Centres of Excellence and "Virtual University"

A total of CHF 17.5 million, revenues generated by TELECOM events since 1995,is earmarked to implement special projects in developing countries, during the period 1998-2002.Partnerships are being and have been established for the funding and realization of each of the projects in the four general program areas: 

• human resources development (through the Centres of Excellence projects), 
• infrastructure development, 
• application of new technologies (GTU/GTTI), and 
• assistance to countries in special need.

Capacity Building through Human Resources Management and Development, the implementation of the projects: Centres of Excellence, as well as the project GTU/GTTI – Global Telecommunication University/Global Telecommunication Training Institute) were included in the program

Centres of Excellence:
All countries need highly developed human resources to facilitate the transition to the new telecommunication environment. The increased use of new technologies, the move towards corporatization and competition, and the separation of regulatory functions from operational services require advanced level policy, regulatory, managerial and technological expertise. In order to develop and strengthen the capability to generate this expertise in developing countries around the world, the Centres of Excellence concept was established. Each of the five Centres is designed to assist and offer training both to high-level decision-makers in telecommunication entities so that they may manage sector reform including national sector priorities and regulations, and to senior corporate managers in the management of networks and services. In addition, the Centres serve as regional focal points for professional development, research and information, and provide consultancy services to governments and the private sector.

ITU ’s contribution, in the form of seed money, attracts substantial assistance from multi-lateral and regional organizations, financing institutions, development agencies, administrations and the private sector. To date, the Centres of Excellence of the Americas and Asia and Pacific are virtual networks, building on the excellent resources in the respective regions, while the two Centres in Africa are initially based in existing regional centres, AFRALTI in Nairobi and ESMT in Dakar, both projects starting also to organize virtual networks with other partners; and the new starting Centre of Excellence for Arab States, that from the beginning will organize the virtual network to use the existing resources of this region.

Each Centre has organized forums, workshops and roundtables to meet the immediate needs of its region. The Centres of Excellence projects are utilizing the resources of the Virtual Training Centre (VTC) and MANDEVTEL, as well as collaborating with the GTU/GTTI.

As example, the Centres of Excellence had develop or are developing courses as the Regulation of Telecommunication, Management with Leadership, Transformation of Companies and others, each one adapted to the characteristics of their regions, and using case studies based in the reality of some countries of their regions.

The distance-learning courses in Latin America, on Regulation and on Management with Leadership, have attracted a record number of participants. Both courses are delivered over the INTERNET to regulatory officials and top-level managers in Latin America through the ITU Virtual Training Centre. Both subjects are under development or translated/adapted to be delivered in the other regions in similar way, as in some cases will be necessary the combination of face-to-face and distance-learning activities.

GLOBAL TELECOM.UNIVERSITY/GLOBAL TELECOM.TRAINING INSTITUTE (GTU/GTTI)
The idea for a global telecommunication university and training institute was put forward officially for the first time at the World Telecommunication Development Conference in Buenos Aires (1994). Since then the GTU/GTTI concept has been fleshed out and expanded. In 1996 an expert group carried out a feasibility study which gave concrete shape to the project in its current conception. The most important recommendations made by the experts were the following:

• Preference will be given, albeit not exclusively, to the use of distance learning methods and media.
• GTU/GTTI is to be based on a worldwide network of nodes and sponsoring partners with contributions in the form of content (courses), financing or infrastructure.
• The customers of GTU/GTTI are the telecommunication institutions (administrations, operators, regulators, etc.)in the developing countries.
• GTU/GTTI will begin with short continuous education courses and move on, in the longer term, to academic courses, depending on demand.
• In the long term, it will develop into a self-financed non-profit institution. Future costs will be covered by the income from courses and contributions by sponsors.

Pilot phase
The feasibility study also recommended the initiation of a pilot phase on ITU ’s VTC (Virtual Training Centre), which has been the test platform for GTU/GTTI. Distance courses of short duration (approximately two months) have been offered since 1998.Courses have been delivered in English, French and Spanish for participants in all parts of the world. We considered today the pilot phase already implemented.

Apart from organizing and delivering courses, VTC has done excellent work in two areas of essential importance for distance education:

Promotion of e-learning culture. The methods and procedures of distance courses are not accepted automatically. Like any other innovation, these methods and procedures require a period of "familiarization "before they can be used efficiently. The success of recent distance courses (those organized by the centres of excellence of the Americas Region, or example) is due in part to previous efforts by VTC to disseminate the culture of e-learning.

Development of a practical methodology. The current practice in delivering a distance course on the VTC platform is to follow a set of flexible but clearly defined rules: beginning and end of courses, time and method of distribution of teaching material, work plans and summaries of weekly conclusions, modular structure of courses, proper mix of activities requiring personal attendance and remote activities, etc. All this forms part of a methodology developed by VTC on the basis of experience gained from the courses delivered.

Long-term future plans
According to the mandate it was given when it was set up, GTU/GTTI is to develop into a non-profit but self-sufficient entity. Funding for the university and the institute will come from contributions by their sponsors and revenue from low and reasonable enrolment fees payable by the organizations to which course participants belong. Long-term plans include the establishment of governing bodies and supervisory organs with adequate representation of sponsors.

Evolution of GTU/GTTI

• 1994 WTDC, Buenos Aires, Proposal for the GTU/GTTI
• 1995 –1997 Initiation of the VTC platform. Feasibility study of GTU/GTTI
• 1997 –1999 Pilot phase, Initiation of training activities
• 2000 –2001 New courses. Identification of new sponsoring partners
• 2002 –2004 Institutional development of GTU/GTTI

For further information, please contact:

Mario Maniewicz,
Head, Human Resource Development Unit
ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT)
Tel: +41-22-730-5421
Fax: +41-22-730-5484
E-mail: mario.maniewicz@itu.int