Invitation from InfoDev

<<April 16, 2000>>

Laure Charvin <lcharvin@worldbank.org>

Dr. Ihor Bogdan Katerniak <ik@litech.net>

Dr. Paul Lefrere <p.lefrere@open.ac.uk>

Dear Ms. Charvin:
=================

(1) I am very delighted to receive your msg of 4/10th (ATTACHMENT I), as
     inviting us to submit our grant applications to your Conference
     Scholarship Fund and the InfoDev program, for our mini-workshop at the
     Open University in U.K.

          Your msg was in response to our listserve distribution of Grant
          application to IREX for mini-workshop at UK Open University -
          February 23, 2000" which can now be found at;
          <http://www.kagawa-jc.ac.jp/~steve/global-univ-2000.html>.

(2) IREX has kindly informed Dr. Ihor Katerniak that they will provide him
with a round trip travel fund from Ukraine to the Open University.

          BTW, ATTACHMENT II below is a hand-out which Ihor is now
          presenting at the conference "Towards the Global University II" in
          Cape Town, South Africa, 4/16-20/2000.

(3) Dr. Paul Lefrere of the Open University has also received a favorable
     response from the British Council that they would provide travel funds
     to our colleagues from Ukraine and other countries for their attending
     the mini-workshop.

He visited European Commission last week to raise funds necessary for
the administration of the mini-workshop.

(4) As soon as Paul decide the date of the mini-workshop, we will suggest
     our colleagues (who have already indicated their interest in attending
     the mini-workshop) to apply for your Conference Scholarship Fund. I
     would greatly appreciate your support to them at that time.

(5) We were very grateful for the generous funds we received from your
     InfoDev, US National Science Foundation, the British Council and many
     others for our highly successful International Workshop and Conference
     on "Emerging Global Electronic Distance Learning (EGEDL/'99)" from
     August 9th to 13th, 1999 at the University of Tampere in Finland. -- see
     <http://www.uta.fi/EGEDL>.

     This event brought together approximately 60 education professionals,
     decision-makers and leaders in distance learning and telemedicine from
     14 nations. They discussed practical ways to harness the emerging
     technological evolution of advanced global broadband wireless and
     satellite Internet in the major regions of the globe to provide
     affordable, global distance learning across national and cultural boundaries.

     We formed a Global University System (GUS) with group activities of
     prominent members in the major regions of the Asia/Pacific, North,
     Central and South Americas, Europe and Africa (see PART II in the Final
     Report of the workshop at the above mentioned web site).

     Each of those regional groups are now planning to hold mini-workshops to
     bring together decision-makers from underserved countries and leaders in
     distance learning and telemedicine to discuss practical solutions for
     the implementation of affordable global electronic distance learning and
     telehealth/telemedicine across national boundaries and to establish
     partnerships for pilot projects.

          The main objective of mini-workshops (2 to 3 days) is to prepare
          for the full workshops with major funding (4 to 5 days in similar
          scale as our Tampere event) in the near future. During the full
          workshop, the proposed pilot projects in the InfoDev application
          draft format in the PART II will be formalized with feasibility
          study, action plan, administrative structure, etc. by the
          participating members in their regions. The pilot projects are
          for the deployment of distance learning and telemedicine with the
          use of current narrowband Internet and of broadband Internet later
          when available.

As you see in ATTACHMENT II, Ihor's group has already built up
with substantial number of partner institutions in Ukraine.

          Thanks to the kind introduction by Dr. Marco Antonio Dias, former
          director of Higher Education of UNESCO and the Vice President for
          Administration of GUS, the UNAMAZ has already adopted the pilot
          project proposal of our South American Region and is now holding a
          mini-workshop in Manaus, Amazona, Brazil on May 31 to June 2,
          2000. The Unamaz is a consortium of universities in 8 countries
          in Amazon region; Bolivia (7), Brazil (21), Canada (1), Colombia
          (10), Equador (9), Guayana (2), Guiana Francesa (2), Peru (13),
          Suriname (1), Venezuela (11) -- total 77 universities.

     The pilot projects are to foster the establishment of GUS in their
     respective regions with the use of broadband wireless and satellite
     Internet. Included in the establishment are the information
     infrastructure, the physical network of ground stations and satellites,
     content, and the institutionalization of the GUS which is to be financed
     by the Global Service Trust Fund (GSTF).

(6) After having mini-workshops, I will then request each regional group to
     submit their grant applications for their full workshop to your InfoDev,
     as you suggested in your msg. I thank you again for your kind
     invitation.

(7) Reference web sites:

(a) GLOSAS/USA:
<http://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/>

(b) Tampere conference:
<http://www.uta.fi/EGEDL/>

(c) Global University System:
<http://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/Global_University/Global%20University%20System/Synopsis_11-5-99.html>

     (d) Global University System: Asia-Pacific Framework:
          <http://www.kagawa-jc.ac.jp/~steve_mc/asia-pacific/index.html>
          and
           Draft of Travel Grant Application to the National Science
          Foundation for the Manila Mini-Workshop -- 1 of 5: Travel Grant
          Application / 2 of 5: Workshop Schedule / 3 of 5: Grant Nominees /
          4 of 5: Philippine Counterparts / 5 of 5: GUS in the Philippines
          Pilot Project Proposal - February 16-17, 2000" at
          <http://www.kagawa-jc.ac.jp/~steve/global-univ-2000.html>

(e) Global broadband Internet networks:
<http://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/Tampere_Conference/Global_Broadband_Internet/Global_Broadband_Internet.html>

     (f) Global Service Trust Fund (GSTF):
          <http://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/Tampere_Conference/GSTF/Synopsis_2-15-00.html>
          and
          <http://www.informatics.org/clarke/projects.html>

     (g) Manaus workshop:
          <http://www.argo.com.br/~alex_mau/workshop/workshop.htm>
          and
           Draft of Travel Grant Application to the NSF for the Manaus Mini-Workshop - March 30, 2000" at
          <http://www.kagawa-jc.ac.jp/~steve/global-univ-2000.html>.

Best, Tak
****************************************
ATTACHMENT I

From: Lcharvin@worldbank.org
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 14:52:58 -0400
Subject: DRAFT/Grant application to IREX for mini-workshop at Open University
To: utsumi@friends-partners.org

Dear Mr. Utsumi,

I was forwarded your message lately. Thank you very much for informing us of
your activity. I think your initiative (the mini-workshop) is a very
interesting one.

I do not really get the purpose of this email. Please let me know what we can
do for you. We will be happy to work things out with you.

infoDev has three grants initiatives:
1- the Y2K initiative now closed and was helping developing countries to cope
with the Y2K problem by giving grants and methodology advice and technical
assistance.
2- the infoDev Conference Scholarship Fund which is closed for this fiscal
year (till July 2000) for financial reasons (we are out of resources for this
program). This facility assist conference organizers in bringing individuals
from developing countries to their conference by paying for airfares and per
diem. To qualify a conference has among other things to be information and
communication technology (ICT) related (applied to health, education,
environment, governance...etc).
3- the core infoDev program receives, evaluates and grants, if qualified,
innovative ICT oriented proposals. You can apply anytime. I invite you to read
the guidelines for application and get an application form on our web site at
http://www.infoDev.org.

Please do not hesitate to ask me or infoDev@worldbank.org if you need any
more details.

best regards,

Laure Charvin
infoDev Conference Scholarship Fund
tel: +1 202 473 2417
fax: +1 202 522 3186
email: lcharvin@worldbank.org
infoDev program: http://www.infodev.org
****************************************
ATTACHMENT II

GLOBAL UNIVERSITY/UKRAINE

Katernyak I.B., Director, Lviv Institute of Management, Technology Promotion
Center, Ukraine (e-mail: ik@uar.net, fax:+380 322 524463)

Utsumi T., Chairman, GLObal Systems Analysis and Simulation Association in the
U.S.A. (e-mail: utsumi@columbia.edu, fax: 1 718-939-0656)

Goals:
1. Establish Ukrainian Distance Learning system
(http://www.lim.lviv.ua/english/de/) in education, science and business
management, as well as in cultural understanding and exchanges of knowledge
and professional experience.
2. Consolidate all professionals at the highest standards of education and
market-oriented development in such a way that the Global University/Ukraine
(GU/UA) will not only be an educational service provider, but also a public
union to address how excellence in higher education can be defined and
achieved in the third millennium.
3. Broaden the scope of educational services by implementing the latest
technologies and, so, giving an opportunity to use all possible sources and
resources of worldwide information network effectively, to make education and
research more efficient, accessible, and more interaction.

Objectives are:
* to create and expand the Partnership for Distance Learning Development
(PDLD) at regional and international levels;
* to conduct the feasibility study, join market research, marketing, to share
infrastructure, to create common course portfolio, and other cooperative
activities;
* to develop academic programs on the basis of the courses offered by all
members of the Partnership for Distance Learning Development (PDLD), and
distribute them;
* to install communication platforms for providing training, consulting and
videoconferences;
* to install information networks with two-way broadband digital satellite
channels for distance learning and Tele-medicine;
* to assist universities, schools and businesses in using multimedia,
telecommunications networking technologies to enhance their programs and
services in virtual learning environment;
* to increase effectiveness of telecommunications role in the virtual
interactive the academic and research networks as those integrating the
scientific and business communities for technology transfer and high-tech
business development;
* to promote the low-cost video-conference systems (ShareVision, NetMeeting,
V-Fone, CuSeeMe, ProShare VideoSystem) and tools of distance learning (On-Line
Course Delivery Platforms: WebCT, TopClass, Blackboard, Embanet, ECollege,
IntraLearn, Lotus Learning Space, E-Education, Virtual-U);
* to organize international workshop and conference on Emerging Global
Electronic Distance Learning (Ukraine, 2001).

Audience / Market
* entrepreneurs, managers- professional development.
The slow change in the Ukrainian economic system is partially explained by a
lack of professionals with market-oriented thinking. The proposed approach to
business education will help to train business people, who will in their turn
help to promote market reforms in Ukraine.
An independent survey has found that over the past 5 years SME interest was
directed to structuring its activities and to understanding the market
economy. But now these same firms are focusing on increasing their
competitiveness and on improving their human resources. Middle-level managers
preferred short-term programs (up to 3 weeks) and top managers had more
interest in longer-term training (more than 3 months). But, none of the groups
is able to leave their businesses for such a long period of time, and they are
seeking for distance learning programs. Their interest in the course topic
areas was as follows: Technology and Innovation Management (55%), Project
Management (60%), Business Ethics and cross-cultural barriers (60%), Business
English (67%), and Marketing (78%).

* scientists and engineers- in technology commercialization and start-up of a firm;
Severe underfunding of scientific research programs and institutions in
Ukraine and other NIS resulting in non-payment of salaries, under-employment,
and unemployment of former defense scientists, engineers, and technologists
caused the emigration. For the last ten years thousands of scientists and
researchers have emigrated from Ukraine. The market for modern technology
products is growing in Ukraine, but there are only a few Ukrainian
professional consulting groups experienced in managing technology
commercialization. Ukrainian specialists lack the skills necessary to transfer
technologies in market place. Often they are neither properly prepared nor
understand how to work with the U.S. industry on the research and product
development arena and are not able to compete effectively in a global-oriented economy.

Technology-based small companies, which capitalize on the large pool of
scientific and technical talents in Ukraine, many of whom were once employed
in the former Soviet Union's military and space industry, have strong
potential for growth and value creation. According to EBRD, Ukraine today has
one of the largest per capita of graduates with advanced degrees, 190 out of
10,000 population, as compared to other European countries: U.K. 118, Germany
142 or France 164. In spite of this, few can find jobs that require their
expertise. Most of them need training in technology commercialization and
business management during their academic period with elements of counseling
on learning needs, interactive lectures, case study, group work with on-line
tutoring, and simulation business games. In 1999 we launched the training
program "Commercialization of the technologies" for managers of R&D projects
in Science and Technology Center in Ukraine based on multimedia technologies.

* companies that would like to provide training for existing or potential
employees through GU/UA; Today we are considering a possibility of
collaboration with multinational companies, financial institutions (banks,
credit unions) and other firms, which have a lot of regional divisions and subsidiaries.
* students of secondary schools and universities - interested in obtaining
additional knowledge; who are motivated by critical conditions in the labor
market of Ukraine (about 350 persons per one workplace in some regions of Ukraine);
* disabled people and people from rural arias;
* people of Ukrainian origin living abroad - wish to study various subjects in
their native language.

Design / Structure /
Global University/ Ukraine will operate as a functional part of the Global
University System (tm), whose goal is to improve the global learning and
wellness environment for people in the global knowledge society where the
global responsibility is shared by everyone:
(http://www.kagawa-jc.ac.jp/~steve_mc/asia-pacific/maui.html -
Outline of the Global University
System Structure; http://www.uta.fi/EGEDL/outline/missionstatementukraine.html
- mission statement of the Ukrainian Project; http://www.uta.fi/EGEDL/outline/
- Emerging Global Electonic Disrance Learning EGEDL'99 conference
outline/contents). The Global University System will coordinate and facilitate
national and international regional systems, which will support and complement
the traditional institutions of learning and healthcare, by using conventional
methods in tandem with advanced electronic media to further this goal.

Global University/ Ukraine is based on the Partnership for Distance Learning
Development (PDLD) in Ukraine.
In 1998, for dissemination of the information and coursework, Lviv Institute
of Management initiated this Partnership with three members, which now
includes 27 organizations. PDLD consists of 6 universities, 9 business
schools, 8 business support centers, 1 bank, 1 ISP, and two leading research
institutes of the National Academy of Sciences in Ukraine (Y.Paton Electric
Welding Institute and Institute of Monocrystals). They come from all over
Ukraine and have agreed to work together to develop and strengthen the
Ukrainian Distance Learning System:
* Development of new technologies in learning.
* Distribution for the CDs, and promotion of the supporting Web-site program.
* Comparative analysis of academic accreditation.
* Comparison of curriculum requirements for determining the degree of equivalence.
* Examination of criteria and standards of accreditation and quality assessment.
* Relationships between educational institutions and industry: by using the
Internet for communication and collaboration, knowledge exchange, business
operations (E-commence), as well as distance learning and data-base access. It
will also provide participants with the opportunity to establish important and
lasting scientific and business relationships with valuable international partners.
* Collaboration with government organizations in developing a nation-wide
distance learning in Ukraine.
* Promotion of the distance learning system in Ukraine. Provide the skills,
resources, and information to support the continued growth of distance
learning in business throughout Ukraine and other NIS.

A team of professionals selected from all over the Partnership will generate
course and curricula design. The Design Criteria are as follows:
* Market-oriented (through work of the focus group)
* Accredited
* Competency-based
* High quality
* Cost-effective
* Quickly initiated

General partners:
GLOSAS/ USA
Global University System (Tampere University / Finland)
Open University / UK
Loyola College in Maryland / USA
Central and Eastern European Network (CEENet)
Partnership for Distance Learning Development (PDLD) in Ukraine

During the project it has been planned to:
* conduct a Mini-Workshop at Open University/UK for bringing together experts,
decision makers and key speakers who will construct more detailed plan for
European Group of the Global University System ( ) (e.g., feasibility study,
design of infra- and administrative structure, selection of courseware, etc.),
and prepare workshop/conference on Emerging Global Electronic Distance
Learning'01 in Lviv, Ukraine, 2001.
* develop Web-based interactive communication platform (on-line forum and
chat) for project management, course delivery and student-student and student-tutor communication;
* conduct training for teachers and faculties in USA (July, 2000) and in
Ukraine (Autumn, 2000) the following subject areas: (a) principles of distance
learning; (b) technologies of distance learning; (c) new approaches to
curricula development; (d) how to create a course for distance learning; (e)
effective communication with students through up-to-date telecommunications
and information technologies;
* adapt and test joint pilot on-line courses for distance learning in business
management with the partnership of Lviv Institute of Management, Partnership
for Distance Learning Development (PDLD),Ukraine and Loyola College in
Maryland, USA.
* International workshop/conference on Emerging Global Electronic Distance
Learning'01 in Lviv, Ukraine, 2001.

Question for discussion:
* legalization and copyright;
* accreditation and cooperation;
* virtual study environment (tutor and students, psychology and ethics);
* fund raising.
****************************************
List of Distribution

Laure Charvin
infoDev Conference Scholarship Fund
The World Bank
1818 H Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20433
U.S.A.
tel: +1 202 473 2417
fax: +1 202 522 3186
lcharvin@worldbank.org
http://www.infodev.org

Dr. Ihor Bogdan Katerniak
Director
Lviv Institute of Management-LIM
Technology Promotion Center
57 V.Chornovil Ave.
Lviv 79601
UKRAINE
Tel: +380-322-52 2681
Fax: +380 322-52 2682
Fax: +380-322-52 4463
ik@litech.net
tpc@lim.lviv.ua
http://www.lim.lviv.ua/
http://www.uar.net/conference/
http://www.lim.lviv.ua/english/de/

Dr. Paul Lefrere
Senior Lecturer
Institute of Educational Technology
Open University
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes MK7 6AA
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44-1-908 65 33 88
Fax: +44-1-908 67 28 02
p.lefrere@open.ac.uk
http://www-iet.open.ac.uk/
**********************************************************************
* Takeshi Utsumi, Ph.D., P.E., Chairman, GLOSAS/USA                  *
* (GLObal Systems Analysis and Simulation Association in the U.S.A.) *
* Laureate of Lord Perry Award for Excellence in Distance Education *
* Founder of CAADE                                                   *
* (Consortium for Affordable and Accessible Distance Education)      *
* 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 email) *
* Email: utsumi@columbia.edu; Tax Exempt ID: 11-2999676             *
* http://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/                            *
**********************************************************************
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