<h2 class="BlackHead">UN partners with West African nations to boost information technology in universities</h2><div id="PhotoHolder" style="width: 180px;"><img src="http://www.un.org/News/dh/photos/2011/ae10766e28-education.jpg" title="UNESCO chief Irina Bokova (right) and Soumaïla Cissé sign agreement" border="1"><p class="phtocaption">
UNESCO chief Irina Bokova (right) and Soumaïla Cissé sign agreement</p></div><span class="fullstory"><a href="http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=37522&Cr=universit&Cr1=">http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=37522&Cr=universit&Cr1=</a><br>
<br>11 February 2011 – </span><span class="fullstory">The
United Nations agency tasked with promoting education and the West
African monetary union today signed an agreement to launch a $12 million
project to boost the information and communications technology (ICT)
capacity of universities by creating a regional virtual library network.<p>
Irina Bokova, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<a href="http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/">UNESCO</a>),
and Soumaïla Cissé, the President of the Commission of the West African
Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), which is providing the funds,
signed the agreement in Paris.</p><p>
The project is part of a wide-ranging cooperation plan initiated in 2006
by the two bodies, aiming to develop the use of ICTs to support an
ongoing reform of higher education in the member countries of the UEMOA –
Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, Mali, Senegal
and Togo.</p><p>
“Higher education is a vital force for development. Funding this project
shows the commitment of your organization to reforming and modernizing
higher education by creating centres of excellence,” <a href="http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/launch_of_us12_million_project_for_icts_in_west_african_universities/">said</a> Ms. Bokova.</p><p>
“The new technologies are the most effective method to reach this goal,
by creating virtual libraries accessible to all, accelerating exchange
between professors and students and stimulating research,” she added.</p><p>
Mr. Cissé said the project will empower teachers, students and
researchers. “We are indeed conscious that education is the key to the
future, because emerging countries are founded on the quality of human
resources. The virtual library we are creating will serve our young
people both as roots and as wings,” he said.</p><p>
The three-year project will install ICT infrastructure, both material
and virtual, in higher education institutions. The campuses of eight
universities, one in each UEMOA member State, will be equipped with
fibre optic equipment and at least 200 computers with high-speed
connection, according to UNESCO.</p><p>
In addition to a regional virtual library network to which universities
will be linked, the project will set up a cyber institute giving
professors online access to training courses. A central database for
calculating students’ course credits in all state universities will be
established to help harmonize academic standards and facilitate student
mobility.</p></span>