NetTel@Africa - Network for Capacity Building and Knowledge Exchange in the Telecommunications Sector: dot-GOV
[Issue II: Fall 02]
NetTel@Africa is establishing an African-led network for capacity building and knowledge exchange in the African telecommunications sector. The project has four primary activities: training, a knowledge exchange network, a community to community component, and research.
Training
The project work plan was agreed upon and successfully refined during a September workshop held in Cape Town, South Africa. Implementing a key decision to migrate the NetTel@Africa website from the US to an African-based server is commencing with the University of West Cape and University of Dar es Salaam. The new site address is nettelafrica.org. Information can still be accessed from the old website: cbdd.wsu.edu/networks/nettelhome.html
A core activity of NetTel@Africa is the development of ten learning modules for regulators that will be hosted on the website. These modules are developed through partnerships between seven African universities. Universities of Zambia, Botswana, Dar es Salaam, West Cape Town, South Africa, Fort Hare, and Wittswatersrand) and three US universities (University of Colorado-Boulder, University of Florida-Gainesville, and Michigan State University).
Representatives from the University of Zambia and University of Botswana visited the University of Maryland and University of Colorado-Boulder on development of modules concerning Financial Analysis, ICT Industry and Markets, and ICT Applications. Preliminary research regarding a toolkit for quality assurance of the ten modules has been completed. Final development of this toolkit will be the responsibility of the University of Colorado-Boulder.
Knowledge Exchange Network
A survey to the members of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) is being administered to see how many peer-to-peer relationships can be established with African regulatory bodies and associations of African regulators.
Community-to-Community
Five Knowledge Exchange and Learning Partnerships (KELP) sub-agreements (University of Pretoria, University of the North, University of Zululand, and University of Fort Hare) are now being negotiated to implement this component. Each of the KELPs is a demonstration of ICT applications -- the reason why ICT policy and regulation is important.
Research
Editorial work continues on the case studies concerning the impact of ICTs on higher education where use of ICTs in developing local capacities in pedagogy, research, publishing, healthcare, e-commerce and cyberlaw is demonstrated. These cases will be presented in the book "Africa.Dot.Edu" which will be published by McGraw Hill-India.
In November, Dr. Maria Beebe, Project Director, presented a white paper to the USAID/South Africa Mission and the South African Department of Education describing a policy framework for e-education in South Africa, which included discussions of telecommunication issues such as universal service funds and e-rate.
NetTel@Africa is funded by the Leland Initiative and USAID/RCSA, and implemented by the Center to Bridge the Digital Divide (CBDD), Washington State University.
Internews was awarded NetTel@Africa on June 1, 2002 for three years. The total value of the project is about $3.5 million (Associate Cooperative Agreement No. GDG-A-00-02-00008-00 under the dot-GOV Leader Award No. GDG-A-00-02-00008-00.
For more information
CONTACT
Dr Maria Beebe, Project Director, NetTel@Africa
Email:
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