University administrators and APCICT representatives met today to establish a partnership that will enhance e-learning and training opportunities for students within member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
The United Nations Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development (UN-APCICT/ESCAP), a regional institution of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), and the Seoul Cyber University (SCU) today signed a partnership arrangement that to facilitate the establishment of the ASEAN Cyber University, an e-learning platform that will cater to the member institutions within ASEAN countries.
Under the partnership, SCU will utilize the spectrum of APCICT’s comprehensive online curricula relating to use of information and communication technology for socio-economic development (ICTD).
Established in 2006, to strengthen the region’s capacity to leverage ICT for achieving development goals, APCICT has initiated a number of face-to-face and online capacity building programmes, including the “Academy of ICT Essentials for Government Leaders” (Academy) and “Turning Today’s Youth into Tomorrow’s Leaders Programme” (TTYTL). The Academy is APCICT’s flagship capacity building programme targeting government officials, while the TTYTL programme aims to provide the region’s youth with education opportunities and resources to leverage ICT for development.
“APCICT welcomes the opportunity to partner with SCU to establish a cyber university that will help develop the skills of the next generation of leaders in the ASEAN region,” said Dr. Hyeun-Suk Rhee, Director of APCICT.
SCU is the implementing agency of the ASEAN Cyber University Establishment Project (ACU), which was developed by the Ministries of Education in ASEAN countries and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of the Republic of Korea. As the Secretariat of the ACU Project Steering Committee, SCU is working to develop online content for use by member institutions within ASEAN countries. In this context, SCU is partnering with APCICT, whose ICTD e-learning content will be made available to students once the pilot programme of ASEAN Cyber University is launched in four countries in 2012, followed by a full scale launch in 2015.
“In an era where the need for ICT awareness and skills are ever increasing, SCU is pleased to be partnering with an institution that has demonstrated expertise and effectiveness in strengthening regional capacity through online resources,” said Dr. In Gang, Vice President of SCU. “APCICT’s e-learning curricula will be a valuable and important component of the ASEAN Cyber University.”
