Extending knowledge access

Under a pilot project launched in April 1997 by the World Bank, 10 universities in six nations will be connected through the African Virtual University (a computer link via satellite) to universities in Europe and the USA. The project's main objective is to tap new information technologies to overcome the many financial and physical barriers that prevent students at African colleges from gaining access to quality higher education. Participating universities in the USA and Ireland will provide packaged academic programmes, particularly in science, engineering and business.

1. 1. The public domain and non-commercial software plays an important role in public and commercial life. The Internet is built upon public and open protocols and uses a wide range of free software programs. Free software operating systems such as Linux and xBSD are important alternatives to more monopolistic server technologies. Databases of government information provide an important new foundation for civic democracy in the information society.

1. Promoting knowledge society
2. Organizing knowledge
3. Opening
4. Improving access
5. Enabling significant engagement

1. Transmitting accumulated knowledge
2. Providing basic education
3. Improving access to information
4. Facilitating public domain
5. Cultivating incentives to knowledge

1. Testing communal wisdom
2. Stimulating understanding of meaningful social activity
3. Reinforcing life styles
4. Providing images of meaningful involvement in society
5. Presenting factual information of social value
6. Maintaining flow of knowledge for societal advancement

1. Using expert systems
2. Stimulating desire for knowledge
3. Restructuring knowledge
4. Providing symbols of selfhood
5. Pooling grassroots commercial wisdom
6. Networking school systems
7. Incorporating human wisdom
8. Establishing skills exchanges
9. Disseminating knowledge
10. Designing fulfilling life style
11. Advancing information studies

1. Structuring wisdom protection
2. Recognizing social context for meaningful involvement
3. Interpreting data meaningfully
4. Accessing knowledge for significant social actions

1. Requiring relevance in information acquisition
2. Questioning conscience on value of social roles

1. Wisdom
2. Uncritical
3. Uncorporate
4. Overcritical
5. Knowledge
6. Criticism