICT will also continue to support Academy partners in
curriculum localization and customization, as well as integrating the
Academy into national capacity-building frameworks. The new project on
strengthening ICTD education in institutions of higher learning will be
implemented with a specific focus on ensuring an inclusive and
participatory approach.
57.
In implementing its future workplan, APCICT anticipates some
challenges, including the identification of suitable partner organizations at
the national and subregional levels with the required mandate and
commitment to promote ICTD capacity-building, as well as resource
limitations on localizing the Academy curriculum and AVA.
V.
Issues for consideration
58.
The Committee may wish to support the Centre’s commitment and
activities, and provide it with guidance on its future work. Specifically, the
Committee may wish to: (a) recognize the growing need for ICTD capacitybuilding in the Asia-Pacific region and recommend that the APCICT
Academy programme be expanded to address this need; (b) encourage the
Governments of member States to prioritize the integration of the Academy
into national capacity-building frameworks for longer-term impact and
sustainability; (c) recommend effective strategies for the collection and
compilation of best practices and case studies on human resource
development in ICTD, and their dissemination to relevant stakeholders in
the region; and (d) call upon national Governments, international
organizations, civil society, academia and the private sector to actively seek
more collaborative opportunities to promote ICTD training.
_______________
18