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UNESCO/UNITWIN PROPOSAL

 

A. Basic Institutional Data

  1. Project title

    Establishment of a Chair & Network on Global E-Learning
  2. Expected starting date

    September, 2001
  3. Duration*

    Four (4) Years
  4. Domain(s) or discipline(s) concerned

    Global E-Learning with applications to multiple domains. The disciplines concerned are all fields covered by UNESCO.
  5. Name of host institution(s)

    University of Tampere
  6. Faculty(ies)/Department(s) concerned

Digital Learning Lab, University of Tampere

  1. Project leader/contact person (name)

    P. Tapio Varis, Ph.D., Professor
    Acting President, Global University System (GUS)

Full contact address/telephone/fax/e-mail

Media Culture and Communication Education
University of Tampere
FIN-33014 University of Tampere
FINLAND
Tel: +358-3-215 6111
GSM: +358-50-567-9833
Fax: +358-3-215 7503
tapio.varis@uta.fi
tapio.varis@helsinki.fi
http://www.uta.fi/~titava

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B. Project Description

1. Type of project:

Network [ ]
UNESCO Chair  [ ]
UNESCO Chair and network [ X ]
Other (if this is the case, define) [ ]

The Chair will initiate research, training, pilot projects and demonstrations in the promotion of e-learning competencies in communication and media pedagogy, sociology and psychology in the multi-cultural realities of a globalized world. The Chair will be the focal point of the existing network of the Global University System (GUS) established in Tampere in 1999 and to be extended as a UNESCO/UNITWIN network.

2. Domain(s) or discipline(s)

The multiple domains are the UNESCO priorities: e-healthcare, peace, environment, human rights, communication and other fields that are basic elements for the sustainable development in the different fields of information and knowledge society.

3. General (long-term) and specific (short-term) objectives (200 words max.)

I. General (long term):

  1. To develop e-learning networks (and related e-health networks) within the Global University System (GUS) with regional groups around the world (TBC), using Global Broadband Internet (GBI) which is to be supported by Global Service Trust Funds (GSTF) (TM) and others.
  2. To provide advice and expertise to assist participants in all countries, particularly the least developed, in:
    1. establishing a global coalition of e-learning networks in various countries, (TBC), and facilitating links between/among them,
    2. helping members of e-learning networks to promote global understanding for world peace,
    3. developing methods of e-learning and e-healthcare for anyone, anywhere and anytime, in the higher education system,
    4. facilitating the development and use of global broadband Internet.

II. Specific (short term):

Bridging the digital divide by developing actions in the following fields:

  1. To serve as a means of facilitating collaboration between high-level, internationally recognized researchers and teaching staff of the e-learning networks within the GUS.
  2. To hold workshops/conferences by the e-learning networks in the regional GUSs;
    1. To configure educational service exchange among e-learning networks in each GUS via currently available narrow-band Internet,
    2. To conduct a market survey and feasibility study for deploying broadband Internet among non-profit organizations (e.g., higher, secondary and elementary educational institutions, libraries, hospitals, and local governmental agencies, etc.) in their communities,
    3. To raise funds jointly for the projects,
    4. To conduct global e-learning and e-healthcare with narrow-band and/or broadband Internet.

4. Type of activity:

Post-graduate teaching programme  [ X ]
Training  [ X ]
Research  [ X ]
Visiting professorships  [ X ]
Scholarships  [ ]
Institutional development  [ X ]
(including strengthening of information/library services, laboratories, etc.)

5. Proposed schedule of activities

Actions of the chair (strategic…)

Forward the incorporation of GUS in Finland -- Fall of 2001

6. Expected results

  1. Action plan for technical and administrative procedures to conduct educational service exchange among participating institutions via currently available narrow-band Internet,
  2. Fund raising proposals for market survey and feasibility study to deploy broadband Internet among participating non-profit organizations in the regions or localities.
  3. Action to submit the results of the survey and study with the list and costs of necessary equipment and operation to funding sources.

7. Target beneficiaries:

Students   [ X ]
Academics   [ X ]
Professionals  [ X ]
Other (specify)  [ X ] Libraries and governmental agencies

8. Other relevant information (if applicable)

The proposed network should be attractive to many sponsors. Here is an example of what we have achieved: support from Alprint, the British Council, Finnair, Finnish Broadcasting Company, the Ministry of Education Finland, Sonera, Soros Foundation/Open Society Institute, the United States Information Agency (USIA), the United States National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Information and Development Program (infoDev) administered by the World Bank. With funding from these and many others, we conducted a highly successful International Workshop and Conference on "Emerging Global Electronic Distance Learning (EGEDL'99)" in August, 1999 at the University of Tampere, Finland <http://www.uta.fi/EGEDL>.

The event brought together about 60 decision-makers and leaders in e-learning and telemedicine from 14 underserved countries who discussed practical solutions for the implementation of affordable global e-learning across national boundaries. They brainstormed and the workshop recommended the formation of the following three interrelated organizations:

A. Global University System (GUS),
B. Global Broadband Internet (GBI),
C. Global Service Trust Fund (GSTF) (TM).

See more about them in "Current Reference Websites" at <http://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/Global_University/Global%20University%20System/Reference_web_sites.html>

The group also formulated specific pilot projects focused on major regions of the world to reduce the growing digital divide between information-rich and information-poor populations, as realizing "education and healthcare for all," at anywhere, anytime and at any pace.

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C. Partnerships/Networking

1. Participating institutions (name and address of each)

Confirmed: *

  1. University of Tampere
    P.O.Box 607
     FIN-33101 Tampere
    FINLAND
  2. U.K. Open University
    Walton Hall
     Milton Keynes MK7 6AA
    UNITED KINGDOM
  3. GLObal Systems Analysis and Simulation Association in the U.S.A. (GLOSAS/USA)
    43-23 Colden Street, Flushing, NY 11355-3998, U.S.A.
     Tel: 718-939-0928; Fax: 718-939-0656 (day time only--prefer email)
     Email: utsumi@columbia.edu
     http://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/

The GUS network will be expanded to include Regional GUSs around the world which are being created.

2. Other inter-university and scientific networks in the same field (name and address of each)
Sub-regional:
Regional:
International:

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D. Funding of the Project

1. Total project budget

Stage 1: Mini-workshop

1.       To establish a coalition of non-profit organizations in their regions/localities,

2.       To configure technical and administrative procedures of educational service exchange via currently available narrow-band Internet,

3.       To plan a larger workshop of stage 2 and its fund-raising.

Stage 2: Large workshop

1.       To configure the scheme of utilizing broadband Internet when it is available in a region or locality,

2.       To form a committee for market survey and feasibility study of deploying broadband Internet among coalition members of no-profit organizations in the region or locality with the concern on its sustainability,

3.       To plan a fund raising for the survey and study.

Stage 3: Market survey and feasibility study

1.       To conduct the survey and study by professionals.

Stage 4: Fund raising for deploying broadband Internet

1.       To submit a grant application with the comprehensive results of the survey and study with cost estimates of necessary equipment and operation to appropriate funding sources, e.g., Japanese government's Official Development Assistant (ODA) fund, through the governmental agencies of the coalition's country.

For example, our Manila workshop is to be run soon, and we have been working for the past two years to come up with a budget for their mini-workshop. For this workshop alone, we are planning;

1.       To submit our travel grant application to the US National Science Foundation (NSF) for about 20 Americans to go to Manila,

2.       To ask JICA to finance the travel funds of attendees from some developing countries -- JICA has already indicated their willingness,

3.       To have some support out of $500,000 pledged to Montana State College, one of our GUS members, by Citicorp.

Another example: our colleagues in Manaus, Brazil will also soon submit a grant application to the InfoDev for holding a large workshop after conducting a couple of mini-workshops successfully in the past few years.  They have already conducted fairly extensive feasibility study and cost estimations to connect a half dozen universities in Amazon area (dubbed as “CampusNet Amazonia”).  This workshop will then be;

1.      To refine and complete the study and estimation,

2.      To configure strategy of fund raising,

3.      To produce action plan of deploying the CampusNet,

4.      To plan technical support and administrative structure, and

5.       To plan the development of multimedia contents, etc.

 

2. Contribution of your institution

Budgetary provision (in US$ or local currency): 2.5 million FIM
In-kind services (in US$ or local currency):

 

3. Extra-budgetary resources required

 

4. Donor funding

 

5. Proposed funding sources

 

One of GUS officers worked to have the Japanese government pledge $15 billion to close the digital divide in developing countries (3 years), during the Okinawa Summit in July 2000. UNESCO in Bangkok (170 million yen in fiscal 2001 -- about US$1.5 million) and the Asia Development Bank (1,270 million yen -- about US$10 million) have already received out of this pledged fund. Subsequently, we may be able to approach to the Japanese government, e.g., JICA, with UNESCO's support.

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E. Support

Institutional

 

National Commission

 

Other

 

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F. General