Proposal for infoDev Activity

Activity ID number: (to be completed by infoDev)

BASIC ACTIVITY DATA

1. Activity Title (one line only) Pilot Project Summary for the Asian/Pacific Distance Learning and Telehealth System In Support of the Global University System

2. Date of Proposal.

3. Name of participating organization serving as grantee.

4. Participating organizations, with contact information. Include email addresses when available. (Note that letters of commitment may be required before award of a grant.) Philippines Felix (Lex) Librero, Ph.D. Vice Chancellor, Research & Development University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) College, Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines 4031 Tel/Fax: +63-49+536-6014 Trunklines: +63-49+536-6001 to 6 local 500/501 lex@laguna.net upou@laguna.net.ph Japan Takashi Sakamoto, Ph.D. Director General National Institute of Multimedia Education (NIME) 2-12, Wakaba Mihama-Ku, Chiba 261-0014 JAPAN Tel: +81-43-298 3000 Fax: +81-43-298 3471 sakamoto@nime.ac.jp http://www.nime.ac.jp/ European Union P. Tapio Varis, Ph.D, Professor Acting President, Global University System Chairman, GLOSAS/Finland Professor and Chair Media Culture and Communication Education Hypermedia laboratory University of Tampere P.O.Box 607 FIN-33101 Tampere FINLAND Tel: +358-3-215 6110 GSM: +358-50-567-9833 Fax: +358-3-215 7503 tapio.varis@uta.fi http://www.uta.fi/~titava U.S.A. Kimberly K. Obbink Director Burns Telecommunications Center 128 EPS Building, Montana State University Bozeman, MT 59717-3860 USA Tel: +1-406-994 6550 Fax: +1-406-994 7856 kobbink@montana.edu http://btc.montana.edu Ben I. Haraguchi President Foundation for the Support of the United Nations (FSUN) 809 United Nations Plaza, Suite 1200 New York, NY 10017 USA Tel: +1-212-986 8114 Fax: +1-212-986 8131 bharaguchi@fsun.org haragucb@aren+fox.com http://www.fsun.org Mr. John H. Southworth Distance Education Director UH Laboratory School Curriculum Research & Development Group University of Hawaii Laboratory School 1776 University Avenue Honolulu, Hawaii 96822 808-956-6871 Fax: 808-956-4933 E-mail: south@hawaii.edu http://www.hawaii.edu/crdg Norman H. Okamura, Ph.D. Specialist Peacesat Social Sciences Building # 713 University of Hawaii 2424 Maile Way, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822 USA Tel: +1-808-956 2909 Fax: +1-808-956 8019 norman@elele.peacesat.hawaii.edu Professor Mark J. Andrews Associate Director Office of Technology Transfer and Economic Development Maui Research and Technology Center University of Hawaii 590 Lipoa Parkway Kihei, Hawaii 96753 USA Tel: +1-808-875 2600 Fax: +1-808-875 2605 mandrews@hawaii.edu http://www.mrtc.org/~mandrews/ G. Robert (Bob) Converse Project Director/Principal Investigator National Science Foundation Advanced Technology Education Project Maui Community College 310 Ka'a Humanu Ave. Kahului, Hawaii 96732 USA Tel: +1-808-984 3447 Fax: +1-808-244 0862 bob.converse@mauicc.Hawaii.Edu http://www.ecet.mauicc.hawaii.edu Takeshi Utsumi, Ph.D., P.E. Chairman, GLObal Systems Analysis and Simulation Association in the U.S.A. (GLOSAS/USA) Founder of Consortium for Affordable and Accessible Distance Education (CAADE) President Emeritus and V.P. for Technology and Coordination of Global University System (GUS) 43-23 Colden Street Flushing, NY 11355-3998 U.S.A. Tel: 718-939-0928 Fax: 718-939-0656 (day time only--prefer e-mail) utsumi@columbia.edu http://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/

5.a. Activity summary: please limit this to Half A Page only. 1. Problem or Opportunity The digital revolution and economic globalization are taking us into a new era. We are moving towards a global knowledge society where information, skills and competencies become the driving forces of social and economic development. The problems associated with this transformation can no longer be solved by traditional means. The Internet, with its extending and improving infrastructure, will be the main telecommunication media of tomorrow. It has been extended to most countries, albeit with slow-to-medium speed. The advancement of videoconferencing, telephony, broadband Internet, World Wide Web, and other communication and information technologies are rapidly creating new opportunities for establishing international distance learning and global-healthcare/telemedicine programs that will allow us to foster global citizenship and achieve "education for all." Broadband Internet backbone development such as vBNS and Abeline are expanding high-speed Internet access to higher education and healthcare institutions throughout the U.S.. This technology extends increased band-width to university researchers requiring the ability to manipulate large quantities of data and graphic images. In addition, this technology holds great promise for improving multimedia distance learning capabilities, especially in rural and isolated areas that are not well served by commercial network providers. The enhanced distance learning capabilities of broadband Internet are only beginning to be explored and offer an immediate benefit to the populations served by these networks. Although the opportunities for international distance learning are great, they are accompanied by challenges regarding technical infrastructure, language barriers, cultural differences, and appropriate matches between needs and educational resources. The Global University System seeks to establish pilot projects that can be disseminated as "best practices" examples for the further development and deployment of effective international distance learning partnerships. In addition, GUS will foster the development of distance learning pilot projects using broadband Internet technology in order to enhance the teaching/learning capabilities of distance learning media. 2. Proposed Activities Conduct a technical feasibility study for linkages between North America, Hawaii, Pacific Islands and Philippines; Establish needs and resources for pilot distance learning projects in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, VietNam and the Pacific Islands; Conduct a planning conference in Spring 2000 in Tokyo for further planning and proposal development 3. Anticipated Outcome. Technical feasibility study Needs assessment Pilot demonstration projects b. Total Activity Cost (in $US): c. Funding Requested from infoDev (in $US):

STATISTICAL DATA

6. infoDev Program Objective? (see guidelines for explanation): Please choose ONE of the following: (Underlined is the chosen one.) 1. Creating market-friendly environments. 2. Reducing poverty and exclusion of low-income countries or social groups. 3. Improving education and health. 4. Promoting protection of the environment and natural resources. 5. Increasing the efficiency, accountability and transparency of governments.

7. infoDev Strategic Activity? (see guidelines for explanation): Please choose ONE of the following: (Underlined is the chosen one.) 1.Consensus building and awareness raising. 2. Telecommunications reform. 3. Information infrastructure strategies. 4. Pilot projects.

8. Sector of Proposed Activity?: (Underlined are the chosen ones.) 1. Agriculture/Industry 2. Commerce/Trade 3. Education 4. Environment 5. Forum 6. Government 7. Health 8. Infrastructure 9. Internet Connectivity 10. Telecom/Policy

9. Grantee Organization Type?: (Underlined is the chosen one.) 1. Academic/Research 2. Non Governmental Organization 3. Private Sector 4. Government 5. Regional and Bilateral Organizations 6. United Nations 7. World Bank Group

10. Geographic Location of Activity? (Specific country, or region if a regional project) This proposal will establish partnerships between educational institutions in Montana, Hawaii, and the Philippines in the first phase of this project and with others in ASEAN countries later. Distance learning and telemedicine opportunities will be made available to people living in the Pacific islands including Guam and American Samoa, and in the Philipines.

ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION

11. What is the problem or opportunity that this activity addresses? ABSTRACT: The Asian/Pacific Distance Learning and Telehealth System is a subset of the Global University System (GUS) formed in Tampere, Finland in August 1999. The Asian/Pacific System will support GUS development and activities by establishing partnerships and distance learning demonstration projects in the Asian/Pacific region. The Asia/Pacific consortium will explore technical capabilities and options, as well as match educational needs and resources, for the delivery of affordable, needs based distance learning throughout the Pacific/Asia region. GOALS: The goal of the Asian/Pacific Distance Learning and Telehealth System is to spearhead the linkage of existing distance education and telehealth networks to establish equal access to education and healthcare throughout the Asian/Pacific region. PURPOSES: The purpose of the Asian/ Pacific distance learning and telehealth system is to collaborate with people of the Asian/Pacific region in the identification and assessment of their needs for education, professional development, technical training, and health care, and to identify how technology can be used to create a knowledge sharing network to meet those needs. The Asian/Pacific Distance Learning and Telehealth System will promote sustained international cooperation, capacity building, and an inter-cultural foundation for the education and health care through the electronic sharing and exchange of information. To accomplish this vision the Asian/Pacific Distance Learning and Telehealth System will build upon progress that has already been made in order to: Promote accessible, affordable global distance education Increase understanding of diverse cultural values and needs Emphasize values of sustainability, equity and global peace.

12. What is the anticipated outcome of the activity? (who will benefit, what type and magnitude of benefits) Improve sustained connectivity between and among governmental, educational, health care institutions and non-profit organizations within the Asia/Pacific region. Promote the identification and/or creation of appropriate educational content, based upon the real and perceived needs and cultural values of the learners and participants. Promote "best practices" in the distance delivery and exchange of knowledge and information through pilot projects, formal evaluation and scientific investigation. Promote private sector involvement in the development and sustainability of the increased connectivity through the establishment of private-public partnerships. Promote opportunities for sustainable economic development and entrepreneurship.

13. What specific activities will the activity undertake? (That is, what will the activity produce, such as training, databases created, policy dialogue, etc. These are the actions that will have the impact described in question 11.) POSSIBLE DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS: Dissemination of the Emergency Medical Services for Children program in the Pacific Islands; Information/Communication Technology training for educators and healthcare providers; Graduate and professional development programs for nurses.

14. What type of inputs, such as human and financial resources, facilities, etc. will be required for these activities? Infrastructure to possibly include: satellite earth station, microwave network, fixed wireless broadband Internet, Internet routers and servers, system engineers, etc. Content Development: instructors, programmers, teacher trainers, facilitators, healthcare and instructional technology specialists, etc. Administrators: accountants, financiers, supervisors, librarians, fund seekers, etc.

15. Why is this set of activities a cost effective method of achieving the outcome described in question 12? Is there a lower cost method? The proposed activities will establish feasibility studies in order to determine the lowest cost effective method to promote the use of advanced broadband Internet for the benefits of societies in the Asia/Pacific region. The advantages for exploring wireless broadband Internet infrastructure for the delivery of distance learning is that it involves (i) fewer regulatory issues, (ii) less initial investment, and (iii) less ongoing operating costs. Distance Learning (DL) and telemedicine can thus provide (i) more flexibility, (ii) more enhanced content and (iii) greater accessibility.

16. Why would this activity be important for the rest of society? Does it represent a general solution to the problem discussed in question 11? Are its activities replicable? How will other groups be able to utilize the experience of this activity? This activity is a community development approach, firstly with non-profit organizations and secondly with for-profit organizations, thus all applicable groups are inclusive. This activity is to be a model replicable to other localities and regions, as leading the use of the advanced Internet in various sectors of societies. The higher educational institution selected in the locality will have the broadband Internet satellite earth-station, and will become the major Internet Service Provider (ISP) to the local community of non-profit organizations. The higher education institution will then provide teacher training to secondary and elementary schools, and also act as facilitators and technical supporters to other non-profit organizations.

ACTIVITY OPERATIONS

17. What are the specific deliverables to infoDev from this activity? Formation of project/partnership teams, Strategy of joint fund raising for the projects, Direction for collaboratively furthering global electronic distance education, Needs assessment and content for pilot projects Conference report for public dissemination, Final Report to infoDev.

18. How will the activity be sustained following the end of infoDev grant funding, both institutionally and financially? This activity will be sustained by a regional and local coalition member of the Global University System. For-profit commercial industrial organizations will be invited into the local community gradually in the second (or later) phase of this pilot project in such a way that they will undertake a major portion of financial burden of this venture.

19. What are the major risks to the success of this activity, and how will they be mitigated? Government regulations on the establishment of broadband Internet infrastructure: We plan to mitigate this risk as focusing and emphasizing on humanitarian purposes of distance learning and telemedicine, with implementation of the broadband Internet in non-profit organizations in the first phase, e.g., higher, secondary and elementary educational institutions, hospitals, libraries, local governmental agencies, etc. Disintegration of local coalition: We plan to mitigate this risk as providing the members of coalition with flexible, open, and equal information, collaboration and standings.

20. How will activities and outcomes be measured, and evaluated? Include plans and schedule for measuring and evaluating impact. Outcomes for the proposal will be measured in two ways: Results of the Tokyo conference planning for ongoing fund raising and proposal development; and Measurements of pilot project activities: Internet usage rates, growth rates of web sites, course wares, outreach students, number of occurrences of telemedicine events, etc. Acceptance of this venture by local community members, increase of outreach students with distance learning methodology, acceptance of telemedicine by local community, etc.

21. How will ownership and control of physical or intellectual assets of the activity be determined? Please certify that infoDev will have title to all intellectual property produced using grant funds. This subject will be determined on a case-by-case basis along with the formation of local coalition members. In any case, infoDev will have title to all intellectual property produced as a result of this proposal.

22. What is the activity schedule? Include beginning and end date, as well as major milestones.

FINANCIAL DATA

23. Resources required for activity. Provide separate columns for expenses funded by infoDev and other sources. This budget should be compatible with the inputs listed in question 14. Where possible, disaggregate the budget by activities listed in question 13. For example: Item Units Amount infoDev funding Other Funding Total Cost Staff Materials Travel Other

24. Sources of Financing? Include all sources of financing, including contributions other than infoDev and in-kind contributions by proponent organizations. (Written commitments for non-infoDev funding will be required prior to grant award. In the absence of written commitments, infoDev may award a grant contingent upon the securing of co-financing).

PROPONENT DATA

25. Proponent Capability Statements

26. Resumes of proposed staff Philippines Felix Librero, PhD (Lex is my nickname) Vice Chancellor, Research & Development University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) Concurrently: Professor, College of Development Communication, U.P. Los Banos (UPLB) Member, National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) Member, Philippines Communication Society (PCS) Member, Asian Mass Communication Research & Information Centre (AMIC) Member, National Socio-Economics Experts Pool, Philippine Council for Agricultural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) Alternate Regional Coordinator, Regional Working Group on Applied Satellite Communications Applications, UN-ESCAP Member, Presidential Advisory Council, University of the Philippines System (UPS) Member, Editorial Advisory Board, The Journal of Development Communication Recent Positions: Dean, School for Distance Education (Los Banos), UPOU Associate Dean, College of Agriculture, UP Los Banos Director, Institute of Development Communication, UP Los Banos Author of two books (How to Write a Thesis Proposal and Rural Educational Broadcasting: a Philippine Experience); book chapters and journal articles on communication and development; popular articles on rural and agricultural development; presented papers in 16 international and national conferences in the last six years. Research interest in development communication, distance education and open learning, educational technology. As Professor of development communication, advises graduate (MS and PhD) and undergraduate students in development communication, teach both graduate and undergraduate courses in development communication both in residential and distance modes. Japan Takashi Sakamoto, Ph.D. Director General, National Institute of Multimedia Education (NIME) Recent Affiliations 1987 Professor of Educational Systems Technology, Department of Systems Science, Graduate School, Tokyo Institute of Technology 1992 Vice President, National Center for University Entrance Examinations 1996 Director-General, National Institute of Multimedia Education Professor Emeritus, Tokyo Institute of Technology National Center for University Entrance Examinations Member Science Council of Japan Central Council for Education (MESC) University Council (Specialist Member) (MESC) Council for Lifelong Learning (Specialist Member) (MESC) Institute of Information Technology in Education (Governing Board, UNESCO) Board Member of New Profit Institute, Center for Educational Computing Japan Association for the Promotion of Educational Technology Japan Institute of Research for Educational Material and Culture Research Institute for the Educational Studies Center for the Research on Learning software Information Foundation for Developing Human Competence Academic and Professional Society President, Japanese Association of Educational Technology Societies Author 150 Academic Papers (incl,45 English or foreign language) 140 Research Reports 210 Books (incl,11 single Author and 30 English) 110 Edited Books 400 Papers at Conference (incl, 40 International) 600 Papers in non-Academic Journals Editorial Board for International Journals Computers & Education (Pergamon) Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (Blackwell Science) Journal of Interactive Learning Research (AACE) International Journal of Communication, Information and Education (New) International School Psychology Industry and Higher Education (IP Publishing) Experience as a consultant World Bank (Mass Media and Education) Asia Bank UNESCO European Union Tapio Varis University of Tampere Tampere, Finland Tapio Varis is currently Professor and Chair of Media Culture and Communication Education at the University of Tampere Finland (Journalism and Mass Communication and Department of Teacher Education), consultant on new learning technologies for the Finnish Ministry of Education and advisor to several international organizations. In 1996-97, he was UNESCO Chair of Communication Studies at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain. He has also been a faculty member of the European Peace University, the University of Art and Design in Helsinki and Communication and Media Scholar at the University of Helsinki. Tapio Varis is a former Rector of the University for Peace in Costa Rica and Professor of Media Studies in the University of Lapland, Finland. He has published approximately 200 scientific contributions, the latest being Media of the Knowledge Age, published by Helsinki University Press 1995 (in Finnish). He is listed in Who's Who in the World (1984 & 1995) and Men of Achievement (1986 & 1995). USA Kimberly K. Obbink Director, Burns Telecommunications Center Montana State University Kim Obbink is the director of the Burns Telecommunications Center and Extended Studies at Montana State University. The BTC is named for Montana US Senator Conrad Burns, a leading advocate for the advancement of telecommunications and information technologies. As director of this self-supporting outreach Center, Kim is responsible for all BTC activities to promote the use of effective and affordable telecommunications for MSU constituents, as well as BTC fund raising initiatives. She is active in the field of distance learning and telecommunications and serves as a consultant to a number of distance learning programs including the Genentech, Inc. Access Excellence project. Kim is Co-Principal Investigator on the NSF funded National Teachers Enhancement Network, providing professional development and graduate credit courses in the sciences to high school science teachers internationally using distance learning technologies. The program recently expanded to offer a distance learning Masters Degree in Science Education. Kim also served as Co-PI for seven years on an NSF Young Scholars grant using telecomputing to connect high ability junior high students with math and science experts, and PI on a Dept. of Commerce TIIAP grant expanding multimedia and distance learning opportunities for Montana Tribal Colleges. She is currently the Montana State University-Bozeman pilot site coordinator for the Western Governors University, and the Montana state liaison for the US West PATHWAYS continuing education and distance learning program. Kim is currently a doctoral candidate in Adult and Higher Education at MSU. Ben I. Haraguchi President, Foundation for the Support of the United Nations (FSUN) Mr. Haraguchi received his A.B. degree (with distinction) from Stanford University in 1964, an M.A. degree from the University of Hawaii (East West Center) in 1966, and a J.D. degree from Harvard Law School in 1969. He is a partner at the Law Firm of Arent Fox Kintner Plotkin & Kahn, which he joined in 1993 from his previous Law Firm of Morrison & Foerster at which he was also a partner. Mr. Haraguchi's corporate practice includes extensive experience in negotiating and documenting asset and stock acquisitions, mergers, joint ventures, technical assistance and licensing agreements, corporate reorganizations and divestitures, and financing of all kinds. He has represented firms in establishing manufacturing facilities throughout the United States, assisting in site selection and acquisition, state and local economic development assistance, construction and financing and has organized a number of seminars for Japanese companies with the New York State Department of Commerce and JETRO in Tokyo and New York City on investing in the United States. His representation of international clients in joint ventures covers the fields of new materials, auto parts, steel products, machinery and machine tools, heavy industrial equipment, computers, software, smelting, refining, and mining. He has also been extensively involved in the work out of troubled joint ventures. Mr. Haraguchi's real estate practice includes extensive experience in the acquisition, development, environmental clean-up and disposition of real estate of all kinds. He has been involved in a number of office building acquisitions, ski resort and golf course acquisitions and the organization and sale of golf club memberships and has advised clients with respect to the securities and tax aspects of such sales. Mr. Haraguchi is a co-founder, officer and director of the Foundation for the Support of the United Nations and a member of the American Bar Association and the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. Takeshi Utsumi GLObal Systems Analysis and Simulation Association, U.S.A. Global University System (GUS) Takeshi Utsumi, Ph.D., P.E., is Chairman of the GLObal Systems Analysis and Simulation Association in the USA (GLOSAS/USA) and President of the Global electronic) University (GU/USA) System (a divisional activity of GLOSAS/USA). He is the 1994 Laureate of Lord Perry Award for the Excellence in Distance Education. His public service has included political work for the deregulation of global telecommunications and the use of e-mail through ARPANET, Telenet and the Internet; working to extend American university courses to the Third World; the conduct of innovative distance teaching trials with "Global Lecture Hall(GLH)" multipoint-to multipoint multimedia interactive videoconferences using hybrid technologies; and lectures, consultation and research in process control, management science, systems science and engineering at the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania, M.I.T. and many universities, governmental agencies and large firms in Japan and other countries. Highlights among his more than 150 related scientific papers and books are presentations at the Summer Computer Simulation Conferences (which he created and named) and the Society for Computer Simulation International. He is a member of various scientific and professional groups, including the Chemists Club (New York, NY); Columbia University Seminar on Computers, Man and Society New York, NY); Fulbright Association (Washington, D.C.); International Center for Integrative Studies (ICIS) (New York, NY); and the Society of Satellite Professionals International (Washington, D.C.). He received his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the Polytechnic University in New York and his M.S.in Ch.E. from Montana State University, after studying at the University of Nebraska under a Fulbright scholarship. His professional experience in simulation and optimization of petrochemical and refinery processes was gained at Mitsubishi Research Institute, Tokyo; Stone & Webster Engineering Corp., Boston; Mobil Oil Corporation and Shell Chemical Company, New York; and Asahi Chemical Industry, Inc., Tokyo.

By submitting an activity proposal to infoDev, proponents authorize the infoDev Program to make public the information in fields 1- 10, for the purpose of promoting contacts between proponents and other interested parties. infoDev Work Program Administrator c/o Energy Mining and Telecoms Department The World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433 U.S.A. Phone: (202) 458-5153 Fax: (202) 522-3186 E-mail: infodev@worldbank.org http://www.worldbank.org/infodev