Bridging the Digital Divide - telecommunication in developing countries

Efficient communication has long been seen as an fundamental source for innovations and development. Several researchers argue that a sustainable development in the poorest regions only can be achieved by efficient communication systems. For this purpose ICT is an unbeatable tool. But to reach success demands a new way of thinking and an innovative way of using the new technology.

HumanIT has initiated a new project at Karlstad University, "Bridging the Digital Divide", in collaboration with Ericsson. The project started January 2003 and its purpose is to study how ICT can contribute to sustainable development and reduced poverty in the poorest countries in the world. The focus is on rural areas as they are the most neglected concerning communication possibilities and access to information.

The benefits that can be achieved with ICT are several: education and interactive healthcare as well as support to local producers to reach out to new customers. The most important is to let the people in these areas guide the development. The technology must be adapted to their requirements, circumstances and traditions.

The primary aim of the project is to collect data on information paths, information needs, and ICT implementation processes. The overall aim is to create sustainable ICT solutions that can support the presently poorest in the best way. Efficient use of modern ICT can also make it possible or the developing countries to jump over certain stages in their way to develop their society. Below are some examples of theses:

Design of the registry system for the Namibian office of the Auditor General
Here are two examples from a couple of students who have been twice to South Africa:
SA_Schools
SA_Townships
Zambia has also been visited by different students: Intercultural_Communication (onlys abstract in English) .

Licentiate thesis: Information and Communication Technology Applied for Developing Countries in a Rural Context

HumanIT organize the 2nd International Conference on M4D (mobile technology for development). For more info click here

For further information, please contact Gudrun Wicander. If you are a student we can give you some suggestions about how to search for travel grants for field studies in developing countries. click here

Project Participants:

Gudrun Wicander,project coordinator: 
John Sören Pettersson, Professor 
Bernt Ericsson, formerly at Ericsson Foresight
Jörgen Nenzén, Ericsson Communication for All
Patrik Bångerius, LIFE Academy
Bo Göransson, Lund University