ITU CoE/ARB Initiative and Activities

1. ITU CoE/ARB Initiative and Activities Abdelfattah ABUQAYYAS Coordinator Arab Centre of Excellence CoE/ARB Abdelfattah.abuqayyas@ties.itu.int ITU BDT

2. CoE Background • Changing environment • Main interactive forces are: liberalization/competition, globalization, technology,convergence of telecom with IT & multimedia, growing customer demands. • The presence of highly qualified staff at key levels becomes a critical factor. • The regional Center of Excellence initiative: • A mechanism aimed at offering a greater and better range of training products for high-level staff in all telecom-related organizations. • Also, to serve as a regional focal point for training and professional development.

3. CoE Role and Objectives • Target population • Policy makers, regulators and managers. • Senior corporate executives and managers. • Purpose of the Center of Excellence: • To establish a regional mechanismaimed at strengthening the capacity, within the region, to develop high-level know-how and expertise . • The ultimate objective is to better meet some of the priority training and human resource development needs.

4. CoE/ARB Organization and Finance • Organization • Training activities (face-to-face/distance-learning). • A coordination office. • A Steering Committee. • Financing • Achieve self-financing through cost recovery mechanisms. • Seed fund granted by the ITU through the Telecom Surplus program. • Programs supported by different players. • Hosting • Syrian Telecommunications Establishment STE was chosen to host the CoE/ARB.

5. CoE: A true network for knowledge • Structure • A network of existing training, educational and research centers. • Foster greater synergy by pooling available resources and expertise. • Potential Partners • To establish collaborative relationships with other Centers, within the Region and abroad. • The purpose is to increase the capabilities of the CoEs. • The relationship with Partners providing in-kind or in-cash contributions. • The relationship will be governed by appropriate MoU. • The partners can include wide range of entities.

6. A ‘win A ‘win-win proposal’ • Governments, regulators, operators and all other stakeholders in the telecom sector. • Content providers. • Industry sponsors.

7. The ITU CoE Network • Center of Excellence for Western and Central Africa • Center of Excellence for Eastern and Southern Africa • Center of Excellence for Asia Pacific • Center of Excellence for the Americas • Center of Excellence for the Arab Region • Center of Excellence for EUR and CIS Countries

8. ITU CoE Network

9. CoE/ARB Project Strategy • The change cannot be easily achieved without the necessary expertise • All countries need highly trained human resources • ITU CoE/ARB project aims to facilitate the sharing of expertise. • This high-level human capacity building project aims to implement innovative training programs (face – to – face and distance learning)

10. CoE/ARB Main functions • To assess priority training and HRD needs • To establish cooperation agreements aimed at mobilizing resources • To promote the use of IT and telecommunications for distance learning and tele-working • To plan, organize and implement the activities to be carried out in the region • To maintain an inventory of existing facilities and expertise in the participating institutions

11. CoE/ARB Programs • Telecom Policies Program • (NTI - Egypt) • Regulatory Issues Program • (TRC - Jordan) • Business Management Program • (BATELCO - Bahrain) • New Technologies Program • (NTI - Egypt) • IP Awareness Program • (CERT - Tunisia) • Rural Connectivity Program • (SUDATEL - Sudan)

12. Achievements in 2001 • Two meetings for the CoE/ARB Steering Committee were conducted during 2001 (in Tunisia and Damascus) • The CoE started its functionality in the 4th Quarter of 2001 • During the 2001 the CoE/ARB organized two regional activities: • Regional Workshop on “Marketing & Revenue Forecasts for Telecom Operators in a Competitive Environment”, held in Manama - Bahrain. • Arab Regional Seminar on “Telecommunication Policies", held in Cairo - Egypt .

13. Program Name Workshop/Forum Place and date Training Achievements in 2002 Regulatory Issues Workshop on Regulatory issues Amman 11 – 14 February Workshop on Interconnection Principles and practices Rabat 2 – 5 September Telecom Policies Forum on Telecom Policies & International Standards: Impacts and Implications Cairo 19 -21 May New Technologies and Services Workshop on New Trends in Telecommunications Damascus 15 – 17 July Internet and Information Technologies Workshop on IP Technologies and Applications Tunis !7 – 19 June Business Management Virtual Forum on Business Drivers and Data Collection 4 Weeks, starting 24 June Rural Connectivity Rural Connectivity and Universal Access Khartoum 10 – 12 December

14. CoE Output

15. Number of Participantsin the different CoEs

16. Participants per Country

17. CoE/ARB Action Plan for 2003

18. Why to develop CoE/ARB Networking Process ? • To maximize the synergy between the concerned Training Providers and neighboring Subject Matter Experts. • To matchdiversifiedtraining needs of the Sector Members, while developing new training materials and optimizing the use of existing training resources. • To develop the use of electronic resources in the implementation of the Capacity Building Process • To promote Train-the-Trainers actions in virtual mode as well as in face-to-face mode when using Partnerships Opportunities

19. Distance Learning Approach • The new approach will be available to train the trainers and managers in various issues • Two activities will be organized: • Frequency Spectrum Management Virtual Forum • Business Management Virtual Forum • In cooperation with CoE /AMS a set of distance learning sessions will be available for the Arab Region through CoE /ARB • Distance learning session on “Regulating New IP Services and Applications” 1st September – 8th November • If the demand is tangible, this course can be organized for the Arab Region • Many available On-line modules • Human Recourses are required to act as facilitators/instructors for the distance learning activities.

20. Future Steps • A set of CoEs network will be established. • New more proactive role of the Leading party. • Workshop and distance learning approaches will be emphasized. • Limited number of lecturers and more specialized topics will be approached. • Increased role of the Instructors from the Region. • Data base of Regional Experts and trainers is required. • Support to be provided by existing Subject Matter Experts. • Availability of data, case-studies, tools, etc,. for Working Group activities within the workshop

21. We are Looking for: • Nomination of a focal point from each Regulatory Office • A list of experts and trainers in the various fields of interest • More active role on hosting the CoE activities • More contributions: Presentations, case studies.. • Financial support to insure the sustainability and self standing of the CoE/ARB • Potential partners from the Region

22. ITU CoE/ARB Initiative and Activities Thank You abdelfattah.abuqayyas@ties.itu.int