Role of the Network of Focal Points

Proposal on Establishment of an International Network of National Focal Points for the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education in UNESCO Member States

Thesis:	No one of present UNESCO networks meets completely the case of network of national focal points (NFP) for IITE.
Conclusions:	A network of NFP for IITE should be based on existing national information and communication networks, including space ones; It could not be formed without support by interested organizations in Member States; Various (modifying) functional and institutional models of activities of NFP for IITE should be elaborated.

General:
UNESCO Web World.
Database: www-webworld

Sectoral:
1. UNESCO СII - Web World.
Database: www-webworld
2. UNESCO Documentation and Information Network in Education.
Database: www-education

Regional:
Regional informatics network for Africa (RINAF).
Database: www. unesco.org/webworld/build... informatics/electrinic_networks

Specialized:
UNESCO NETWORK OF ASSOCIATED LIBRARIES.
Database:www-webworld

Mixed regional/ specialized:
Region Arab Network for information technologies (RAITNET).
Database: www-webworld

For a programme:
3. UNITWIN / UNESCO Chairs.
Database: www.unesco.org/education/proap
4. UNESCO CII - Web World. Intergovernment informatics programme.

Database: www.unesco.org/webworld/build_info
For a project:
UNEVOC Network.
Database: www. unevoc

Interprogramme:
INISTE Network.
Database: www.unesco.org/education/educprog/ste/network

Interproject:
5. OREALC Networks.
Database: www.unesco.org/education/orealk

Mixed for program/project:
Education networks for co-operation in science, education and culture.
Database: www.unesco.org/webworld/buildinformatics/electrinic_networks

In 10 countries in the region there are 15 focal points of this network.

INISTE NETWORK

Albania Georgia Romania 1 Armenia Hungary 3 Russia 3 Azerbaijan Kazakhstan Slovakia 1 Belarus 1 Kyrgyzstan Slovenia 1 Bosnia and Herzegovina Latvia 1 Tadjikistan Bulgaria Lithuania Turkmenistan Croatia Macedonia Ukraine 2 Czech republic Moldova Uzbekistan Estonia 1 Poland 1 Yugoslavia

Intergovernmental informatics programme UNESCO should concentrate on forming and development of an "info-structure" (policy, networking and application). For this purpose a large number of projects in this field will be developed for Member States via IIP structure.

Main areas:

• Development of networks
• Virtual communities
• Informational management
• Training

The most important aspects of the Programme are the contacts with national institutions and structures, first of all:

• While choice of projects and at first stages of their accomplishment;
• For obtaining data from the Programme or some contributing to the Programme;
• For providing access to different activities in respective countries;
• For dissemination of information and publication of Programme materials.

• Existing national Councils or Committees on informatics;
• Department or division of a Ministry;
• Specialized group in national scientific and technical structure;
• Specialized Committee in the framework of National Commission for UNESCO.

• UNESCO Budget;
• Voluntary contributions of UNESCO Member States;
• Fund-in-trust) filled up by UNESCO Member States

UNITWIN / UNESCO Chairs Programme: total - 310 chairs, among them 71 in the region

Albania Armenia 1 (13)1 Azerbaijan 1 (17) Belarus 4 (19, 20, 21, 22) Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 (295) Bulgaria б (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49) Croatia Czech republic 1 (80) Estonia Georgia 3 (91, 92, 93) Hungary 2 (102, 103) Kazakhstan 1 (122) Kyrgyzstan 1 (130) Latvia Lithuania 1 (133) Macedonia Moldova 2 (143, 144) Poland 5 (167, 168, 169, 170, 171) Romania 8 (174-181) Russia 25 (182-187, 188, 189-192, 194, 195-198, 200-202, 203, 297, 302-304) Slovakia 4 (207-209, 210) Slovenia Tadjikistan Turkmenistan Ukraine 4 (268,269, 271, 272) Uzbekistan 1 (298) Yugoslavia Chairs in ORBICOM network: Chairs outside ORBICOM network: HONGRIE (10) - Communication and Public Relation KAZAKHSTAN (122) - Chair of journalism and communication LITHUANIA (133) - Chair in informatics for the humanities RUSSIA (202) - Chair of journalism and communication RUSSIA (188) - High technology for education and science RUSSIA (194) - Chair on informatics SLOVAKIA (210) - Chair of interdisciplinary research in informatics and education UKRAINE (269) - Information and communication technologies in education

Specialized networks in the programme: total - 44.
Among them:

• ORBICOM - Network of UNESCO Chairs in communication (Montreal, Canada)
• Network in TVE (International centre for educational systems) (Moscow, Russian Federation)
• Network in Humanization of training of military specialists and problems of conversion (Moscow, Russian Federation)
• Educational networks -14.

• collect and disseminate information on the implementation of ICTs in education;
• monitor the situation and general tendencies in the development of ICTs in education.

The focal points in close co-operation with the Ministries responsible for education in Member States and National Commissions shall operate in the following fields:

• Exchange of ideas, experience and studies on the implementation of ICTs in education.
• Assistance in national research and development concerning ICTs in education in Member States.
• Information on training of personnel in the field of ICTs in education.
• Information on the access to databases and documentation on the application of ICTs in education.

• Monitor the development of ICTs in education in the respective countries.
• Establish information exchange between IITE and focal points.
• Contribute to IITE publications and databases.
• Provide networking of leading national institutions in the field of ICTs in education.

• Inform Member States through focal points on IITE activities, training programmes, applied research and project arrangements.
• Provide access for Member States to IITE databases.
• Provide assistance to Member States in the search for partners in the field of ICTs application in education.
• Analyse assembled information, carry out comparative research and disseminate results.
• Management of the IITE/Focal Point Network.

• be given quick access to information on application of ICTs in education;
• be given access to databases of research findings and researchers in the field of ICTs in education;
• participate in compiling and use of world experience in the field of ICTs implementation in education.

Proposed Stages of the Establishment of the Network
After the nomination of a focal point or liaison officer in reply to the circular letter of the Director-General Member States should subsequently inform him with a copy to the Institute. IITE will contact the proposed institution/liaison officer, inform about the details of the envisaged co-operation and collect all necessary information through special forms. Bilateral contacts will be established first between IITE and focal points followed by a multilateral network operation. It is envisaged to have a pilot network launched by the end of 1999 depending on volunteers ready for co-operation in the first phase.