ISBN : 9782296544154
DIGITAL DIVIDE IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA UNIVERSITIES : RECOMMENDATIONS AND MONITORING
Abstract :
The Digital Divide prevents Africa from taking advantages of new information technologies.
One of the most urgent priorities is to bring the Internet in Africa to the level of other regions of
the world for Universities, Research and Learning Centres. eGY-Africa, and the Sharing
Knowledge Foundation have two initiatives concerning bottom-up efforts by scientists to secure
better cyber-infrastructure and Internet facilities in Africa.
Recommendations elaborated by the present scientific communities are being addressed to
national, regional and international levels. The Internet at country overall level is well documented
that is not the case at the university level. The snapshot of the Internet in universities of 18
African countries, obtained by filling a questionnaire, is consistent with the Internet penetration in
the corresponding country. The monitoring of Internet performance has been proposed to those
African universities to improve the coverage for Africa. A pilot programme is recommended for
starting scientific collaboration in western Africa by using ICT and then for anticipating the
arrival of new technology like Grids