Since the Initiative’s launch in June 2001, a total of 53 Internet training centres have been set up in 44 developing countries of which 17 are classified as least developed nations. Under the initiative, a total of 216 instructors in IP technologies have been trained (of which 38 are female instructors), 2,700 students enrolled (of which 28.3% are female students) and 523 graduates in IP Networking in Africa, the Arab States, Asia-Pacific, Latin-America, Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Through a unique partnership with key ICT market leaders, of which Cisco Systems is a key partner, ITU works to provide students and telecom/IT professionals in developing countries with access to affordable and relevant training in Internet technology skills in a mentored environment, while fostering a real and sustainable transfer of knowledge.

The objectives of the Internet Training Centers are:

• to prepare developing nations,and in particular least developed countries (LDCs),to fully participate in a networked economy

• to train a minimum of 50 students per year in each Internet training centre through a train-the-trainers approach

• to promote gender-focused training centres by proactively encouraging greater participation of women in information technology and the Internet economy through an enrolment target of 30% of female students

• to help operators to train or retrain their staff on IP technologies, three to four places a year being earmarked for telecommunication professionals

• to promote the creation, by the selected learning institution, of other Internet training centres at local level to to create a multiplier effect on skill-building in IP technologies in the country