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Cross-Cutting Projects:
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The application of remote sensing for integrated management of ecosystems and water resources in Africa |  |
Objectives. To develop and test a process that will enable African countries to access and use satellite data, information and communication technologies including Internet and geographic information systems to monitor, assess and manage ecosystems and water resources; to promote biodiversity conservation, so as to aid sustainable development and to help alleviate poverty. The project will: (i) involve scientific research, education and training; (ii) involve UNESCO Chairs and networks, specialized centres and other partnerships; and (iii) strengthen outreach to affected communities (especially through community media).
Expected results. Use of remotely sensed data to produce sets of maps of extreme vulnerability to water resources, ecosystems, associated resources, for local people and decision-makers; new module developed for UNESCO’s remote-sensing programme BILKO pertaining to training in relation to vulnerable ecosystems and associated resources, including water resources and coastal zones; CD-ROM produced on remotely sensed information with environmental significance for local communities; use of such information systems increased, including website access for users, traditional information systems and media enhanced.
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Developing open learning communities for gender equity with the support of ICTs | |
Objectives. To assess and cross-analyse gender-specific learning needs and the impact of ICTs for community development and lifelong learning in selected African communities; to develop gender-sensitive and locally produced ICT application packages for community development and lifelong learning, which promote gender equity and build on local, experiences, knowledge, cultural creativity and learning needs; to share knowledge and experiences about the creation of open learning communities at grassroots, national, regional and global levels.
Expected results. ICT application packages on selected gender-sensitive content areas locally developed, tested and disseminated with a view to reinforcing local development, lifelong learning and gender equity; ICT-supported community development and lifelong learning activities operational in the selected communities; local communities linked to larger virtual networks on issues related to gender, development, governance and lifelong learning; reference paper prepared and disseminated, including on lessons learnt and recommendations on transforming learning facilities and multimedia centres into open learning communities for gender equity and development.
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Higher education, open and distance learning knowledge base for decision-makers | |
Objectives. To establish a dynamic knowledge base on open distance learning (ODL) options and best practices (with respect to content, accessibility, quality assurance mechanisms, and use of ODL technologies); to undertake capacity-building for policy- and decision-makers in regional networks so as to promote accessible quality ODL tools reflecting regional, social and economic needs.
Expected results. Permanent system established for updating and maintaining information on ODL opportunities at the tertiary level in developing countries and countries in transition (available both electronically and on paper; based on interregional networking capacities developed for policy-makers on assessing the quality and accessibility of ODL options in view of regional priorities.
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ICT-based training in basic education for social development | |
Objectives. As part of the Dakar follow-up, to strengthen human resources and local capacities, in particular teachers and other basic education providers, so as to meet the essential learning needs of family, women, youth and ethnic minorities; activities will be carried out in Asia and Africa.
Expected results. Multi-media training modules/learning materials, an ICT-based information base, and ICT-assisted training programmes established; variety of tools creating using prototypic instructional modules as well as technically adapted modules, CD-ROMs, video-audio tapes, and online content; ICT-based material database of resource materials widely used and adapted by practitioners and learners in various learning settings; policy-makers, professionals, practitioners, learners trained, including an increased participation of women, youth and minorities in social development.
Natural Sciences
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Virtual laboratory for draining lakes in Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia | |
Objectives. To establish a virtual laboratory enabling researchers on large draining lakes or interior seas, - such as the Dead Sea, the Aral Sea and Lake Chad - to share data, information and experience and to work together with other laboratories in Europe on similar problems and research; (i) to establish and develop information and communication services and collaborative work facilities for scientists; and (ii) to train and develop human resources in charge of operating, maintaining and developing the virtual laboratory network.
Expected results. Virtual system set up and networking process between the teams of researchers in the three regions completed; specific and selected research themes identified and developed; technical and managerial staff and researchers trained; information data and research results exchanged and shared; strategies and policy framework developed on a comparative basis.
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Small islands - Voice 2004 | |
Objectives. To ensure that the views of civil society on environment and development issues become an effective catalyst for on-the-ground activities in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and to provide a reference basis for other parts of the world; to initiate a continued dialogue at the grass-roots level, supported by existing media and disseminated nationally and regionally through Internet-based discussion forums and thus to provide a circular flow of information up to and beyond 2004; to combine training and capacity-building with regular evaluations so as to ensure sustainability of the project; to apply partnerships with UNESCO National Commissions in targeted SIDS in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Pacific.
Expected results. Increased awareness and understanding about environment and development issues in small islands and worldwide; local participatory communication modes developed for increased access to information, sharing of experience and production of knowledge; training in communication skills, e.g. radio programme, design supported; the creation of a dozen community radio stations initiated or enhanced; dozens of Internet connections established or improved in civil society centres and organizations; Internet-based discussion forums established at national, regional and interregional levels, focusing on young people.
Web site: http://www.unesco.org/csi/smis/siv/sivindex.htm
Social and Human Sciences
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Information and communication technologies as a tool for social cohesion and local democracy | |
Objectives: To introduce ICTs as tools for the reinforcement of social cohesion and local democracy at the municipal level in Africa, the Arab region and Latin America; specifically (a) to design improved policies and apply best practices for social cohesion and local democracy utilizing ICTs, including radio, television, and the Internet; (b) to develop an ICT toolbox aimed at improved participation of communities in social and political life respectful of cultural diversity and with special emphasis on women and social and cultural minorities; (c) to reinforce by means of ICTs the capacity of NGOs of city planners and city officials for policy development strengthening social cohesion and democracy and to recognize the value of culture as a vehicle to foster citizen participation; (d) to promote cooperation, networking and knowledge-sharing between NGOs of city professionals.
Expected results: ICT needs, priorities and opportunities clearly defined for each region required to strengthen social cohesion and democracy at municipal levels; basis for policy formulation improved as a result of utilizing ICTs through pilot approaches and best practices; cooperation within and between NGOs of city professionals reinforced through the introduction of ICTs; training modules developed and integrated in training of city professionals.
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UNESCO World Report on “Building Knowledge Societies” | |
Objectives: To contribute to the preparation, production and dissemination of the first UNESCO World Report, planned for 2003, on the proposed subject of “Building Knowledge Societies”, as foreseen under Programme III.3.2 (see paragraph 03303) and further described in document 161 EX/45.
Expected results: UNESCO World Report prepared, produced and widely disseminated in 2003, including at international, regional and national levels and through a variety of publicity and promotional tools and outlets; UNESCO policies and strategies reviewed and adapted to conform to findings and recommendations of the World Report; complementary national reports initiated and national policy formulation influenced.
Communication and Information
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Initiative B@bel | |
Objectives. To promote the use of multilingualism on the Internet with a view to making access to contents and services more equitable for users worldwide, in particular in developing countries; to support linguistic and cultural diversity on the Internet, prevent linguistic segregation and protect languages in danger of disappearance; furthermore (i) to formulate guiding principles and educative policies on the promotion and use of languages; (ii) to carry out comparative and statistical surveys; (iii) to prepare UNESCO participation in the ongoing development of multilingual resources; and (iv) to disseminate information on policies and strategies adopted by the Member States and international organizations.
Expected results. Principles for promoting a more equitable access to information in different languages developed and adopted; comparative surveys and statistics produced; online multilingual tools (including for translation and terminology) developed; information gathered and disseminated on successful experiences and best practices in fostering multilingualism.
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Preserving our digital heritage | |
Objectives. Increasingly, the world’s knowledge resources are produced, distributed and accessed in digital form, which is more vulnerable over time than paper. Older information formats get left behind and become outdated at a fast rate. The goal of this project is to provide a framework for the identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission to future generations of the digital heritage (websites, databases, electronic documents) through (i) support for policy formulation; (ii) pilot projects; (iii) training of conservation specialists; and (iv) adoption of an international charter for the preservation of electronic heritage.
Expected results. Strategies and common standards for the safeguarding of existing digital information formulated; awareness among governments, information producers, the IT industry and the general public raised; pilot projects for the preservation of digital information and heritage carried out; specialists in digital information trained; an international charter on the preservation of electronic heritage drafted.
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Virtual universities: test beds and guidelines on their establishment | |
Objectives. The virtual university initiative is part of UNESCO’s efforts to bridge the digital divide and to broaden access to higher education, particularly in social sciences and engineering. Subregional virtual university test beds will be developed in cooperation with existing universities in at least two developing areas, including Africa and South-East Asia, aimed at the establishment of a self-sustaining, student-friendly model of a virtual university which could provide access to high-quality training in social development and sustainable technology. The virtual university test beds will assess learning goals and modalities focusing on gaps in the curricula of affiliated universities in undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education, as well as on connecting geographically dispersed teachers and students.
Expected results. Needs for virtual regional training assessed; teaching contents, web-based courseware, support materials developed and requisite infrastructure put in place; virtual library established; pilot trial training of trainers completed; distance learning methodology developed for LDCs and countries in transition, and guidelines on the establishment of virtual universities refined and disseminated to other regions.
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Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD) Programme | |
Objectives. To contribute to more equitable access to scientific information, through the use of ICTs for the production, access and archiving of theses and dissertations (Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD); to help intensify the transfer of knowledge from North to South, and to increase the potential of scientific communities worldwide, thereby helping to bridge the scientific divide.
Expected results. Internationally accepted norms and procedures for facilitating international exchange of digitized scientific information established; training of project managers for ETD programmes and students carried out; pilot projects conducted at selected universities/university libraries to become regional centres of excellence for ETD; guidelines, work flow models, and best practices in the areas of ETD established and widely shared.
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UNESCO knowledge portal | |
Objectives. UNESCO has a key role to play as a global knowledge broker in its areas of competence, involving the gathering, transfer, dissemination and sharing of information, data, knowledge and best practices. The creation of a comprehensive Internet-based UNESCO knowledge portal shall serve as an entry point to a range of diversified knowledge put at the public disposal, as a public repository and as means of action; the availability of a content-rich, diversified public domain tool is a key ingredient in the construction of a knowledge society. The UNESCO portal, which will comprise several interactive thematic and sectoral sub-portals, will offer access to a pool of available information and data, drawn especially from the public domain, on education, the sciences, culture and communication. The totality of the content will reflect the diversity of formats, national, cultural and linguistic origins and contents, especially geared for users in developing countries and in support of UNESCO’s strategic objectives and priorities. The overall portal project will also be supported through a specifically developed technical infrastructure, provided through the Division of Information Systems and Telecommunications (ADM/DIT).The portal project will gradually be developed and will be carried out in cooperation with other partners (such as the World Bank or private sector organizations). Thematic sub-portals, each covering a specific part of UNESCO’s fields of competence - such as education, global heritage, artistic creativity, ocean/coastal research management - will be a feature of the portal. Common guidelines for thematic portals will be established and tools to manage portals developed, enabling the introduction of a diversified set of services such as forum discussions and chatrooms, newsletters, collaborative spaces, including reachout to National Commissions, parliamentarians and other partners in UNESCO activities. The overall design of the portal will be the object of an in-depth needs assessment providing for a single UNESCO architecture, within which the sub-portals will be constructed. Staff development, maintenance and monitoring will be an integral part of the project. A working group of the intersectoral Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Task Force will guide the overall development and will provide a forum for the teamleaders of thematic sub-portals. The following sub-portals have been selected for priority development:
The existing CI webworld sub-portal will form an essential part of the overall UNESCO portal and will be expanded and refocussed.
The education portal will seek to offer an authoritative source of information and exchange of experience on learning opportunities and materials; to provide access to information, services and dialogue on progress towards meeting the EFA targets; to provide for networking among institutions internationally, regionally and nationally; to collect, synthesize and exchange knowledge about (i) ICT-based learning materials; (ii) internationally harmonized approaches to contents, quality of learning opportunities and learning materials; (iii) methods for developing learning materials; (iv) providing access to materials in selected areas, initially in early childhood education and higher education.
The UNESCO/IOC ocean sub-portal seeks to provide access to information and data on all aspects of ocean/coastal research and management for the benefit of various communities such as policy-makers, scientists and the general public, as well as to provide an “education space” for specific subjects and target audiences. The project will focus on: (i) regional ocean portals to offer in-depth information and data services targeting local, national and regional audiences, in multiple relevant languages especially targeted at Africa, Latin America, and Western Pacific; (ii) a subject-specific and region-focused ocean sub-portal, the HAB-SEA sub-portal, will promote education and public awareness and will provide research information to assist in the mitigation of harmful algal blooms on human health, fisheries and aquaculture in South-East Asia.
The global heritage sub-portal will provide resources to strengthen local and national capacities in the identification, protection, sustainable use and interpretation of cultural heritage (tangible and intangible), natural heritage as well as documentary heritage thereby serving as a capacity-building tool. The sub-portal is intended: (i) to provide better access to information resources concerning heritage worldwide by establishing a multidisciplinary resource network, connecting people across professional and geographical borders; (ii) to set up working spaces for best practices, educational tools and materials, multi-media products and normative action, consisting of discussion forums, directories, project proposal rubrics and inventories; and (iii) to disseminate heritage news, providing access to the latest information on heritage.
The Digi-Arts project, an Internet sub-portal that will serve artists and arts entrepreneurs, aims to promote creativity, cultural and artistic diversity and intercultural dialogue while building capacities for expression and exchange in the field of digital creation. In particular, the activities will seek to: (i) create an international exchange network; (ii) develop a practical tele-education facility (provision of educational tools and guidance); (iii) establish on-line creation workshops and display works created; and (iv) disseminate practical information (job opportunities, lists of partners, calendar of activities, etc.).
Expected results. A comprehensive, multidisciplinary and digital UNESCO knowledge portal with several sub-portals in the Organization’s fields of competence established; increased access to information and data in the public domain in education, science, culture, communication and information provided; a clearing-house/knowledge base of materials, research, and best practices created; the number of users from different regions and global links to groups, institutions and information providers expanded; participation and networking of national and international partners ensured, including National Commissions, parliamentarians, NGOs and the private sector; increased visibility of the Organization’s programmes worldwide through digital tools.