Regional Training Workshop on ”Building National Information Management and Knowledge Exchange Capacities for Agricultural Research for Development in Near East Region" Cairo-Egypt, May 2009 AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee Meeting May 2009, Cairo, Egypt AARINENA Website and its new features Taraneh Ebrahimi AARINENA-RAIS Secretary

Outline AARINENA-RAIS Network Map AARINENA Website and its new features Future plans and required support AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee Meeting, May 2009, Cairo, Egypt _________________________________________________

AARINENA-RAIS Social Network Analysis(SNA) Social network analysis is the mapping and measuring of relationships and flows between people, groups, organizations, computers or other information/knowledge processing entities. Social Network Analysis (SNA) is a method for visualizing our people and connection power, leading us to identify how we can best interact to share knowledge. AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee Meeting, May 2009, Cairo, Egypt _________________________________________________

AARINENA-RAIS Social Network Analysis(SNA) We use the analysis to : Visualize relationships within and outside of the organization. Facilitate identification of who knows who and who might know what - teams and individuals playing central roles - thought leaders, key knowledge brokers, experts, etc. Identify isolated teams or individuals and knowledge bottlenecks. AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee Meeting, May 2009, Cairo, Egypt _________________________________________________

AARINENA-RAIS Social Network Analysis(SNA) We use the analysis to : Strategically work to improve knowledge flows. Accelerate the flow of knowledge and information across functional and organisational boundaries. Improve the effectiveness of formal and informal communication channels. Raise awareness of the importance of informal networks. AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee Meeting, May 2009, Cairo, Egypt _________________________________________________

AARINENA Website and its new features All activities related to the AARINENA web site ( by the AARINENA-RAIS secretariat. The first AARINENA website realeased in 8 th General Conference of AARINENA in Jordan,in 2002 AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee May 2009, Cairo, Egypt _________________________________________________

AARINENA Website and its new features In 2003 and 2004 AARINENA-RAIS Secretariat has made some changes related to the website design and content in collaboration with GFAR. Enhancement of Arabic version of the website by the valuable efforts of the FAO/RNEArabic version of the website AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee Meeting, May 2009, Cairo, Egypt _________________________________________________

AARINENA Website and its new features What we want: Moving forward a content management system.Moving forward a content management system. Interacting and exchangingInteracting and exchanging Sharing Knowledge and experiencesSharing Knowledge and experiences Involving more peopleInvolving more people Collaborating and exchanging with Focal UnitsCollaborating and exchanging with Focal Units Collaborating and exchanging with Regional NetworksCollaborating and exchanging with Regional Networks AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee Meeting, May 2009, Cairo, Egypt _________________________________________________

AARINENA Website and its new features What we have done: Developing the new website.Developing the new website. Member areaMember area Electronic archiveElectronic archive AARINENA RSSAARINENA RSS Regional Researchers databaseRegional Researchers database Regional Institutional databaseRegional Institutional database Discussion forumDiscussion forum KS tools( Blogs, Wikis,…)KS tools( Blogs, Wikis,…) AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee Meeting, May 2009, Cairo, Egypt _________________________________________________

Member Area To manage information AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee Meeting, May 2009, Cairo, Egypt _________________________________________________

Member Area AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee Meeting, May 2009, Cairo, Egypt _________________________________________________

Regional Agricultural Researchers Database The electronic form has been developed to get Researchers’ data directly through AARINENA Website: The form has been designed in two pages. Easy to access and follow the steps. AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee Meeting, May 2009, Cairo, Egypt _________________________________________________

Regional Institutional database It is provided to enter data related to the Regional Agricultural Research Institutions, Universities, farmer’s organizations, NGOs, Private sectors, useful links,etc. Based on username and password which will be provided for Focal Units. Two level of actions are required to complete the proccess. AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee Meeting, May 2009, Cairo, Egypt _________________________________________________

AARINENA Discussion Forum The virtual place where conversations can take place and information can be shared more easily among the region. It could be useful for the Regional Networks to collaborate more effectively. AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee Meeting, May 2009, Cairo, Egypt _________________________________________________

Knowledge Sharing tools Websites or softwares that can be used to support personal and group knowledge sharing. Blog : an easy-to-publish web page. Blogs can give the world a window on your work. Blogs provide an easy way to communicate knowledge. AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee Meeting, May 2009, Cairo, Egypt _________________________________________________

Knowledge Sharing tools (cont.) You don’t have to know any special computer programming to write or read a blog. Allow readers to comment on a blog post. Blogs can have one or many authors. AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee Meeting, May 2009, Cairo, Egypt _________________________________________________

Knowledge Sharing tools (cont.) Wiki is an effective tool for collaborative writing. Allows users to add, remove, and otherwise edit and change content. no special software or third party webmaster is needed to post content. contains a discussion page where editors and readers can talk about the document. AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee Meeting, May 2009, Cairo, Egypt _________________________________________________

AARINENA Wikispace: Thinking together

Future plans and required support Focus on Focal Units Collaboration. Encourage using of web tools between the FU and RN to exchange and share experiences and knowledge. AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee Meeting, May 2009, Cairo, Egypt _________________________________________________

Future plans and required support(cont.) Urge FU to Use the NERAKIN as on of the best information systems in the Region to share and exchange information and knowledge. Developing inter-regional communication channels and linkage mechanisms AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee Meeting, May 2009, Cairo, Egypt _________________________________________________

Future plans and required support (cont.) Encourage the establishment of common standards and methods for data collection, storage and dissemination mechanisms related to agricultural R&D. Moving forward content management. collaborative programs with other regional fora like APAARI,FARA,… to benefit from their success stories related to e-learning and develop it in our region. AARINENA-RAIS ICT Steering Committee Meeting, May 2009, Cairo, Egypt _________________________________________________

Thank you