[gu-l] Annexes of the Proposal for Creating the Global Service Trust Fund
(GSTF)
Tak Utsumi
utsumi@columbia.edu
Sat, 3 Mar 2001 14:40:45 +0000 (GMT)
<<March 2, 2001>>
Archived distributions can be retrieved as clicking "Correspondence" line in
our home page at <http://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/>. For those after
2/27/01, visit <http://www.friends-partners.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi>, and
click any of gu group to find the place of archives in the following page.
Dear E-Colleagues:
==================
(1) Attached below are the Annexes of our GSTF proposal.
The main text "Proposal for Creating the Global Service Trust
Fund (GSTF)" which was distributed on March 2, 2001 can be
retrieved at the archives mentioned above.
(2) The same is now retrievable at
http://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/Tampere_Conference/GSTF/GSTF_2-28-01/Proposal_2-28-01.html
(3) We welcome your comments.
Best, Tak
****************************************
Annex 1
Pilot Projects of the Global University System (GUS)
Prepared by Takeshi Utsumi, Ph.D., Chairman of GLObal Systems Analysis and
Simulation Association in the USA (GLOSAS/USA) and Vice President of the
Global University System (GUS)
1 Goals
The goal of the GUS is to improve the global learning and wellness
environment for people in the global knowledge society, where global
responsibility is shared by all. A central theme is the sharing and exchange
of knowledge among educational, research, industry and trade sectors. The GUS
will
* Seek open, egalitarian and culturally transparent methods to
achieve improved learning and healthcare worldwide, cooperating
closely with people around the world.
* Harness the emerging technologies of broadband Internet
connectivity among institutions of higher learning in developing
countries to provide learners of all ages with global distance
learning across national and cultural boundaries.
* Help learners around the world enhance their education through
affordable and accessible broadband Internet.
* Coordinate and facilitate national and international regional
systems to support and complement the traditional institutions
of learning and healthcare, by using conventional methods in
tandem with advanced electronic media.
2 Regional GUS
The GUS has group activities in the major regions of the globe. They are
developing their pilot projects in; (1) the Asia-Pacific region (with Manila
in the Philippines as its first target, and then with Cebu, the Philippines,
Japan, China, Pakistan, Western and South Pacific); (2) North America (for
indigenous peoples in the states of Arizona and Montana and in Calgary in
Canada); (3) Central America (e.g., Costa Rica and the Caribbean); (4) South
America (mainly in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, working with the UNAMAZ
consortium universities in the Amazon basin in the initial stage, Argentina,
etc.); (5) Europe (firstly with Estonia, Barcelona, and later with Ukraine);
and (6) Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, etc.).
Each of those regional groups with partnerships of higher learning and
healthcare institutions will foster the establishment of the GUS, using a
community development approach in their respective regions to connect higher,
secondary and elementary schools; libraries; hospitals; and local
governmental agencies using an advanced global broadband Internet private
virtual network to be financed by the Global Service Trust Fund (GSTF).
3 Workshops
Each of these regional groups is now preparing to hold a workshop to:
* Learn, with the assistance of North American and European
counterparts, the current status of distance learning and
telemedicine (including the delivery infrastructure) of the
regional groups in the developing countries.
* Determine the needs of the regional groups in the future.
* Present what can be (or will be) available from North America
and Europe
a. via narrow-band Internet and ISDN, etc., i.e., through
currently available telecom infrastructure
b. via broadband Internet when it is available.
* Configure administrative and business schemes.
* Prepare an action plan.
* Plan, program and construct a joint fund raising proposal for a
workshop / conference (as to follow-up to the International
Workshop and Conference on Emerging Global Electronic Distance
Learning (EGEDL '99) held August 9th - 13th, 1999 at the
University of Tampere, Finland) with the people of the region.
In summary, each of these events is intended to produce a concrete
feasibility study, design of infrastructure and administrative structure,
selection of courseware, etc.
4 Regional Activities
Some of major regional activities are as follows.
4.1 GUS/Philippines
4.1.1 Manila Group
The GUS/Philippines/Manila has been formed as a consortium of the St. Luke
College of Medicine, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, University of
Santo Thomas (UST), the University of the Philippines/Open University, and
STI Network of Colleges and Education Centers. They will establish distance
learning demonstration projects in cooperation with the US counterparts. The
consortium will explore technical capabilities and options, as well as match
educational needs and resources, for the delivery of affordable, needs based
distance learning in the Philippines and between the Philippines and the US,
thus realizing global collaboration and partnership to ensure students'
potential for learning.
The consortium is now preparing a workshop at the St. Luke College of
Medicine and at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in the fall of
2001 with funds from the US National Science Foundation, Citicorp, and other
donors. The purpose of the workshop is to collectively brainstorm on the
formalization and solidification of the pilot project on international
distance learning between the Philippines and the U.S.
The global broadband Internet infrastructure also provides exciting
opportunities for distance/distributed learning. Workshop presentations will
explore applications, as well as technical strengths and weaknesses for
sharing education, information, and resources throughout the world.
Discussions are well underway among conference participants regarding the
development and dissemination of education for engineers, healthcare
providers, emergency medical professionals, and primary and secondary
teachers.
The expected outcomes of the workshop are:
* Formation of project/partnership teams.
* Direction for collaboratively furthering global electronic
distance education.
* Assessment of the technical capacity and infrastructure setup in
the Philippines.
* Needs assessment and content for pilot projects.
* Enhancement of human and infrastructure capacity (whenever
required).
* Organization and implementation of distance learning (DL)
courses.
* Assessment of the effectiveness and sustainability of the
approach established.
* Development of a wider program to broaden the utilization of DL
to other sector and specialties.
* Strategy of joint fund raising for the projects of implementing
selected DL courses.
* Outline of the larger workshop.
* Fund raising strategies for the larger workshop.
* Conference report for public dissemination.
4.1.2 Cebu Group
Cebu Distance Learning Center is now organizing a seminar in April of 2001 to
form a coalition of several universities, secondary and elementary schools,
hospitals, libraries, local governmental agencies to support development of
their community.
4.2 GUS/Manaus, Amazon, Brazil
GUS/Manaus is now preparing a grant application "Community Development with
E-Learning and Telehealthcare" which is to be submitted to the Information
and Development Program (infoDev) of the World Bank and other funding sources
to:
* Configure the availability of distance learning courses locally
through the currently available Internet.
* Hold a workshop in Manaus for feasibility study/market survey of
implementing a broadband Internet in Manaus.
Problem or Opportunity
* To contribute to the establishment of the Global
University/South America in order to establish technological
alternatives to promote access and use of the available
technology for distance learning in the environmental, medical
and educational fields.
* To promote the development of the Manaus' community
(universities, elementary, primary and secondary schools,
libraries, hospitals and governments) using high speed Internet
wireless and satellite connections associated with content
development.
* Manaus, capital of the State of Amazonas which is the largest
and least-deforested Amazonian state is located in the very
heart of the Amazon Region and has the potential to induce and
disseminate principles and actions leading towards sustainable
development.
* Based on activities developed in the Manaus community and
through high speed satellite and wireless connections, knowledge
and experience can be expanded/transferred to other cities
(e.g.: Boa Vista in the State of Roraima, Rio Branco in the
State of Acre) and 77 universities member of UNAMAZ in 8
Amazonian countries and their respective communities.
Proposed Activities
* To have a demonstrative conference on available new
technologies.
A conference with this objective was held in August 21,
1998 in Manaus. See the following website for more
detailed information: http://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/GLH/10-21-98_Manaus_Brazil/Flyer_&_Program_10-3-98.html.
* To have a workshop where new technologies and contents are put
together to show the usefulness of the Internet.
This workshop was held on May 31, and June 1 and 2, 2000
in Manaus. See:
http://lab-tiama.pop-am.rnp.br/cca/workshop/English/wksp_E.htm.
* To have a workshop for the feasibility study and market survey
of implementing a broadband wireless and satellite Internet in
Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil for community development including e-learning and telehealthcare.
* To promote and accelerate personnel training, in partnership
with other institutions around world like the Las Palmas
University, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Ibero-American
Foundation and Houston Community College, in order to soundly
sustain the replication and consolidation of the initiative.
Anticipated Outcome
It is expected that wireless and satellite broadband for Internet, available
to universities, elementary, primary and secondary schools and hospitals,
will promote the interaction among young people from different areas of the
Amazon Region with young people from the rest of world.
As the infrastructure becomes a reality, there will be a need to develop
content (distance education on environmental education, rational use of the
forest, techniques and methods for implementation of suitable agroforestry
activities, tele-healthcare, etc.) and new uses of the technology (Internet
telephony, distance medical diagnosis, access to information, etc.).
In this process, the Manaus' community will become the closest, most capable
and culturally identified with the Amazon region's needs and problems. This
will be a pilot project replicable of the activities throughout the region
(within the Brazilian states of Amazonas, Rondìnia, Roraima, and Acre; and
with other countries in the Amazon Basin Colombia, Bolivia, Peru,
Venezuela, Suriname, and Ecuador). In a second phase, this effort will
contribute to provide the necessary conditions for private initiatives such
that more resources will become available to more needed communities
elsewhere in the region.
This initiative will complement others like the UNESCO's Man And Biosphere
(MAB) program in which 110 nations participate in an international network of
285 biosphere reserves. With the advancement of information and communication
technology, the time is right to encourage communication among those managing
this global system of biosphere reserves, and Amazonia is certainly one of
the most important biomes of the world.
This project takes a community development approach, first connecting non-profit organizations, and second for-profit organizations. 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 hub, 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.
4.3 GUS/Europe
Our colleagues at the University of Tampere and the U.K. Open University are
now formulating community development projects in Estonia and Barcelona
(which will later be linked with GUS/Ukraine) with funds from European
sources (e.g., European Commission, etc.). The project is titled "EXploiting
Collaborative Information Technologies for Economic Development (EXCITED)."
The EXCITED proposal is for a large-scale cross-program demonstration of
regional collaboration and economic development, using information society
technologies, IST. The assumed underlying IST environment embraces broadband
and mobile technologies (in favored regions) and earlier technologies (in
less-favored regions), and makes routine use of open standards and de facto
standards (e.g., IMS). This, combined with the results of other action lines
(e.g., on knowledge management), and other European Commission programs
(e.g., CSG, Competitive and Sustainable Growth) offers the prospect of being
able to innovate and develop faster, more effectively and in ways that are
valued by communities.
The partners, that include national leaders, have been chosen to ensure that
the project has a particularly high impact at European level, and acts as a
catalyst for much broader dissemination and adoption of novel solutions and
practices, in many regions.
The EXCITED partners include enterprises, agencies and cities at the
forefront of the information society. In this project, they will act as
motors for economic and social development by partners in less-developed
regions, including regions supported by the Social Funds.
The lead regions are investing hundreds of millions of euros in work related
to this proposal. For example, they are funding complementary projects on the
use of IST to support access, connectivity, content, and the reengineering of
processes and practices as (particularly those that use open standards).
Through that work, which will be built upon in the EXCITED project, they are
developing know-how in how to introduce and disseminate information society
issues throughout their communities, in the everyday lives of citizens and in
the activities of the enterprises, particularly the Small to Medium
Enterprises (SMEs), in their regions. That work combines social and
psychological insights into effective ways to manage change, with
technological know-how and expertise from regional universities and
businesses.
Through this cross-program project, the following additional outcomes will be
achieved. Private and public organizations in EXCITED regions will offer an
impressive showcase for effective ways of networking and exploiting regional
assets and developing new value-networks for economic development. They will
also extend and diffuse European best practice in relation to the digital
economy, by drawing upon best practice in current projects funded by the
European Commission and by individual member states. Those insights will be
codified for EXCITED beneficiaries, and refined and validated through impact
studies with beneficiaries. Those validation studies may be extended, in
separate projects, to prospective members of the European Union, and non-European regions that depend economically on Europe. The latter outcome will
be achieved in part through collaboration with not-for-profit global
networks, such as the Global University System.
Potential Partners
Finland
University of Tampere, City of Tampere, City of Hameenlinna, Alma-media Oyj, Sonera, Nokia, Finnish Broadcasting Company
France
Paris Chamber of Commerce
Estonia
Concordia International University Estonia, Tartu University,
Pedagogical University
Spain
Barcelona Generalitat, University Oberta Catalunya (UOC), Barcelona,
Autonomous University of Barcelona
U.K.
Open University, West Midlands Economic Development Unit (City of
Birmingham; Sandwell & Dudley Councils)
Advisory Board
Global University System, ATiT, ILO, ITU, UNESCO, ProACTE or G2, PWC
SCHEMAS
4.4 GUS/Ukraine
Ukraine was chosen as the first targeted country for the operation of the
European Regional Group of the GUS to establish a global distance learning
system with global broadband Internet. The Open University/UK, the GUS and
Ukrainian Distance Learning System (UDL) (a consortium of 27 Ukrainian
organizations) <http://www.udl.org.ua/en/> is now planning to hold a workshop
at the Open University. The UDL has been offering a dozen distance learning
courses, mainly in business administration field. In close co-operation with
the Open University, a Memorandum of Understanding was developed
<http://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/Global_University/Global%20University%20System/Memo_of_Understanding/Cover_Sheet.html>.
The main purposes of this workshop are to
* Configure the extension of distance learning courses available
from the Open University/U.K. to Ukraine through the currently
available Internet.
* Plan a grant application for a workshop in Ukraine and for
feasibility study/market survey of implementing a broadband
Internet to Ukraine which application will be submitted to
infoDev and other funding sources in Europe.
At this workshop, the Ukrainian delegation will establish new institutional
partnerships in order to expand the market of educational services, to create
market for distance education in Ukraine, professional development of local
tutors for teaching in Ukraine and course content adaptation, quality and
international quality standards, managing for quality in distance learning to
receive professional recognition or accreditation (assessment of college's
administrative and tutorial methods, educational materials, and publicity),
and cross-cultural approach and joint research work.
4.5 GUSs in Other Regions
Colleagues in other regions mentioned above are at various stages of
preparing similar workshop in their localities.
5 Conclusions
The Tampere meeting was a study in contrasts, and clearly showed the enormous
gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots". On the one hand, some of the
players have tremendous resources with which to deploy broadband wireless
technology; on the other hand, some must operate on a shoestring budget, and
even lack adequate basic landline services as a starting point. A major
challenge will be to identify technology that will be appropriate (in terms
of start-up and operating costs, maintainability by local people, etc.) in
the "have not" situations.
Thanks to our highly successful event with extraordinary supports and the
cooperation of many funding sources such as the World Bank's infoDev
program, the US National Science Foundation, and colleagues around the world
substantial momentum for our Global Initiative is now building up to have
follow-up workshops and conferences to forge ahead the establishment of the
GUS with global broadband Internet (GBI) and Global Service Trust Fund (GSTF)
by multilateral collaborations.
6 Current Reference Websites
http://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/Global_University/Global%20University%20System/Reference_web_sites.html
Tutsumi/Pknight 06/02/01
========================================
Annex 2
New Millennium Satellite System for the Digital Divide
Prepared by Joseph N. Pelton, Ph.D.
Exec. Director, Clarke Institute for Telecommunications and Information
(CITI)
The New Millennium Satellite System for the Digital Divide would make
available new satellite capacity and low cost user terminals to currently
underserved rural populations within the equatorial zone of the planet. This
is where the need is the greatest.
The Japan U.S. Science Technology and Space Applications Program (JUSTSAP),
the Clarke Institute for Telecommunications and Information (CITI), the
Global University System are now examining the feasibility of this innovative
new proposal. Many more institutions will be consulted in the coming months.
The basic concept is to deploy an innovative low-cost Millennium Satellite
System designed to address the educational, informational and health needs of
the digital divide.
This proposal is to create and deploy as quickly as possible a new, low-cost
satellite system of eight (or possibly more) small satellites. These small
satellites in equatorial circular orbit (ECO) or some other suitable orbit
such as the Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) would be built using off-the-shelf components.
These satellites would be designed and built using whenever possible
qualified graduate students and faculty from universities that have small
satellite design and manufacture capabilities. This satellite system would be
deployed to provide coverage to the equatorial region where most of the
under-served people live. This system would be specifically dedicated to
tele-education, tele-health and emergency warning and recovery services.
Participants would be asked to sign a written pledge to not use the satellite
for other purposes and not to seek to use this system in lieu of commercial
telecommunications services.
These satellites would be designed for a five-year lifetime (although they
might be able to sustain service for a longer period) and would be able to
provide television, multimedia, audio-conference, e-mail and Internet
services.
The greatest challenge, however, may well prove to be in making low cost,
solar or battery power user terminals available in these regions and finding
qualified people in the villages to support the educational and health
related programs. For this reason, this project to build and launch these
satellites must be viewed as only a test and demonstration activity to show
not only what might be done, but to identify the key barriers to full scale
implementation.
As soon as funding for this low-cost satellite system and supporting ground-based user terminals is established, a university team of professors and
graduate students will be assembled (although in some cases this would be a
"virtual collaboration" with work being conducted at several sites). The
participants would most likely be drawn from graduate students participating
in the JUSTSAP graduate student program, the University of Surrey, and
possibly the International Space University. Then the manufacturing and
design team would be established at the chosen host university site to begin
the design, test and integration of these low-cost satellites. These
satellites would be built using off-the-shelf components that would be tested
against radiation or other space or launch hazards. Further, because of the
radiation hazards and other failure mode possibilities these satellites would
be designed with some redundancy and at least two spare satellites would also
be provided. It is expected that it will be possible to acquire the user
terminals commercially as off-the-shelf equipment, although the choice of the
frequency band (such as the 2.5 GHz band for CATV education services to
villages) may require a special order.
The satellite design would be based on the SERVIS satellite concept as
developed by the Mitsubishi Electric Corporation with suitable modifications
being made as needed. The most important of these modifications would be to
make these earth-pointing satellites rather than sun-pointing satellites.
As noted above, there would be a parallel effort to work with manufacturers
of VSATs in order to develop user terminals that would be less than US$1000
in cost for a village-based terminal. This now looks feasible using
transceiver cards which can be put into standard desktop computers and should
be commercially available in 2001. In addition, solar cell and battery units
would also be sought for villages without electricity so that these could
also be made available at low cost as well. Laptop computers or desktops
using liquid crystal displays will keep electric power needs low.
The funding support for this project would be sought from the governments of
Japan, Canada, the U.S. and Europe as well as other governments,
international organizations and private foundations. The most expensive part
of this program would be the launch costs for the satellites, but these might
be accomplished as "piggy-back" launches in conjunction with heavier
payloads. A detailed systems study will be needed to establish the cost of
the satellites, the up-linking facilities, the VSAT user terminals and power
supplies, and the cost of the launches. Overall this project would be seen as
a vanguard effort in the overall campaign to create a large Global Services
Trust Fund to support remote and rural tele-education, tele-health and
emergency communications services.
The essential points of this proposal are as follows:
* This "Digital Divide" satellite for the new millennium would provide
essentially free television, audio-conferencing, multi-media, high
definition still images, fax, e-mail and other educational and health
and emergency warning services for an equatorial service band that
ranges from 25 degrees north to 25 degrees south latitude.
* The satellite transmissions and the user terminals (except for a
modest deposit fee for the ground equipment) would be provided free
once an pledge agreement was signed by the participating government or
local organizations to affirm that they would use the satellite
exclusively for education, health or emergency communications
purposes. (There might also be a time limit of one to two years for
the free access that might be followed by a period for which some fee
would be paid.)
* There would be parallel efforts undertaken to create a fund to help
support the development of local programming and production of content
in local languages so that the satellite could be used to best
advantage in the countries where satellite coverage was available.
* The program would be designed to accomplish a number of goals. These
would include the desire to reduce the cost of the program and the
total information delivery program to the lowest possible level. This
would be accomplished through the use of volunteers, educational
programs, off-the-shelf components and already proven designs. It
would also be sought to make the project an educational program by
allowing faculty and graduate students to participate actively in the
design and building of the satellite, and to make the international
participation in the program as large as practically feasible.
* Among the largest issues to be faced would be the management and
operation of the satellite system, the arrangement for up-linking to
these satellites via teleport facilities and the launch of the
satellites and the spare facilities.
* The frequencies that might be used could be those earmarked for
community antenna television and education services in the 2.5 GHz
range or some other frequency band that is found to be broadly
agreeable. The initial concept for the satellite design derives from
the SERVIS satellite design that was developed by Mitsubishi Electric
Corporation. The details of the VSAT terminals will need to be
addressed further after consultation with various VSAT manufacturers
around the world. The objective would be to make these terminals very
user friendly in terms of their installation and line-up and on-going
use and to keep their net cost under $1000 and under $1800 with
solar power and battery units.
* This project would be a demonstration project to illustrate the
feasibility and viability of the Global Services Trust Fund as
sponsored by the Clarke Institute, the Global University System,
GLOSAS, and others.
Next Steps
Preliminary coordination has been initiated with several organizations
concerning this proposed innovative digital divide satellite for the new
millennium. These organizations have indicated serious interest in exploring
the feasibility of developing this tele-education and tele-health oriented
satellite system and deploying it so as to serve the equatorial region of
planet where the unmet needs in education and health are greatest.
This project is thus seen as a tangible and practical first step in the
development of the GSTF and needs to be developed in more specific terms in
terms of its cost, its technical design, the design of user terminals and
other operational and regulatory issues. It is proposed that the University
of Surrey (that has designed and built some 50 small satellite systems), the
Global University System, the Institute for Applied Space Research at George
Washington University, the Communications Research Laboratory of Japan, and
the Clarke Institute for Telecommunications and Information as the Principal
Investigator jointly undertake this feasibility study. In particular a four-person team with a significant amount of donated effort would complete this
investigation in six months time.
Further Background Information
For more information about this project and about the activities of the
Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Telecommunications and Information (CITI)
please go to the following web site address: http://clarkeinstitute.com.
For more information about the Japan U.S. Science Technology and Space
Applications Program (JUSTSAP) please contact the JUSTSAP program coordinator
James Crisafulli: jcrisafu@dbedt.hawaii.gov.
For more information about the Global University System (GUS) please contact:
Dr. Takeshi Utsumi, Vice President of the GUS at: utsumi@columbia.edu.
Jpelton/Pknight 06/02/0
========================================
Annex 3
Linking Biosphere Reserves and Universities Via a Distance Learning Network
Prepared by John D. Peine, Ph.D. and David Johnson, Ph.D.
Issue of concern
The centerpiece of the UNESCO Man and Biosphere program, in which 110 nations
participate, is the international network of 285 biosphere reserves. Dual
objectives of the reserves are to protect and sustain viable examples of the
planet's primary biomes while at the same time demonstrating how people and
natural environments can sustainably coexist on the landscape. The heart of
the concept is to establish a core area to protect a sustainable ecosystem
surrounded by a buffer zone where projects are located demonstrating the
principles of sustainable development. This visionary concept first crafted
in the early 1970's, is more relevant today than ever as human activity
overwhelms natural environmental system on a global scale. With the
advancement of information and communication technology, the time is right to
encourage communication among those managing this global system of biosphere
reserves. Distance learning linking biosphere reserve managers with
educational institutions can become a key tool for communication encouraging
a sense of belonging to a truly interactive global system of reserves. The
Global University System is ideally suited to provide a technical framework
for providing a multidimensional communication and learning network for the
biosphere reserves.
Goal and objectives
The initial goal of the project is to build a prototype network of
partnerships between selected universities and biosphere reserves to foster
communication and problem-solving capability. The ultimate goal is to extend
the network to the entire system of biosphere reserves. The intent is to
enhance management capability to protect the natural and cultural resources
of the biosphere reserve system and to demonstrate by example the principles
of sustainable living. The universities will play the key role of
facilitating the technology associated with distance learning. Specific
objectives include the following:
1. Establish the communications equipment necessary at
participating universities to establish long distance learning
capability.
2. Recruit personnel associated with biosphere reserves interested
in working with the host universities.
3. Select prototype topics of common interest and develop an
appropriate educational/communication program.
4. Evaluate the effectiveness of the initial program and based on
lessons learned, design and execute and evaluate a series of
additional programs.
Geographic focus
Select paired universities and biosphere reserves that have a tradition of
cooperation to demonstrate the potential to utilize distance learning to
expand the scope of such cooperative activities. Potential candidates under
consideration include the following:
* USA: Southern Appalachian Biosphere Reserve Cooperative and The
University of Tennessee
* Costa Rica: La Amistad and the University of Costa Rica and
Universidad National de Costa Rica
* Russia: Priosko-Terrasny Reserve and the Moscow Pedagogical
Institute
* Africa: (sites to be selected)
* New Zealand: Fiordland National Park and the University of
Auckland
* Brazil: (sites to be selected)
Potential themes
Participants in the program will ultimately decide priority topics for
exploration as part of the distance learning initiative. Suggested relevant
themes include the following.
1. Use of globally available remote sensing data sources to assess
the status of the natural and cultural resource setting of the
biosphere reserves via USGS, NASA and NOAA.
2. Designing and implementing natural and cultural resource
inventory and monitoring systems.
3. Threatened/endangered species conservation practices.
4. Exotic species control technology.
5. Status of neo-tropical migratory bird populations and their
habitats via Partners-in-Flight.
6. Building sustainable ecotourism industries targeted to enhance
local economy while enhancing conservation of native ecosystem
and indigenous cultures via Ecotourism Society and Conservation
International that has developed prototype ecolodges operated by
indigenous peoples.
7. Development of educational material related to natural and
cultural resources and their conservation.
8. Technical assistance and fund raising for resource conservation
and ecosystem restoration projects utilizing relevant non-government organizations and corporations invested in the
region.
Resources required
1. Appropriate equipment at participating universities.
2. Project coordinator.
3. Stipends for participants to cover their expenses.
4. Funds for instructors to conduct research, prepare instructional
materials, lesson plans and to conduct the research.
Timeframe
First year
* Select participating universities and biosphere reserves.
* Outfit each university with appropriate equipment as necessary.
* Select university long distance learning coordinators,
instructors, reserve participants.
* Conduct and evaluate trial thematic program.
* Facilitate web connections to demonstration sites for other
Biosphere sites worldwide, where feasible.
Second year
* Conduct additional thematic programs.
* Extend concept to additional MAB sites.
* Develop K-12, post-secondary educational modules to aid
understanding of the role and importance of Biosphere reserves
and their surrounding regions.
Strategy for building the prototype network of distance learning centers
* The Global University System will provide initial access to
satellite networks and technical assistance to connect the
various demonstration and university sites.
* The project would initially be based at the SAMAB/University of
Tennessee, Knoxville (SAMAB, Southern Appalachian Man and
Biosphere, is a consortium of federal, state, and local agencies
focused on the preservation of the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park and environs. The Park is a designated UNESCO
Biosphere Reserve.)
Project directors
David A. Johnson Ph.D. The University of Tennessee at Knoxville
John D. Peine Ph.D. The University of Tennessee at Knoxville
David A. Johnson, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus
Department of Urban and Regional Planning
The University of Tennessee at Knoxville
108 Hoskins Library
The University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996-4015
Phone: 865-974-5227
Fax: 865-974-5229
daj@utk.edu
home phone 828-277-5792
John D. Peine
Southern Appalachian Field Laboratory
U. S. Geological Survey
108 Hoskins Library
The University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996-4015
Phone: 865-974-4056
Fax: 865-974-5229
jpeine@utk.edu
home phone 865 428 0538
========================================
Annex 4
Canal Futura Africano
A 24-Hour-a-Day Portuguese Language Educational Television Service for Africa
Prepared by Peter T. Knight, Ph.D., Partner, Knight-Moore Telematics for
Education and Development
Objective
This project will provide a 24-hour-a-day Portuguese language educational
television service covering Africa, but specially designed for Angola, Cabo
Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, and S o TomÇ e Principe. These five African
countries are known in the Portuguese-speaking world as the PALOP, a
Portuguese acronym for African countries having Portuguese as their official
language. This service would initially be delivered by satellite, cable, and
broadcast television, but in a second stage would add an interactive, web-based component delivered via satellite and/or landlines.
Background
On 22 September 1997, the Roberto Marinho Foundation, a philanthropic
affiliate of Rede Globo, Brazil's leading television broadcaster, launched a
24-hour-a day educational chanel, Canal Futura. Canal Futura is delivered via
digital satellite and cable throughout Brazil. In reality, eight hours per
day of programming are repeated three times in different configurations based
on market studies on the preferred viewing times of different audiences (pre-school children, school children, school dropouts in the labor force,
teachers, adults, etc.). A wide variety of high-quality programming is
provided, including the well-known Telecurso 2000 series allowing school
dropouts to complete their primary, secondary, and technical training;
programs to help people starting or running businesses; news programs
focusing on news of the education sector; news programs on educational
innovations; ecological programs; science programs, agricultural programs;
and much more. Canal Futura is able to draw on the immense video archives of
Rede Globo free of charge.
In July 2000 Peter Knight obtained the rights to transmit Canal Futura's
programming to Africa, where 25 to 30 percent of the Brazilian programming
would be replaced by programs produced in Africa. Canal Futura Africano, the
provisional name of the African version of Canal Futura, would be uplinked to
a satellite with a footprint covering all the PALOP for free reception by
individual users with antennas, rebroadcast by terrestrial non-profit
broadcasters, and inclusion as a free offering in cable systems.
Promarte, an independent producer in Maputo, Mozambique that enjoys excellent
ties to public broadcasters in that country, has expressed its interest in
both producing programs itself and identifying other producers who could
collaborate in production for. Efforts will be made to recruit additional
producers, with first priority to producers in Angola, the most populous of
the PALOP.
The Project
The project includes fivc principal components.
1. Training of Promarte and other PALOP producers in Brazil by
Canal Futura and its associated independent producers in Rio de
Janeiro and S o Paulo. The Brazilian Cooperation Agency (Agància
Brasileira de Cooperaá o - ABC), Brazil's international aid
organization, which devotes 30 percent of its resources to the
PALOP, is a potential source of funding for this component,
perhaps in association with the Community of Portuguese Speaking
Countries (Comunidade de Pa°ses L°ngua Portuguesa CPLP).
2. Production or acquistion of African educational television
programs to substitute for part of the Brazilian content of
Canal Futura. Prime candidates for African production would be
news programs for use in classrooms, educational news programs,
news of innovations in education with a focus on Africa, and
historical and other culturally sensitive programs. Potential
funders for this component would be companies doing business in
the PALOP (including Brazilian companies), foundations with an
interest in Africa, and international assistance agencies. This
is the model used by Canal Futura in Brazil Brazilian public
and semi-public agencies, Brazilian companies, and multinational
companies (e.g. Compaq and CNN) make annual contributions to the
production costs of Canal Futura and in return have their logos
displayed together with the programs they have helped fund.
3. Uplinking of Canal Futura's signal to a satellite for delivery
to Maputo from Rio de Janeiro (alternatively the signal could be
delivered by submarine cable), and uplinking of Canal Futura
Africana's signal to a high-powered satellite with a footprint
covering sub-Saharian Africa. This is the portion that would be
financed by the GSTF.
4. Rebroadcast by terrestrial broadcasters and/or cable
transmission. These services would be provided free of charge of
public broadcasters in the PALOP and by cable companies, public
or private. No charge could be made for transmitting Canal
Futura Africana and no commercial messages included with its
programming. This is a condition required by the Roberto Marinho
Foundation to make available Canal Futura programming.
5. Organization of a web-based interactive educational service
provider to complement Canal Futura Africano. This is really a
second stage of the project, and would be explored while
undertaking components 1-4.
Organization and Fundraising
Knight-Moore Telematics for Education and Development (www.knight-moore.com),
a virtual company operating within Communications Development Incorporated
(CDI) (www.cdinet.com) is carrying out the organizational work. CDI may
administer the financial resources obtained for the project and provide the
required monitoring and reporting for funders. Alternatively, if a non-profit
or Brazilian organization is required by funders, such an entity can be set
up by Knight-Moore, which has offices in Washington and Rio de Janeiro.
Pknight 06/02/00
========================================
Annex 5
Conversion of Zimbabwe Open University to Decentralized
Web-Based Learning
Prepared by Peter K. Dzvimbo, Ph.D. and Peter T. Knight, Ph.D.
Objective
Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU), Zimbabwe's leading distance and open learning
institution, seeks external technical and financial assistance to meet the
capital costs of its planned transition from print-based to web-based
delivery of learning materials.
Background
ZOU was conceived as the Centre for Distance Education at the University of
Zimbabwe (UZ) in 1993, and then in 1996 became the University College of
Distance Education before becoming an independent institution in 1999. In its
first 18 months as an independent institution it went from 12,000 to over
20,000 enrolments, over twice as many as its parent institution. ZOU's Vice
Chancellor (equivalent of President in a US institution), Professor Peter
Dzvimbo, received his Ph.D from the University of Wisconsin.
The Project
ZOU seeks to expand dramatically its operations first in Zimbabwe, second in
Anglophone SADDC countries, and third in other countries of Africa using
primarily web-based teaching and learning, delivered via the Internet,
reaching a total enrolment in all programs (including continuing education
for lifelong learners) of 150,000 by the year 2004, and by that year become
fully financially self-supporting for its current operations.
ZOU requires external financial assistance to support its 2001-2004 Strategic
Plan. Given the difficult macro-economic situation facing Zimbabwe, ZOU
cannot count on sufficient funding from the Ministry of Higher Education and
Technology or student fees (currently making up 45 percent of ZOU's budget)
and other forms of self-finance to meet its capital funding, including staff
training.
Phase I 2001-2002
* Establishing broadband links to the Internet through connecting
to UZ's fiber optic system that is expected to have a satellite
link to the backbone of the Internet in the United States by the
early in the year 2001.
* Purchasing and installing central servers; clusters of cheap
network computers on each floor of the existing rented campus,
in the central library in downtown Harare, and in each of ten
regional centers, all linked by fiber optic lines (using
existing fiber belonging to the electric power company, the
railroads, and/or the telco); equipment and software for a
multimedia computer-based production center capable of producing
broadcast quality and compressed digital video, audio, animated
graphics, CD-ROMs, and desktop publishing for print materials;
integrated software for online administration and learning
environments; and upgrading all staff desktop computers to year
2001, WinTel models from a major producer (Compaq, Dell, etc.)
running Windows 2000 and a full MS Office suite (including Word,
Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Publisher, and FrontPage), with
needed peripherals, but not networked to the main servers until
a permanent central campus is acquired). Subject to competitive
bids to local and international suppliers importers willing to
provide installation and maintenance contracts.
* External technical assistance: Training ZOU staff in Zimbabwe to
convert and update existing course modules (giving first
priority to the flagship Bachelor in Education program) and
write all new course materials into HTML-based formats (web
pages), complete with graphics, animated graphics, audio clips,
and video clips using modern instructional design and placing
these course materials both on the central servers and CD-ROMs;
training all teaching staff on the pedagogy of web-based
instruction; providing online or CD-based instruction English
writing, with priority to writing for the web, with customized
templates for the production of instructional materials
(http://ClearWriter.com); assisting ZOU management in preparing
detailed feasibility studies for Phase II; representation for
fundraising in the US and Europe for two years. Contractor
Knight-Moore Telematics for Education and Development through
Communications Development Incorporated (http://knight-moore.com
and http://cdinet.com)
* Becoming a member of African Virtual University (AVU), or at a
minimum, attaining access to AVU's digital library, either as an
independent member or through UZ.
Phase II 2003-2004 Includes GSTF Pilot Project
* Building or purchasing a permanent central campus primarily for
administration, research, library, staff training, design and
production of teaching materials, and maintenance of an
Internet-based communications hub.
* Purchasing or leasing a VSAT hub capable of communicating via a
high-powered digital satellite transponder with at least 1000
learning centers (owned principally by strategic partners
ministries, parastatals, private sector enterprises, churches,
NGOs, etc.) consisting of a cluster of cheap network computers,
a networked printer and other peripherals, and appropriate
furniture in a secure room with a digital decoder, small
(approximately 60 cm to 1 meter) satellite dish capable of both
receiving and transmitting, and a source of electric power
(regular power grid, generator, or solar panels). Contractor
Hughes or Gilat, via competitive bid.
* Space segment on a digital satellite with strong footprint
over Sub-Saharan Africa this component would be submitted to
the proposed Global Service Trust Fund (GSTF) for funding.
* Continued training, representation and fundraising contract for
two years. Contractor, Knight-Moore Telematics for Education and
Development through Communications Development Incorporated.
Pknight 06/02/00
========================================
Annex 6
Satellite Web-Based Delivery for the
South Institute of Information Technology
Prepared by Naveed A. Malik, D.Sc. and Peter T. Knight, Ph.D.
Objective
There is a severe shortage of quality IT faculty in Pakistan and a growing
demand for large numbers of qualified IT graduates both within and outside
Pakistan. The Virtual Information Technology University (VITU) will bring
together a critical mass of quality faculty to provide world-class education
in the IT sector to a large student body.
A parallel development will be the establishment of the South Institute of
Information Technology (SIIT), initially a separate project proposed to the
G77 Summit in Havana in April 2000 by Pakistan's Chief Executive.
Background and Rationale
The starting point and key for the expected success of the VITU and SIIT is
that there is a documented, strong demand for computer science graduates
meeting world standards of quality. Second, the project may be seen as the
first step, a proof of concept, for a "smart, learning nation" approach to
socio-economic development in Pakistan. The key to a smart, learning nation
development strategy is to organize institutions and the population at large
to take advantage of the technology now available to unleash and nurture the
talent in the full population, not just a mostly-urban elite. Last but
certainly not least, the VITU has been declared the highest priority project
in the Ministry of Science and Technology's IT Action Plan, with the highest
budget allocation of any project. In short, the project meets critical, felt
and articulated need for IT personnel for domestic and international markets.
The Project
VITU proposes to address this situation by bringing together public and
private sector institutions to participate in the VITU program. Faculty
expertise would be identified and utilized from its original location without
any relocation. VITU will deliver high quality VITU using technological means
supplemented by a tutor-network. VITU would participate in the establishment
of over 100 state-of-the-art virtual learning centers with a capacity for
teaching 50-100,000 students nationwide annually. One flagship "Virtual
Campus" would be set up by VITU itself.
The principal stakeholders, such as public and private sector educational
institutions and software houses, have shown a strong support for the
project. Pakistan Telecommunications Corporation (PTCL) and National
Telecommunications Corporation (NTC), the major telecommunications companies,
have expressed willingness to participate in the project and both would want
to supply communications services. NTC seems to be the logical choice.
One challenge for the VITU concept is to bring the various educational
institutions to common ground as far as course contents are concerned. Owing
to the project's well-defined focus on IT, this should not cause any serious
problems. The establishment of a national computer science association would
be essential to guide the thrust of education and to raise the prestige of
the profession. The proposed National Testing Service would play a crucial
quality-assurance role for the VITU.
The VITU will start by offering short updating courses to existing IT
professionals. These courses will act as pilot programs and would be used to
iron out any deficiencies in the delivery and interaction mechanisms. A fast-track degree program will then be started aimed at engineers and science
graduates and finally the full-fledged 4-year degree program could be
initiated.
Instructional design will be a critical area for the new electronic content
delivery mechanism being envisaged for VITU. Starting with a simple "camera-in-the-classroom" approach, VITU will evolve rapidly into delivering
education through rich, interactive web-based content. Instructional
designers will be required for this purpose and a master-trainer would be
required to train a group of designers. Content development will be
outsourced to other institutions as much as possible, thereby enlarging the
community involved in the VITU effort.
The Pakistan Academic Intranet will form the basic infrastructure over which
the major educational institutions would be connected. The same network would
become the primary channel for use by VITU. The minimum bandwidth recommended
for the network is 2Mbps with OC3 (155 Mbps) being the objective in the near
term. The excellent national optical fiber network will be supplemented with
two-way satellite connectivity, especially for the SIIT.
Eminent personalities from various walks of life will form the Board of
Governors of the VITU. An Academic Council will be the controlling authority
for course content and curriculum design. Prominent computer scientists,
academicians and entrepreneurs will be invited to the Academic Council.
There is strong support to the concept of VITU/SIIT among the various
stakeholders. However, to create an environment conducive to long-term
survival of the VITU, a focused effort would be required through strategic
communications, marketing and advertising of the concept to create a
favorable climate of opinion and build client support. It is important that
the support base among stakeholders should be as broad as possible. The
objective of this effort is to build political and financial support for the
concept of VITU, more broadly, for a smart, learning nation strategy where
the delivery system for IT education points the way to K-to-gray education
and training lifelong learning for anyone, anyplace, anytime, with just-in-time learning being an important part.
Financial projections for VITU for a period of 5 years starting from 30th
June 2001 and ending at 30th June 2006 have been developed. These have been
prepared on the basis of the underlying assumptions given in the feasibility
study show a healthy state of affairs whereby VITU is projected to attain
self- sustainability within three years of full operations. Thereafter
starting from the fourth year of operations i.e. June 2004 onwards the
projections show that the University shows considerable profit, surplus cash
and growth in assets and these keep increasing provided it attains the
projected outreach.
Moving from VITU to SIIT GSTF and UNDP Funding
Estimating the additional costs and revenues which would be generated by
including non-Pakistani participating institutions and students resident
outside Pakistan requires an international study which has not yet been
undertaken. There is also a need to translate VITU into other languages, and
to acquire transponder space on a digital satellite covering much of Asia,
the Middle East, and Africa. There are several such satellites available.
This acquisition of the space segment and additional uplink equipment
required by SIIT could be funded by the GSTF.
The conduct of an international market and feasibility study for SIIT and the
translation of VITU materials into other languages (e.g. Arabic, French,
Farsi, and Turkic languages of Central Asia), constitutes a separate project
for which UNDP and other funding may be appropriate.
Pknight/Nmalik 25/02/01
**********************************************************************
* 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/ *
**********************************************************************