ECDL Foundation Newsletter -
                                January 2013

Welcome to the latest edition of the ’ECDL Foundation Newsletter’. All articles featured in this HTML version can be read in full in a downloadable PDF version of the newsletter.

ECDL Foundation in Action
                                      Around the World

Private Sector ICDL Initiative Provides Employment Skills for Underprivileged Youth - Malaysia

F&N Beverages Marketing has invested RM175,000 (€44,000 approx.) in the ‘F&N IT Corner’ initiative, with the aim of delivering ICT skills to underprivileged youth. This investment has equipped three centres with the necessary computing hardware, in addition to funding the delivery of the ICDL programme. Read more.


First ICDL Test Centre in Somaliland to Provide Much-Needed Employment Opportunities to Local Community

Despite considerable local challenges, Doburo Centre will deliver digital skills to young adults within the community, with the aim of providing them with greater access to the knowledge economy and with greater employment opportunities. Read more.


ICDL Pilot Scheme to Enhance Sustainable Economic Development, Quito – Colombia

ICDL Colombia and CONQUITO (Agencia Metropolitana de Promoción Económica, the Quito Metropolitan Agency for Economic Development) recently carried out a successful pilot project to train and certify 200 civil servants from Ecuador and 60 from Colombia working in the organisation with the introductory digital skills programme, ICDL Start. Read more.


ICDL to Provide Essential ICT Skills to University Students - Palestine

AQAS, the ICDL National Operator in Palestine, has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Quds Open University (QOU), Palestine. QOU has already established four ICDL Accredited Test Centres over the past year, and through this agreement, it will play a central role in assisting AQAS to market the programme further in Palestine. Read more.


ICDL Certification Becomes a University Graduation Requirement - Lebanon

Beirut Arab University (BAU) in Lebanon has endorsed the ICDL certification as a mandatory requirement for all their students before graduation. With more than 300 higher education programmes, BAU provides a rich and rewarding educational environment to some 15,000 students per year, both in Lebanon and abroad. Read more.


ECDL Romania Co-organises in Unusual Job Fair - Rahova Prison

The unusual event was held as part of the strategic project: ‘ICT training according to the European Standards in Romanian Education System’. The project is co-organised by ECDL Romania. During the course of the project, more than 2,000 prisoners and 1,700 members of Romanian penitentiary system’s personnel will be enrolled in the ECDL programme. Read more.



News from the ECDL / ICDL
                                      Network

‘Big Data’ and its Implication for the User

The New Year is a time for predictions, and the technology media in particular enjoy crystal-ball gazing. Commentators cross their fingers and speak authoritatively of the next ‘big thing’ - the emergent technology that will define the coming year. Read more.


Discussion in Digital
                                      Literacy

ECDL Foundation and Ministry of ICT to Greatly Improve National Digital Skill Levels - Algeria

According to the terms of a recently-signed Memorandum of Understanding with ECDL Foundation, the Algerian Ministry of Post & ICT is taking the lead for this ICDL project at the national level. The project is planned to run for, at least, the next 5 years, and to certify a significant number of candidates each year. Read more.


ICT User e-Competence Framework Project Opens Public Comment Period

This CEN ICT Skills workshop project, funded by the European Commission and led by ECDL Foundation, has been running since December 2011.The project aims to develop a reference framework for ICT user competences. The draft final report of the project has recently been made available for a 60-day public comment period via the CEN website. Read more.



Programme News

Teaching of ICT Skills in School is Lagging in Europe – European Commission Study

This study reveals that almost all countries have implemented national strategies to foster ICT skills; however, ICT skills are rarely integrated into subjects such as mathematics, science and languages. Read more.


Measuring the Information Society 2012 - The International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

The ITU is part of the United Nations. This report (published October 2012) measures the world’s connectivity in relation to mobile and fixed technologies and assesses the state of the global digital divide. Read more.


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