[DDN] "How to Help Technology Help African Entrepreneurs?" || Online discussion by Rapid Response Unit of the World Bank
FYI. Interesting discussion on a topic which is relevant for other areas of the world, specially Asia. miraj khaled. = How to Help Technology Help African Entrepreneurs? http://rru.worldbank.org/Discussions/topics/topic74.aspx The upswing in African cell phone usage is impressive. Yet for Africa to fully reap the benefits of information and communication technologies (ICT), investment in broadband Internet and other robust technology is also necessary. Should African governments focus on expanding low-cost technologies that are easily adopted in both rural and urban areas, such as mobile phones? Or should they target more robust ICT services, such as Broadband and fiber-optic cable, that require heavy infrastructure investment? Are ICT-specific development projects required to enable infrastructure build-out or can ICT needs be met through mainstream financing programs for businesses? How should ICT investment be prioritized in relation to other pressing development needs in Africa? This online discussion is moderated by George R. Clarke, senior economist in the Africa Private Sector Group at the World Bank; Naomi Halewood, a World Bank consultant working on information and communication technology; and Rob Henning, an OTF Group manager and current Chief of Party for the Afghanistan Competitiveness Project. The discussion, which will run through July 31, 2006, is supported by the following background readings: The Role of ICT in Doing Business Christine Zhen-Wei Qiang, George R. Clarke, and Naomi Halewood, 2006 Improving Competitiveness and Increasing Economic Diversification in the Caribbean: The Role of ICT OTF Group, April 2005 The Use of Mobile Phones by Microentrepreneurs in Kigali, Rwanda Jonathan Donner, October 2005 Enterprise Development and ICT in Developing Countries Richard Duncombe and Richard Heeks, 2001 __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
[DDN] Fwd: Call for Papers - AI in ICT for Development - Workshop @ ICJAI - Twentieth International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence
FYI. Date:Mon, 10 Jul 2006 06:35:08 -0700 From: "ICTD Workshop at IJCAI" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject:Call for Papers - AI in ICT for Development - Workshop @ ICJAI Please forward to relevant colleagues and post to relevant sites. Call for papers for AI in ICT for Development Workshop at IJCAI, Twentieth International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Hyderabad, India; January 6-12, 2007. More information: http://research.microsoft.com/workshops/ijcai07/ICTD.htm Description Information and Communication and Technologies for Development (ICTD) is a growing research area where computing is applied to address the challenges of underserved communities such as remote rural areas and poor urban neighborhoods. Our goal is to encourage the use of AI techniques in ICTD. AI has been applied to socio-economic development in the fields of medicine, agriculture, education, government, and finance. Some examples where AI has been put to use include remote, automated diagnosis of human illness, advice on effective interventions for agriculture, adaptive educational content based on the student aptitude, and different ways to analyze data using machine-learning techniques. This workshop is a forum for researchers applying techniques of artificial intelligence to developing-world problems. Topics of Interest The main focus of this workshop will be the application of artificial intelligence algorithms and systems to development projects, whether they are in agriculture, education, or other domains. Within this general theme we aim to bring together researchers to discuss the topics which include, but are not restricted to, the following: * AI in remote diagnosis of human and crop diseases * AI in computer-aided education, particularly for poorer schools * Use of machine-learning techniques for analyzing socio-economic data * Adaptive user interfaces targeted towards users from underserved communities * Speech, natural language, and vision for development * Robotics and other intelligent systems in development * Surveys of work that apply AI to development Why and to whom is this workshop of interest? This workshop is interesting to the larger community of technical ICTD researchers who are exploring applications of computing in solving development regions problems. Researchers with a background in AI will be particularly interested, but given the interdisciplinary nature of ICTD, researchers with backgrounds in other technical areas, but with an inclination for ICTD will also find the workshop useful. Preliminary workshop agenda Reviewed papers will each have 20 minutes to present, with 5-10 minutes of discussion. We also expect to have three or four invited speakers present work in longer, 40-minute slots. There will be plenty of time for open discussion. Submission Instructions The style for papers in the proceedings follows the style of the main conference. Please start your subject with "[IJCAI-ICTD]" when submitting the paper. The papers can be extended abstract or full research papers. Survey or position papers are also welcome. The papers should end with relevant bibliographic references and should be no longer than 10 pages. Selection of participants will be based on relevance to the indicated focus of the workshop, clarity of the work submitted, and the strength of the research. Important Dates and Deadlines ( exact dates will be updated in the website) · Deadline for abstracts and intent to submit: September 1, 2006 · Deadline for the submission of papers for the workshop: September 25, 2006 · Notification of acceptance/rejection: October 23, 2006 · Deadline for the receipt of camera-ready papers: November 15, 2006 · Workshop Date: January 6-8(exact date TBD), 2007 For further information, please see the conference website at http://research.microsoft.com/workshops/ijcai07/ICTD.htm Inquiries should be sent to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Organizing Committee Kentaro Toyama (MSR India), Krithi Ramamritham (IIT Bombay), Anupam Basu (IIT Kharagpur), Rajesh Veeraraghavan (MSR India) Program Committee Chair: Kentaro Toyama (Microsoft Research India) Krithi Ramamritham (Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay) Umar Saif (Lahore University of Management Sciences) Sriganesh Madhvanath (HP Labs, India) S. Keshav (University of Waterloo) Madelaine Plauche (UC Berkeley) N. Balakrishnan (Indian Institute of Science) Roni Rosenfield (Carnegie Mellon University) Tapan Parikh (University of Washington) Pushpak Bhattacharya (Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay) Anupam Basu (Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur) Mike Best (Georgia Tech) Uday Desai (Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay) Rajesh Veeraraghavan (Microsoft Research India) http://research.microsoft.com/workshops/ijcai07/ICTD.htm __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection aro
[DDN] Call for Applications: Professional Development Award (PDA), Regional Office for South Asia (SARO) of IDRC.
FYI Only. Apologies for cross-posting. miraj = Call for Applications: Professional Development Award (PDA), Regional Office for South Asia (SARO) http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-96472-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html The Innovation, Policy and Science (IPS) Program Area of IDRC, and the Centreâs Regional Office for South Asia seek applications from qualified candidates for a Professional Development Award beginning July 3rd, 2006. The awardee, based at the New Delhi office, will assist the IPS Program Area in program development in the region, particularly focusing on questions of Science, Technology and Innovation (S&T&I) policies vis-à -vis development challenges in the region as well as the social, economic and public policy impacts associated with new technologies, especially biotechnology and nanotechnology. The closing date for receiving applications is May 31st, 2006. For more details please refer to the following document. http://www.idrc.ca/uploads/user-S/11455626311PDA-English.doc Contact: José Manuel Gil Research Officer IPS Program Area PO Box 8500, Ottawa, ON Canada K1G 3H9. email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
[DDN] Fwd: Wireless Networking in the Developing World book release
FYI. Interesting and promising endeavor indeed! miraj khaled -- Forwarded message -- From: "Rob Flickenger" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2006 09:01:01 - Subject: Wireless Networking in the Developing World book release Hello, all-- I've spent the past three months working on a new book with a team of folks from around the world, and it's finally out! It's called "Wireless Networking in the Developing World", and it is a free book released under Creative Commons. More info is available at: http://wndw.net/ and: http://us.wndw.net/ (US Mirror) Enjoy! --Rob FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE London, England-- Imagine trying to piece together a wireless network with no manuals, sporadic and slow access to the Internet, inadequate tools, a shortage of supplies, and in the most inclement weather. The authors of a recently published book, "Wireless Networking in the Developing World" don't need to imagine. They have been doing so for years. In almost every village, town, or city in the developing world, there are people who can build just about anything. With the right know-how, this can include wireless networks that connect their community to the Internet. The book addresses what Rob Flickenger, the book's editor and lead author, calls a chicken-and-egg problem: "While much information about building wireless networks can be found on-line, that presents a problem for people in areas with little or no connectivity", said Flickenger from his workshop in Seattle. The book covers topics from basic radio physics and network design to equipment and troubleshooting. It is intended to be a comprehensive resource for technologists in the developing world, providing the critical information that they need to build networks. This includes specific examples, diagrams and calculations, which are intended to help building wireless networks without requiring access to the Internet. In the developing world, one book can often be a library, and to a techie this book may well be a bible. Access to books is difficult where there are few libraries or book stores, and there is often little money to pay for them. "Our book will be released under a Creative Commons license, so everybody can copy and distribute it free of charge. That doesn't mean it is a 'cheap' book. I think it is a great book," stated Corinna 'Elektra' Aichele, one of the books co-authors who was recently installing wireless networks in Bangladesh. The book has been released under a Creative Commons license, meaning that it is free to download, print and modify, even for a profit, as long as proper credit is given and any modifications or copies made are shared under the same terms. For Flickenger, who has already published several successful books, publishing a book for free has been an interesting endeavor. He explains, "the Book Sprint team felt that the need for a freely available collection of practical information greatly outweighed any short term profit." For the authors, all of whom spend their time building networks in the developing world, their pay-back will be having a resource to hand to their beneficiaries. "I wasn't paid and I don't expect to earn money with it, though that would be nice," stated Elektra. The authors, all experts in the field of wireless community networking, gathered in London for a "Book Sprint" last October. The book sprint was the brain-child of Tomas Krag, one of the book's authors, and was to be the kickstart of a 3-month effort culminating in a finished book. The trans-continental team spent a week in the aging Lime House Town Hall near the Thames for a week, fleshing out the details of the book while sitting around a mix of old tables, powering their notebooks over yards of extension cords and with stacks of power adapters. Flickenger explains, "the idea was to get a hand picked, tightly focused team of experts together and aggressively work on a book project." The team wrote, edited, and have now released the 250 page manual in only three months. Though he admits it was difficult to motivate a team who was not being paid, especially over the holidays, Flickenger's quiet persistence prevailed. The authors also hope that by releasing the book into the "Creative Commons" that it can be improved, expanded, corrected and translated. Efforts are underway to translate the book into other languages and to provide it to those who need it most, the 5 to 6 billion who don't yet have access to the Internet today. The book is available in PDF form and for sale in print at the book's website: http://wndw.net/ Ian Howard, co-Author, Limehouse BookSprint Team For more information: Web site: http://wndw.net/ * Canada Contact: Ian Howard Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone: +1 647 722 5629 x1 * De
[DDN] VILLAGE PHONE [Bangladesh] Replication Manual Released by Grameen Foundation USA
VILLAGE PHONE REPLICATION MANUAL RELEASED 31 Oct 2005 http://www.infodev.org/content/highlights/detail/2867 This document is a guideline for replicating the Village Phone program in a new country. infoDev along with several other partners, supported this publication. The Study draws on Grameens experience in both Bangladesh and Uganda and establishes a template for creating sustainable initiatives that simultaneously bring telecommunications to the rural poor, create viable new businesses for micro-entrepreneurs, and expand the customer base of telecommunications companies. No two implementations of the Village Phone program will be exactly alike. Each country will have unique variables, participants, and environments. However, it is expected that there will be common structures, applications, and processes all of which are described in detail herein. The information presented in this replication manual is shared in the spirit of international cooperation. Grameen Foundation USA will continue to act as a clearinghouse for Village Phone Replication information. As people share the lessons from future replication efforts, Grameen Foundation USA will publish updates to reflect additional learning. Click here to read more. http://www.infodev.org/files/2868_file_VillagePhoneReplicationManual.pdf (Note: This is a 7MB PDF document optimized for printing). Miraj Khaled [EMAIL PROTECTED] mindexplorer.blogspot.com __ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
[DDN] eBay and Omidyar Network Founder Launches $100 Million Microfinance Fund in Partnership with Tufts University
eBay and Omidyar Network Founder Launches $100 Million Microfinance Fund in Partnership with Tufts University http://www.tufts.edu/home/feature/ MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, MassTufts University today announced that Pierre Omidyar, founder of eBay and co-founder of Omidyar Network with his wife, Pam both graduates of Tufts will invest $100 million in international microfinance initiatives through a unique partnership with their alma mater. [snip] The $100 million investment will bolster international microfinance institutions in their efforts to scale their capacity to make loans to poor, predominantly female heads of households, who lack adequate income to provide the basic necessities of food, shelter and clothing for themselves and their families. Microloans averaging $600often as low as $40enable the poor to launch their own entrepreneurial pursuits. More information on the Omidyar-Tufts Microfinance Fund is available at www.tufts.edu/microfinancefund | Miraj Khaled [EMAIL PROTECTED] mindexplorer.blogspot.com __ Yahoo! FareChase: Search multiple travel sites in one click. http://farechase.yahoo.com ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
[DDN] ICTP-ITU-URSI School on Wireless Networking for Development.
FYI. /// miraj khaled ICTP-ITU-URSI School on Wireless Networking for Development. 6-24 Feb. 2006. Trieste, Italy. This School is the follow-up of the previous schools on the use of radio for digital communications held yearly since 1998 and series of Colleges on Radiopropagation carried out earlier at ICTP with the collaboration of URSI and ITU/BDT. The School is addressed to a limited number of candidates coming from academic and research institutions of Developing Countries and having an adequate working knowledge of IP networking. It will include tutorial lectures and laboratory work, where wireless solutions for computer networking will be experienced through the simulation of a campus-wide implementation of a wireless network. For more information, visit http://wireless.ictp.it/ Contact Email : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Contact Phone : +39-040-2249911 Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
[DDN] The Global Networked Readiness in Education Survey
FYI. miraj === The Global Networked Readiness in Education Survey http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/BerkmanPress/GNRE%20FINAL-1.pdf Researched and written by Berkman fellows, Colin Maclay and Geoffrey Kirkman, the Global Networked Readiness in Education survey seeks to aid school leaders and policymakers by helping them to examine the role and effects of integrating information and communication technologies (ICTs) into formal learning. While educators and policymakers have invested tremendous resources into preparing students for a globalizing and technology-savvy world, they've often done so with limited understanding of the characteristics and impact of ICTs in education, resulting in problems with planning, implementation and measurement, and ultimately a techno-centric approach to integrating ICT in learning. The survey includes results from over 5000 surveys of students, teachers, computer lab administrators and heads of school in schools in Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, the Gambia, India (Karnataka), Jordan, Mexico, Panama, the Philippines, South Africa, and Uganda. And the findings of their research? Check out the report download a copy here. http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/BerkmanPress/GNRE%20FINAL-1.pdf Source: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/home/home?wid=10&func=viewSubmission&sid=777 //// Miraj Khaled [EMAIL PROTECTED] mindexplorer.blogspot.com Yahoo! Sports Rekindle the Rivalries. Sign up for Fantasy Football http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
[DDN] FW: IISD is Now Recruiting for International Placement
FYI. Please note that these opprtunities are for Canadian citizens or permanent residents only. For further information, please contact Carolee Buckler at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] miraj From:Carolee Buckler Sent:Thursday, June 30, 2005 9:27 AM To: WSIS Youth Caucus Subject: IISD is Now Recruiting for International Placement Greetings, I am writing to you on behalf of the Emerging Leaders for Governance Program (www.iisd.org/leaders/elg/). For 2005-2006, as part of the NetCorps Coalition, IISD is an implementing organization of the Information and Communication Technologies for Governance (ICT4G) Program under Canada Corps. The program seeks to blend together the use of information and communication technologies and e-governance within public and parapublic institutions and civil society organizations working to improve governance in developing countries. We are currently recruiting Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada between 19 and 40 years of age (the majority of applicants will be between 19 and 30 years)to undertake six month placements in Hungary, Bulgaria, Kenya, United States, and India. I would be most appreciative if you could publicize the attached information to eligible candidate. The deadline to submit applications is July 8, 05. The approximate start date is August/September. I've attached a flyer for further info. <http://files.tiggroups.org/27025/ICT4G.doc.word> Please don't hesitate to get in contact if you have any questions about the programme. Best wishes, Carolee Buckler, Project Manager International Institute for Sustainable Development http:://www.iisd.org \ Miraj Khaled [EMAIL PROTECTED] mindexplorer.blogspot.com __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
[DDN] Call for Papers: First International Conference on ICT and Development (ICTD2006)
fyi. /// miraj = CALL FOR PAPERS = First International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development (ICTD2006) May 25-26, 2006 Berkeley, California, U.S.A. http://sims.berkeley.edu/ictd2006 The past decade has witnessed an explosion in projects that apply information and communication technologies (ICT) to support socio-economic development. Every sector is involved governments, academia, small start-ups, large corporations, inter-governmental organizations, and non-profits and non- governmental organizations. In spite of the tremendous energy and resources behind these projects, scientifically sound research in this space is just beginning to emerge. What is the actual impact of ICT projects? What novel technology is required to meet development needs? What methodologies lead to success or failure of a project? The goal of the ICTD conference is to provide a forum for academic researchers working with ICT applied to development. The conference will be scientifically rigorous and multi-disciplinary papers reporting high-quality original research are solicited. Submitted papers will be subjected to double-blind peer review, and a full proceedings will be published at the time of the conference. (Best papers, as selected by a subset of the program committee, will be published in a special edition of the journal, Information Technologies and International Development.) The conference will bring together researchers in both the social and technical sciences, with anticipated representation from anthropology, sociology, economics, political science, computer science, electrical engineering, industrial design, and so on. We expect this to be the first of an ongoing series of conferences to occur every one or two years, and moving from country to country. For the purposes of this conference, the term ICT will comprise computing devices (e.g., PCs, PDAs, sensor networks), technologies for voice and data connectivity, the Internet, and related technologies. Application domains include, but are not restricted to, education, agriculture, healthcare, poverty alleviation, general communication, and governance. Papers considering novel design, new technology, project assessment, policy impact, content, social issues around ICT for development, and so forth will be considered. Well-presented negative results from which generalizable conclusions can be drawn are also sought. Important Dates (exact dates to be updated on website): * Deadline for abstracts and intent to submit: October 21, 2005 * Deadline for full paper submissions:December, 2005 * Notification to authors:January, 2006 * Deadline for camera-ready copy:March, 2006 * Conference dates: May 25-26, 2006 Only original, unpublished papers in English will be considered. Reviews will be double blind. Abstracts will facilitate the review process, and should be 200-400 words in length. For further information, please see the conference website at http://sims.berkeley.edu/ictd2006. Inquiries should be sent to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Organizers: Honorary Chairs: VS Arunachalam (Tamil Nadu Planning Commission) and Ken Keniston (MIT) Chairs: Raj Reddy (CMU) and AnnaLee Saxenian (UC Berkeley) Organizing Committee: Joyojeet Pal (UC Berkeley), Balaji Parthasarathy (IIIT- Bangalore), Rahul Tongia (CMU), Kentaro Toyama (MSR India) Sponsors: MSR India, SIMS UC Berkeley. We are seeking additional sponsors, primarily for travel grants. __ Discover Yahoo! Get on-the-go sports scores, stock quotes, news and more. Check it out! http://discover.yahoo.com/mobile.html___ TIER mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] https://mail.millennium.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tier ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
[DDN] Student of Concern
Comments and/or action period ends on May 27. miraj / Student of Concern Will we be more secure -- or just less competitive -- if the government forces hundreds of thousands of international science students to get export licenses simply to look through a microscope? By CRISTI HEGRANES http://www.sfweekly.com/issues/2005-05-18/news/feature.html?src=default_rss [snip] ... New federal rules proposed by the Department of Commerce in March could impede Gupta's access to educational equipment and force him to apply for government licenses to use specific technology in the classroom, each of which could take months to acquire. In fact, hundreds of thousands of international students and scientists working and studying in the U.S. could lose access to equipment and technology that they have had routine use of until now. Because Gupta is studying chemical engineering, he will eventually encounter what the government calls "dual-use technology" -- technology that has both civilian and military applications. Under the new Commerce Department proposal, the use of everything from basic computer systems, semiconductors, and training manuals to microscopes and telescopes will require some international students to apply for government licenses before they can legally have access to or study the technology. [snip] *** Despite the potential for negative long-term consequences from the new deemed export licensing rules, their implementation will never be voted on in the Senate or issued by executive order. Rather, the State Department, which has full authority to implement any export restriction it sees fit, published the proposed rules for a 60-day discussion period that will end on May 27. During that time the department will take into consideration comments and opinions from anyone interested enough to send one. That is, if anyone is aware of the issue. ...As the 60-day discussion period goes on mostly unnoticed, many worry that at this point, nothing can be done about the proposed regulation of foreign students as deemed exports. For students and educators alike, the rules seem stifling and unfair *** http://www.sfweekly.com/issues/2005-05-18/news/feature.html?src=default_rss Miraj Khaled [EMAIL PROTECTED] mindexplorer.blogspot.com __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
[DDN] Down to the Wire
Down to the Wire http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20050501faessay84311/thomas-bleha/down-to-the-wire.html Summary: Once a leader in Internet innovation, the United States has fallen far behind Japan and other Asian states in deploying broadband and the latest mobile-phone technology. This lag will cost it dearly. By outdoing the United States, Japan and its neighbors are positioning themselves to be the first states to reap the benefits of the broadband era: economic growth, increased productivity, and a better quality of life. Miraj Khaled [EMAIL PROTECTED] mindexplorer.blogspot.com __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
[DDN] International Symposium on Intellectual Property (IP) Education and Research
FYI Only. International Symposium on Intellectual Property (IP) Education and Research June 30 - July 1, 2005 http://www.wipo.int/academy/en/meetings/iped_sym_05/ * Background and Objectives * Audience * Program * Venue and date * Working Languages * Registration Background and objectives In the knowledge based society of the 21st Century, intellectual property (IP) comprises not only valuable economic assets of private firms, but also social and cultural assets of society. The impact of IP assets has become so crucial that it may have a great impact on our daily life and on the development and prosperity of the nation. The lack of awareness about IP and its importance in the past is understandable because IP was generally limited to legal and technical experts working in specialized arenas. However, times have changed; the information technology revolution, and the Internet in particular, have expanded the use and horizons of IP, the circle of users, as well as categories of beneficiaries of the IP system. The lack of awareness about IP makes it difficult for the people and many nations to leverage their knowledge, innovation and imagination for the purpose of enhancing their wealth, their rate of economic, cultural and social growth and development, and their quality of life. Against this backdrop, the critical role of academic institutions, such as universities, public learning centers for economic and social studies, and specialized IP training, which have traditionally contributed to the education element of valuable human resources, as well as to the IP research capacity, over many years, now requires an in-depth review and a structured reinforcement. The area of IP education and IP research are relatively new to many academic institutions, particularly those located in developing countries. Emerging challenges in different countries require nationally focused and tailor-made solutionsone size, as usual, does not fit all. However, some challenges facing academia and research operations could be better addressed through international cooperation underpinned by coherent approaches and recognition of common challenges and opportunities. On-going efforts can be greatly enhanced, where appropriate, to strengthen and expand partnerships and strategic cooperation among academic institutions. The cooperation between academic institutions and the different stakeholders (e.g., private enterprise and government agencies) will also have to be developed and expanded, since there is a growing need for an interdisciplinary approach to IP education and IP research capacity. WIPO, in its capacity as an international forum for IP subject, will produce an international, in-depth forum in its first international symposium in the area of IP education and IP research. This symposium will provide a structured opportunity for many of the major players in these two areas to assess the current situation, identify the challenges ahead, explore the various possibilities for enhancing international cooperation, and suggest appropriate actions to the international community for further development of IP education and IP research. Audience The International Symposium on IP Education and Research is intended to provide a forum in which discussion on IP education and IP research could be further developed and advanced. It is of particular interest to: * Managers, administrators, advisors, professors of academic institutions. * Policy makers responsible for national programs for assisting academic institutions in the area of IP education and IP research. * Business managers of the private firm who are responsible for IP education of their staff members. * IP professionals. * Students and researchers who are studying IP or other fields relevant to knowledge assets. * Representatives of national, regional and international organizations who are interested in assisting activities in the area of IP education and IP research. Venue and date The Symposium will be held at the headquarters of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), 34, chemin des Colombettes, 1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland. It will run from 9 a.m. to 5.15 p.m. on June 30 and 9.30 a.m. to 4.45 p.m. on July 1, 2005. Participants should arrive before 8.30 a.m. on the first day of the Symposium, in order to complete their registration. A reception will be offered to participants in the lobby of the WIPO headquarters building at the end of the first day of the Symposium. Working languages The Symposium will be conducted in English, French and Spanish, with simultaneous interpretation to and from each of those languages. Registration The Symposium is open to all interested persons. Participation will be limited to 250 persons. Those wishing to register are requested to return the registration form. Further information may be obtained from: WIPO Worldwide Academy World Intellectual Property
[DDN] Global Dialogue on Nanotechnology and the Poor
FYI. Global Dialogue on Nanotechnology and the Poor: Opportunities and Risks. http://www.nanoandthepoor.org/ Nanotechnology, which encompasses a broad range of tools, techniques, and applications, is widely perceived as one of the most significant technologies of the 21st century. Products developed with or that incorporate nanotechnology are already on the market. Increasingly, regulatory agencies, companies, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders are becoming aware of the potentially far-reaching implications of nanotechnology as the science evolves and applications proliferate. Meridian Institute is convening the Global Dialogue on Nanotechnology and the Poor: Opportunities and Risks in order to: # Raise awareness about the implications of nanotechnology for the poor; # Close the gaps within and between sectors of society to develop an action plan that addresses opportunities and risks, and # Identify ways that science and technology can play an appropriate role in the development process. Paper and On-line Consultation Meridian Institute has developed a Paper to raise awareness about the implications of nanotechnology for poor people, both the potential opportunities and risks. We are seeking your views on the issues identified in the Paper via an on-line consultation. For a copy of the Paper and instructions for providing input, click here. http://nanotech.dialoguebydesign.net/ Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue Meetings Meridian Institute will convene a meeting of approximately 50 stakeholders from around the world in April 2005. Meridian Institute expects that, following the first plenary meeting, work groups and regional consultations may be held to address key issues identified during the plenary. A second plenary meeting in late fall 2005 would provide participants an opportunity to discuss progress, areas of agreement and disagreement, and next steps. Participants Meridian Institute will invite a broadly diverse group of stakeholders with expertise in fields encompassed by the terms nanoscience and nanotechnology such as materials science, chemistry, biology, and engineering, and experience with technology introduction and disciplines such public policy, risk assessment and risk management, and regulation. In doing so, Meridian will seek a balance among the different types of organizations, including industry, government, and a variety of CSOs, from both developed and developing countries. Sponsors The Rockefeller Foundation (US) and International Development Research Centre (Canada) are providing financial support for the Global Dialogue. Other institutions have been approached for additional support. For more information about the Global Dialogue, contact: Michael T. Lesnick, Senior Partner, Meridian Institute E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Phone: +1 615 353 0854 Todd F. Barker, Partner, Meridian Institute E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Phone: +1 802 899 2625 __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses. http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
[DDN] Dropping Knowledge
This may not be directly related to the list, still a very interesting endeavor. miraj khaled http://mindexplorer.blogspot.com/ = Dropping Knowledge http://www.droppingknowledge.com/ ``Dropping Knowledge is a global audio visual resource with the aim of preserving, expanding and sharing our planet`s knowledge.`` dropping knowledge begins at a large round table of human rights activists, artists, scientists, educators, filmmakers, musicians, philosophers, and writers from around the world. Your participation is vital -- this is your opportunity to help affect change. Please help form the questions concerning human rights, democracy, social and economic justice, corporate globalization, conflict resolution, religious and sectarian strife, art, identity, environmental protection, freedom of expression, and modern communications media. http://www.droppingknowledge.org/question_add.php Your questions will stimulate the global and democratic dialogue through direct participation. In the summer of 2006, dropping knowledge will launch with a historic high profile event. 112 participants will come together as a group to respond to 100 of today's most pressing questions-questions that inter-connect the table of free voices and the world. The questions will be asked one by one, and the participants will respond simultaneously into individual cameras. The responses of each participant will be recorded as a single audio visual portrait. Together these portraits create the base of the archive-672 hours of recorded material. The table of free voices provides the initial momentum and content for all the components of dropping knowledge. http://www.droppingknowledge.org/presentation_09.php __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - 250MB free storage. Do more. Manage less. http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250 ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
[DDN] Fwd: Young Leaders project 2005
FYI. LEAD International announces the launch of its newest venture: the Young Leaders project 2005. This project provides students and young professionals the opportunity to work with - and be mentored by - a LEAD Fellow in Brazil, India, Indonesia or Mexico, on solutions-based work-placements. The Young Leaders project will enable young people (generally in their 20s) to spend three months (June August 2005) in their selected country, participating in a training program and working alongside a LEAD Fellow addressing sustainable development issues. At the end of this experience, each Young Leader will become a member of the global LEAD network of influential high-flyers in more than 80 countries. LEAD Fellows are a global network of more than 1500 talented individuals who have been through the LEAD training program in leadership and sustainable development. The Fellows chosen to act as mentors for our Young Leaders project have all been specially selected to provide a breadth of choice and unique experience for the Young Leaders. All these mentors are in positions of influence in their communities and are contributing to sustainable development in a variety of different ways. We are expecting to attract talented young people from all parts of the world with an interest in sustainable development and learning about other cultures. These future leaders will have the capacity and desire to make a difference to tomorrow's world. Our Young Leaders project will give them the chance to work with established leaders in the field of sustainable development in order to develop their own leadership potential. The project combines practical on-the-ground work experience with cross-cultural leadership training and the opportunity to meet and learn from peers. The Young Leaders project will be run by LEAD International, together with the LEAD offices in Brazil, India, Indonesia and Mexico. There are more than seventy work placements available in rural and urban, coastal and mountain, tropical and temperate areas in these four countries. Details about the placements are found on the website www.lead.org/youngleaders. Places are limited, and the application process is competitive. Applications are being accepted now, and application details can also be found on the website. The cost of each Young Leader placement is $5,000 excluding international travel and meals at the placement site. Please do not hesitate to contact me or get in touch with the Young Leaders team at LEAD International ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) if you require further information. Source: http://www.lead.org/yl/default.cfm?target=yl - Copyright 2005 LEAD International, London, UK = Miraj Khaled [EMAIL PROTECTED] mindexplorer.blogspot.com __ Do you Yahoo!? All your favorites on one personal page Try My Yahoo! http://my.yahoo.com ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
[DDN] Leapfrogging the technology gap
An interesting article. But I was wondering when we are "LeapFrogging", are we landing into a higher plateau or stepping right into a muddy pond?! How do we design a 'landing platform' so that all this breakneck development does not derail the most pressing issue of poverty alleviation and can really be an inclusive socio-economic development for the majority population of the world. Leapfrogging the technology gap Wireless, computers and other innovations are quietly eliminating huge barriers to development in poor parts of the world. http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_PrintFriendly&c=Article&cid=1105917010481&call_pageid=970599119419 ALEXANDRA SAMUEL In Robib, Cambodia, villagers are getting medical advice from the world's best doctors. Schoolchildren are seeing their country's most famous landmarks for the first time. And the village economy is taking off, fueled by the sale of its handmade silk scarves on the global market. [scip] In highly developed countries like Canada, the information economy has emerged from long evolution farm economies made room for craftsmen and artisans, who gave way to industrial production, and manufacturing has yielded to the rise of an information and service-based economy. Economists and development experts wonder whether the developing world can or should follow the same path. Widespread industrial development would still leave much of Africa, Asia or Latin America a generation behind Europe and North America. [scip] Cellphones have emerged as a leading leapfrog technology. Many developing countries have very limited landline penetration, in part due to the economic incentives for digging up copper wire and selling it. These same countries are now experiencing a cellphone explosion, due in part to the way that cellphones become what Fuchs describes as a "common property resource:" a resource that can be shared among an entire community or village. The best-known example is Bangladesh's GrameenPhone, which has established a network of pay-per-use cellphones throughout the country. A similar network in South Africa has created a network of over 1,800 entrepreneurs, operating "phone shops" in over 4,400 locations across the country. Information gathered by cellphone lets farmers in Senegal double the price they get for their crops, and herders in Angola track their cattle via GPS. Source: http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_PrintFriendly&c=Article&cid=1105917010481&call_pageid=970599119419 = Miraj Khaled [EMAIL PROTECTED] mindexplorer.blogspot.com __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
[DDN] Master of Management in the Network Economy (MiNE) Program @ ITALY
FYI. This seems like a very good program and it is affiliated with University of California Berkeley (the No. 1 public University in USA). Also they have a good amount of tution scholarships available. Miraj = The Master of Management in the Network Economy (MiNE) is a master's program aimed at producing high-level managers who can score higher than their competitors within the context of the New Economy. The Master of MiNE Program is the result of collaboration between the Center for Research on the Applications of Telematics to Organizations and Society (CRATOS) of the School of Economics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore at Piacenza, Italy, and the School of Information Management and Systems (SIMS) of the University of California at Berkeley, USA. It has retained the best in traditional up-front lecturing in small classes to allow quality interaction between students and instructors so that students can draw maximum benefit from having the expert physically present during the course and then, at a later stage, available through e-mail. The Master of MiNE Program combines this element of tradition with the latest technology both in the lecture room and in the students' computer/study room. http://mine.pc.unicatt.it/ || The program will give a limited number of merit-worthy students the opportunity to qualify in "Management in the Network Economy", after learning the potential, advantages and limitations of the applications of information technology in a company environment. The first 8 months will be dedicated to upfront classroom lectures, practice sessions and seminars in English. During these 8 months, the student will have the exclusive benefit of personal interaction with some of the world's finest international experts. Following the on-campus part of the course, the student will then spend the last 3 months as an internee with an Italian or foreign company putting his or her new-found skills and knowledge to work with a special project in preparation for the final graduation report/seminar. The pre-requisites for admission are good knowledge of the English language, of a sufficiently high level to allow the student to fully exploit the teaching and to participate in class discussion, and familiarity with the most common uses of the personal computer and of the Internet. A university degree is a pre-requisite for students wishing to gain the 'Master Universitario' degree at the end of the course, but non-graduates may attend all or a selection of the modules of the course as auditors and receive a certificate of attendance. Students with degree qualifications issued in countries other than Italy may be admitted as auditors while waiting for the Italian authorities to issue equivalence documentation. Admission is based on the documentation provided with the application form and, on a possible interview. The MiNE Program aims to provide its participants with the following skills and attributes: * A profound knowledge of the applications of telematics to organizations, as well as the potential and limitations of information and communication technology (ICT); * Familiarity with the effects of ICT on organizational structures and on change dynamics; * The interdisciplinary skills necessary to manage a company in the various scenarios of the digital economy; * Know-how in the management of complexity and the knowledge to create new competitive advantages for their organizations. The program will have a high-quality profile and an international touch: the majority of the constituent courses will be taught by experts of international renown from some of the most famous universities in the US and other parts of the world. All courses will be delivered in English. The MiNE Program is the result of collaboration with the School of Information Management and Systems (SIMS) of the University of California at Berkeley, which will provide some of its best instructors for the program and will take part in curriculum planning and quality control of the program. The institutional funding for the first editions of the MiNE Program was donated by the Fondazione di Piacenza e Vigevano and by the Fondazione CARIPLO. The program is pleased to have ISVOR-FIAT as Educational Partner and Fujitsu-Siemens Computers, Microsoft and SITA as Technology Partners. http://mine.pc.unicatt.it/aboutProgram/mission.html = Miraj Khaled [EMAIL PROTECTED] mindexplorer.blogspot.com __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
[DDN] Special Dossier on Emergency Communication by World Dialogue on Regulation
The World Dialogue on Regulation have compiled a special dossier on Emergency Communications in the wake of the recent tsunami disaster in Asia. It can be accessed at: http://www.regulateonline.org/content/view/258/31/ The topics/resources include: *Regulatory Design for Disaster Preparedness and Recovery: The Missing Link *An Assessment of the B.C. Tsunami Warning System *Télécoms sans Frontières *Emergency Telecommunications and Mitigation-Oriented Policymaking *Online Resources on Emergency Communication *Q&A - Disaster warning as a universal service *Consultation Process for Disaster Warning System for Sri Lanka Source: http://www.regulateonline.org/content/view/258/31/ = ===== Miraj Khaled [EMAIL PROTECTED] mindexplorer.blogspot.com __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - now with 250MB free storage. Learn more. http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250 ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
