1. Promoting ICT in Developing Regions Love Ekenberg Professor of Computer Science Acting Director SPIDER Dept. of Computer and Systems Sciences Stockholm University and KTH IT-University

2. Motivation - There are a number of local initiatives at the universities and it is important to organize cooperation. -No single university in Sweden has all the resources and competence necessary to cover all needs when introducing ICT at universities in developing countries. -There is a need to establish an ICT competence resource in Sweden with a guaranteed funding. Such a resource should act as a coordinating partner for Swedish universities in collaboration with SIDA and others. -There is a need for cooperation between such common resource in the Swedish academic environment in order to share, use synergies and complement the competence at collaborating universities.

3. Purpose of the Centre Spider -Promote ICT as a powerful means for poverty alleviation and human resource development. -Establish close cooperation and partnerships with donor agencies in the “ICT for development” field. -Support awareness-creating activities on the importance of ICT for development. -Support the development of ICT strategies in developing countries. -Support a number of projects in carefully selected areas, preferably in cooperation with other organizations. -Initiate and implement projects in close cooperation with local initiatives. -Function as a link between development cooperation agencies and industry. -Form partnerships with Swedish industrial enterprises.

4. Activities - Education - Research - Services - Project and program support - Public relations

5. Education - International master’s educations - Summer schools - Graduate schools - PhD programs for students enrolled at Swedish universities - Technical training and short courses - Exchange of lecturers - Curriculum development - E-learning and distance education

6. Research -Technical challenges and solutions specific for developing countries, including both global connectivity and access in remote areas. -Low-cost, low-bandwidth solutions for a number of application areas, such as, e.g., distance education and tele-medicine. -Socio-economic consequences of introducing ICTs in developing countries, e.g. gender related issues.

7. Services -Technical consultancy services -ICT master plans -National ICT policy establishment -Evaluations of research applications -Project management -Feasibility studies and special investigations -Enable contacts with Swedish industrial partners -Function as a coordinating node between collaborating institutes and partners

8. Project Support -Promote the establishment of national Programs of excellence in the area of ICTs at universities in developing countries -Create joint ventures with universities and industrial actors in developing countries -Provide initial funding for larger local joint project proposals -Provide funding for project applications -Support smaller research initiatives of high relevance

9. Public relations -Web, http://spider.it-univ.sehttp://spider.it-univ.se -Arrange visits for foreign delegates -Annual Conference. -Attract funding and sponsorships from industry as well as national and international organisations. -Provide visibility within the Swedish society -Stockholm Challenge Award, http://www.stockholmchallenge.se/

10. Summary -The Swedish agency for development cooperation, Sida, is funding of a new research center called Spider, hosted by the IT University in Kista, north of Stockholm. -The basic purpose is to support and coordinate all Swedish academic programs, targeting the under served regions of the world. -The center will develop sections for new research, involving ICT for development, and promote its key issues at all academic levels in Sweden.