|
ALO: Association Liaison
Office
for University Cooperation in
Development
Building Digital Technical Capacity at Nigerian
Universities:
Laying the Foundation for Greater Digital Participation
and Collaboration
Institutional Partnerships Program
PROGRESS REPORT
| Lead U. S.
Institution: |
The University of Iowa |
| Host Country: |
Nigeria |
| Host Country
Partner Institution: |
Nigerian National Universities Commission (NUC) |
| U.S. Partnership
Directors: |
Cliff Missen, MA
Mike McNulty, PhD |
| Host Country
Partnership Directors: |
Dr. Mamman Aminu Ibrahim |
| Host
Country/Region USAID Mission Contact: |
|
| Project Web
Site: |
www.widernet.org |
| Period Covered by
this Report: |
10/01/02 - 3/31/03 |
| Project Start
Date: |
September 1, 2000 |
Section I: Quantitative Reporting
on USAID Indicators
| |
During
This Reporting Period: |
Since
Beginning of ALO Funding |
|
1. |
How many host country institutions have been
involved in partnership activities? |
Number of institutions:
10 |
Number of institutions:
20 |
|
List these institutions
(include NGOs, community-based organizations, government agencies,
businesses, other higher education institutions, etc.) and briefly
describe their involvement:
Technician Training was held November
3-6, 2002, with optional workshops on November 7-8. Participants from
ten institutions (Bayero University, Cardz Limited, Fenix Nigeria Ltd,
Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Obafemi Awolowo University, University of
Benin, University of Ibadan, University of Jos, University of Nigeria, and
VIC Business and Computer Services) attended the training sessions. |
|
2. |
How many U.S.
institutions have been
involved in partnership activities? |
Number of institutions:
2 |
Number of institutions:
6 |
|
List these institutions
(include NGOs, community based organizations, government agencies,
businesses, other higher education institutions, etc.) and briefly
describe their involvement:
Microsoft has continued
to donate software for project partners and 3-Com Corporation has donated wireless
equipment for training purposes. Learnkey, Inc., the Network Startup Resource
Center, and EZ-Ref have provided training materials and support.
|
|
3. |
Approximately how
many host country nationals have been trained (formally/informally,
short-term/long-term) through partnership activities (e.g., degree
programs, certificate programs, seminars, workshops, extension days,
etc.)? |
Females:
5 |
Females:
65 |
|
Males:
36 |
Males:
251 |
|
Total:
41 |
Total:
316 |
|
Briefly describe the
nature and duration of the training:
The three-day workshop focused on the creation of campus
networks. Participants heard lectures on computer and network topics,
watched demonstrations on computer assembly and basic networking,
and then got hands-on experience building computers, preparing network
wires, and building local area networks. Each person received
a WiderNet Project CD containing thousands of documents and
tutorials on building and maintaining campus ICT and computer-based
training software from LearnKey, Inc.
|
|
4. |
How many workforce development
activities has your partnership initiated? |
None |
None |
| Briefly describe
these workforce development activities: |
|
5. |
Has your
partnership leveraged any new resources (cash or in-kind) for its
activities? |
$35,000 |
$790,000 |
|
List and
briefly describe the new resources:
Value includes high-end server software from Microsoft
and RedHat and
training materials for trainees and donated computers, networking
equipment and software that will be shipped to Nigerian universities.
|
|
|
Section II: Qualitative Reporting
1. In one or two sentences, what is the
overall goal of this partnership project?
The partnership between the University of
Iowa and the Nigerian National Universities Commission (NUC) seeks to
develop the capacity of technicians and computer support personnel to
develop, maintain, and promote the use of computers and networks at
Nigerian universities. It also seeks, in partnership with Kirkwood
Community College, to create links between the University of Iowa and
multiple Nigerian universities via the Nigerian National Universities
Commission (NUC).
2.
What activities has the partnership undertaken during this
reporting period?
During the last reporting period, the WiderNet Project held its second
WiderNet Project Technician Training at the University of Ibadan.
A wireless networking workshop and a one-day Web design course were
offered to the participants in conjunction to the technician training.
Director Cliff Missen and programmer Mike Schmitz also consulted with computer technicians at the
University of Ibadan, Ahmadu Bello University, University of Jos, and
University of Port Harcourt during a month long visit to Nigeria in
January.
3. How have these
activities contributed to (or do you anticipate will contribute to) development in the host country?
The technical training contributes to
sustainable development in several important ways from an institutional
perspective. Upgrading the skills of the Nigerian technician will have
the effect of ensuring that scarce institutional resources are used more
effectively, expensive equipment and IT systems will be maintained and
upgraded, and improved ICT systems and applications may offer revenue
generation possibilities through user fees and/or service charges and
consultancies to help sustain the development of the ICT infrastructure
and services.
Providing advanced training for technical staff will also provide an
incentive for staff to remain with the institution and reduce turnover
in personnel.
4. How have these activities benefited (or will
they ultimately benefit) the U.S. institution(s) and /or local
community?
Increased digital communication with
African colleagues will benefit University of Iowa educational programs
and exchanges through long-term university linkages. These
linkages will open doors to mutually beneficial research projects and
enhance international awareness. Already we have several Nigerian
graduate students who have come to study at the University of Iowa, as
well, dozens of University of Iowa faculty and staff have created new
on-line relationships with their counterparts in Nigeria. The
Department of Math, for example, has agreed to a linkage program with
the University of Jos to help revitalize mathematics education at Jos.
5. What has been the most significant
accomplishment this reporting period, intended or unintended?
After hosting training workshops at their institutions
and inviting trainees from other institutions (including the private
sector), the participating universities have learned that there's a big
market for such training and they are building sustainable models for
working with indigenous and foreign trainers to offer more workshops.
At our last technician training, the University of Ibadan added two more
one-day workshops that netted the university a handy profit of $1,000
after paying for all the expenses. With such a model, the
universities can attract trainers, using the proceeds of their paid
clients to cover the costs of their staff, who attend for free.
6. What challenges has your partnership
encountered in carrying out its planned activities during this reporting
period?
A staff and faculty strike that began in
late December 2002 has forced the closure of all Nigerian universities
for over four months. Since nearly all of our linkages are with
Nigerian universities, our progress in distance education as been significantly
delayed. However, by shifting our focus to short-term on-site
workshops followed by intensive use of computer-based training
materials, we have come across a solution that has proved equally as
good, if not better.
7. List and briefly describe your partnership’s
planned activities for the next six months, with attention to achieving
the stated goals and objectives:
A final Technician Training will be held in Nigeria
during May 2003. We will also undertake a final evaluation program
to gather more feedback from our Nigerian colleagues.
|
8. Has your partnership
consulted/collaborated with Ministry of Education or other
government officials?
If YES, briefly describe:
We have provided consulting and training for the
National Universities Commission.
|
YES |
|
9. Has your partnership
participated in any government-sponsored panels or any other
initiatives to inform policy?
If YES, briefly describe:
Director Cliff Missen was a founding stakeholder for
the The Nigerian-American Information Initiative.
|
YES |
|
10. Has your partnership
helped to increase institutional accountability?
If YES, briefly describe:
A project goal is that through the use
of university-wide database systems, financial practices will become
more transparent, therefore increasing accountability within the
institution.
|
YES |
|
11. Has your partnership
influenced institutional policy to help increase the enrollment or
participation of underserved students? |
NO |
| 12. Has your partnership
established new degree programs?
|
NO |
| 13. Has your partnership
adapted curricula to make them relevant to local development needs?
This year, for the first time, the University of Jos
faculty senate has approved the course "Internetworks in
International Development" as a standard credit course for
undergraduate and graduate students.
|
YES |
| 14. Has your partnership
provided training (e.g., workshops, seminars, short-courses, etc.)
to non-higher education institutions (e.g., NGOs, government
agencies, businesses, etc.)?
If YES, briefly describe:
Staff members from Cardz Limited; Fenix
Nigeria, Ltd; and VIC Business and Computer Services attended the
last WiderNet Project Technician Training.
|
YES |
| 15. Has your partnership
donated any computers, books, library supplies, etc. to improve
local resources? If
YES, briefly describe: Two of our partner
universities have received over 300 used computers and 5,000 books
donated by individuals and companies around the Iowa City area.
As well, they have received new network cards and wireless equipment
from 3Com Corporation and used networking equipment from the Network
Startup Resource Center. Many of these donations were
collected and prepared by volunteers, while the recipient
universities paid the shipping costs.
|
YES |
| 16. Has your partnership been
involved in other outreach activities?
If YES, briefly describe:
|
YES |
| 17. Has your partnership
disseminated information about the project (e.g., print and on-line
campus/local/national/international media, radio, television,
conference/seminar presentations, published papers, etc.)?
If YES, briefly describe:
The WiderNet Project Web site contains all of the
documents and reports generated from our activities, including
hundreds of photographs. We also "mirror" the Web sites of two
partner universities. Articles about the WiderNet Project --
especially our computer donation project -- have appeared in the
Cedar Rapids Gazette, The Des Moines Register, and the Iowa City
Press Citizen. Co-Directors Michael McNulty and Cliff Missen
have discussed African university developments on WSUI radio's
one-hour call-in talk show.
|
YES |
Last updated 5/6/03 by Cliff Missen |