iGmena Call for Participation: Online Training Programme on Internet Governance & Policy in the Arab world
iGmena is the Internet Governance in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Why?
The Internet is facing many challenges and threats at the global, regional and national level with governments questing for more power and control. To this aim, governments are maintaining surveillance, imposing Internet filtering, adopting strict legislations and using the UN and other intergovernmental processes to curb freedoms on the Internet.
How activists, human rights defenders or journalists can cope with the recent defiance and understand these issues? Are they empowered enough with the adequate knowledge to share the responsibility? There is an opportunity to fill the gap and be ready to respond to those threats with the appropriate knowledge, skills and tools!
How?
The Humanist Institute for Co-operation with Developing Countries (Hivos) is organising an online training programme under its programme on Internet Governance in the MENA Region (IGMENA) that aims to improve Internet Governance (IG) and enhance legislation on Internet policies in the region. The main objective of the training programme is to train and equip different stakeholders across the region with the skills and knowledge on IG and policy related issues in order to prepare them to take the lead in their countries and to engage them in the IG discussions on the local and regional level and then on the global level.
At the end of the training, participants will have the required toolkits to share experiences with their peers, understand current IG notions and issues, link them to the situation in their respective countries and influence local policies. Furthermore, the programme will allow successful participants to be involved in several regional and global IG processes, being in touch with experts on IG and joining an extended network of activists and experts in the region.
The tuition fees of the training programme will be covered by a fellowship from Hivos in partnership with Association of Progressive Communication (APC) and DiploFoundation to a number of selected and qualified applicants who demonstrate the required skills.
Course description
The online training programme consists of two phases: Foundation Phase (introduces basic knowledge on IG and Policy) and Advanced Phase (focuses on in-depth issues like Human Rights and Internet). The online platform is provided by DiploFoundation with original up-to-date content and curriculum tailored with special focus on MENA issues. It is based on online classroom that provides interactive tools facilitating interaction between participants with the support of experienced trainers.
The course covers five thematic areas: Infrastructure and Standardisation, Legal, Economic, Socio-cultural, and Development aspects. Moreover, it has a dedicated chapter on IG processes and actors.
Discussions will cover issues such as broadband policy, management of domain names and IP addresses, network neutrality, jurisdiction, intellectual property rights, open source and piracy, privacy protection, data security and cybersecurity, child protection, human rights, content management, digital signatures as well as emerging issues (i.e. policies related to social networks and cloud computing). The programme will also provide the opportunity for participants to raise other topics and issues of their concern.
Who?
The programme is aimed for:
Public sector employees at the national regulator or the ministry of communication and technology
Members of the private sector representing a company operating in the Internet industry
Bloggers, journalists, human rights activists, scholars, researchers, students with a legal background, political science or International relations
What?
Applicants should have:
Sufficient ability in English (including reading academic texts, discussing complex concepts with other course participants, and submitting essays and written assignments).
Regular access to the Internet (dial-up connection is sufficient; although broadband is preferable).
Ability to dedicate a minimum of 8-10 hours commitment per week (the time management is flexible and personal) and the readiness to participate in class online sessions (once a week at specified times).
When?
Duration: 16 weeks
Timeline
22nd July 2013: Deadline for applications
26th July: Informing selected applicants
29th July: Introducting the online platform
5th August: Starting the training
Where?
Interested applicants should provide all the required information and fill the online form on:
Only complete applications will be considered. Selected candidates will be contacted by 26th July 2013.
For any inquiries, email us on: info@igmena.org
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