Role of Universities in Influencing Policies for Access

1. Role of Universities in Influencing Policies for Access Frontiers of Knowledge in Science And Technology for Africa Lishan Adam

2. Agenda - Three Areas of Policy Influence Building Blocks) • Universities role • 1. Influencing policies on access at all levels • Campus Networks • National Research and Education Networks • Regional consortium (Research and Education Networks) • Advanced infrastructure for scientists and researchers • 2. Research and Development in policies and regulation • Policy studies • Informing policy • Influencing policy • 3. Training and education in policies and regulation • Policy education • Policy training

3. Influencing Policy – Universities Roles and experiences – Overlap and Focus Campus Network Focus RREN NREN Policy and Regulatory Research Education On Policy & Regulation Advanced Networks

4. Policy Issues and Challenges Development and redesign of network for high availability using different technologies Maintenance of secure and reliable, and optimised network ICT support and governance framework to promote smooth functioning of campus network Enhancing value to users by launching diverse applications (e-learning platforms, e-lab applications and specific content Development of technical capacities Seamless integration and interconnection to national and regional network and constituencies Universities’ role Campus ICT strategy or plan signed by VC and other stakeholders Campus Network Acceptable use Policy and best practice in design Participation in national and regional efforts to promote academic connectivity and campus networks Campus Networks Campus network - foundation

5. Roles Aggregating demand for connectivity at national levels – equipment, bandwidth Extending Internet connectivity to unconnected research institutions (equity, content) Sharing network resources (expertise, strategies, IP Numbers, open academic content) Participation in regional and international Network Organizations Policy issues Resource allocation for educational connectivity (budget line) National ICT strategies and broadband strategies that integrate educational needs Reduction of costs to academic network (differential fees) Governance framework for NREN put in place National Education and Research Networks Government must see NREN as an important public infrastructure

6. Cost of Bandwidth high Fiber Access low • Less than 20 of the 54 countries with fiber links • Monopoly pricing • Lack of backbones • African Fiber access cost $2500 to $7500 per mbps/month (average of $5000 Mbps/month) • US 2.5 Mbps/month, Asia $16-30 Mbps/month

7. Satellite the main mode of connectivity and Cost of Bandwidth a major barrier to Research Network - 2010

8. A few countries (Tanzania and recently Uganda) initiated broadband strategies to integrate local capabilities National Backbone is needed

9. Other challenges to Satellite connectivity • High licensing charges • Requirements for use of incumbent’s hub • Prohibition of voice traffic over VSAT • High landing fee for operators • Outright rejection of applications for VSAT license

10. Overall Regulatory Quality ( World Bank African Development Report, 2006) • High ( Botswana, Cape Verde, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa) • Medium (Burkina Faso, Gambia, Ghana, Madagascar,Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Senegal, Tunisia,Uganda) • Low (Benin, Cameroon, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé and Principe, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe) • Very low - Algeria, Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Dem. Rep., Congo, Rep., Côte d’Ivoire, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Liberia, Libya, Nigeria, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan)

11. Telecommunications Regulatory Quality Advanced Reform Mauritius, Morocco, Tanzania, Botswana South Africa Uganda Kenya In the Process Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Senegal, Sudan, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe Early Stage Benin, Burundi, Chad, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, DRC, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia Niger, Sao Tome & Principe, Sierra Leone Swaziland, Togo

12. Opportunities for NREN • Phasing out of exclusivity period (Senegal, Uganda, South Africa, Kenya, Mali, Ghana) • Introduction of converged licensing regime (post-exclusivity) – Kenya, Uganda, Mauritius, South Africa Senegal, Tanzania, these announced broad competition • IP driven market dynamics • Depriving incumbents of lucrative revenue • low volume/high margin  High volume low margin • Digital divide/ information society initiatives • RECs (ECOWAS, ECAAS, COMESA, SADC, EAC, IOC) • Fastest growing communications economy

13. Excessive cost of bandwidth No backbone networks Network concentration in urban area Limited diffusion of wireless and innovative technologies, tools for using existing resources Good regulation, consortium, fibre-based system is a must for lowering cost (work on local policy barriers) Participate – provide political support for the establishment of NREN, support a governance framework Promote national backbone networks Summary of policy issues at national levels and role of universities

14. Implications of Institutional Collaboration and Government Support High Go it Alone Fully functional Institutional collaboration Kenya, South Africa Mozambique, Ghana, Uganda High Madagascar,Nigeria, Tanzania Specialized Low No NREN Low Government Support

15. Regional Research and Education Networks • Major objectives of RREN: • Develop a state of the art infrastructure to support teaching, learning and research at regional levels (exploit economy of scale) • Act as hubs for researching and implementing new and advanced network services • Provide centralised skills in networking

16. Smaller traffic, large number of countries Different markets that demand policy harmonization Cross-border connectivity is needed between universities A few regional initiatives (Ubuntunet, west Africa, Eumed) Challenges to RREN

17. Universities role • Promote aggregations and cross-border networks as building block for regional networks – federated R&E networks like the bandwidth consortium would be useful • Organic development start from where it works (SARUA) • Regional harmonization through regional regulatory associations Universities work with regional and national regulatory bodies • Leverage regional organizations (AAU, East African Universities Association, Association of Francophone universities.) • Policy…and commitment of governmentsAU, NEPAD, RECs (ECOWAS, SADC, COMESA) agenda • N/RREN and regulatory implications awareness (, e-rates, Dark fiber, cross-border connectivity)

18. Key challenges Lack of information and analysis about the ICT sector on the African continent. Deep policy issues that increasingly require research and analysis, evaluation and ongoing assessment scanning local/international Research on ICT policy /ICT in general driven either by market or donor agencies– public oriented objective research on ICT is hardly available The understanding comes from the theory and experiences gained in the developed world. Organic policies that emerge from the realities and constraints are needed Opportunities Interest in measuring the information society Global interest in objective research – sober assessment of failure of policies Research programmes like the research ICT Africa network (www. Researchictafrica.net) More understanding of the relationships between policies and ICTs for development is needed 2. University role as communicator of evidence to inform or influence policy

19. Challenge ICT policy and regulation specialised field – much of advice from donors, experts and companies Training on ICT policy provided by specialised institutions in Europe and north America Advisory services provided by regional institutions Most regulatory bodies are relatively new and inexperienced Policy makers change fast, ongoing training of new appointees is needed Opportunities Donor interest in regulatory training Programmes such as NetTel@Africa that bring universities together with regulators 3. Teaching and Training in ICT policy

20. NetTel@Africa - training, teaching example • Common curricular frameworks, including internet-based courses, • Investigation into appropriate technologies and mechanisms for distance learning • Development of common standards for competence evaluation and certification of personnel; • Development of a regional directory of specialisation among training centres and personnel; • Joint provision of training, sharing of research materials and coordination of training programmes; • Regional certification agreements to support reciprocal recognition of qualifications.

21. Skills for policy makers and regulators • graduate level skills in the disciplines underpinning policies and regulation (economics, accountancy, law, electrical engineering, socio-informatics, information systems, project management, etc.); • high-level skills in major regulatory and policy issues relating to ICTs (such as licensing, interconnection, competition policy, telecoms accounting etc.); • general understanding (for both senior professionals and junior personnel) in those areas in which they personally are non-specialist (e.g. basic telecommunications technology, basic telecoms finance, ICT for development); • and highly-specialist expertise in one-off issues (for example, design and implementation of numbering plans)

22. Universities Role • Help countries to adopt policies that meet development challenges • Establish ICT policy research (CoE, Research Group, forum) • Participate in global and regional initiatives and knowledge networks in ICT policy (RIA, ICT indicators, evaluation methods) • Create space for teaching and learning ICT policy • Initiate ICT policy training • Introduce into the curriculum • Participate in teaching and training by collaborating with institutions such as NetTel@africa

23. Thank you….