“E-learning on science and high technology for Developing Countries “.

The Tunisian Government, in collaboration mainly with UNCTAD, International Telecommunication Union, G@ID, ECA and the partnership of ADB, World Bank, the AICTO and UTICA, organises the fourth edition of ”ICT4All Forum-Tunis+4"  in Hammamet (Tunisia) during 24th and 25th November 2009 http://www.ict4allforum.tn/ to deal with developing ICT activities through:

ICT innovation as a Tool for Strengthening Competitiveness and Growth

Furthermore two days of Parallel Events are also organized. In this regards, The Tunisian Association for scientific research assistance over the net Atars' net http://www.atarsnet.org.tn/  and the  International Centre for Science and High Technology of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (ICS-UNIDO) will jointly organise a thematic seminar to be held on 23 November 2009 on:

“E-learning on science and high technology for Developing Countries “.

The seminar will provide an opportunity to exchange opinion and discuss best practices and ICS experiences of e-learning strategies and instruments to more extensive dissemination of high level knowledge in science and high technology.

                

In fact the technology needed to sustain advanced e-learning activities is generally already available and relatively cheap. Two main problems are responsible for the underutilization of the existing technology in support of e-learning activities in advanced scientific fields: a scarce production of relevant contents and difficulties in access i.e. technical barriers and costs to users (mainly for the users located in African Countries)

Furthermore for most of the content providers/producers, the objective is not the support of the scientific communities of developing countries or of countries in economic transition, in selected and strategic fields at post graduate level (as for ICS); their target is generally the individual (mainly undergraduate) student who cannot attend classes, but is able to pay for a distant learning course and has an easy and cheap fast internet access.

An other important aspect to be discuss during the seminar would be the setting up and managing a dynamic virtual network of research centres/institutions which can actively participate to the production, dissemination and utilization of e-learning contents and instruments in advanced scientific fields in favour of the most poor countries. 

Should you be interested in being involved in this activity, please register http://www.ict4allforum.tn/index.php?id=8 http://www.ict4allforum.tn/index.php?id=8  or let us know sending your contact details, in a short email to bertogli@ics.trieste.it or sonia.abdellatif@mincom.tn,  In case you are no available we very appreciate your suggestion on the name of institutions to be invited.

Preliminary program

Monday 23 November 15h-18h

15h	Welcome address from: -The ICS-UNIDO Managing Director Mr. G. Rosso Cicogna -The president of The Tunisian Association for scientific research assistance over the net Atars' net
15h40	Presentation of success strategies in e-learning - Presentation of the ICS strategy in e-learning - Presentation of the qualitielearning suisse
15h40	Pause café
16h	Panel 1: production of knowledge
16h20	Panel II: management of knowledge
16h40	Panel II: sharing of knowledge
17h	Establishment of a Global alliance « Ict’s for scientific capacities building”
17h30	Ceremony of signature of partnership conventions