ECDL - Lithuania, 28 August 2003 David Carpenter Chief Executive The European Computer Driving Licence Foundation Ltd. ECDL / ICDL Today

ECDL - Lithuania, 28 August 2003

David CarpenterChief ExecutiveThe European Computer Driving Licence Foundation Ltd.

ECDL / ICDL Today


ECDL Presentation• ECDL-F Mission & Role• Success & Development• Differentiation • ECDL Economic Value• ECDL Benefits• Social Ethos and Inclusiveness• International Recognition• EU Relationships• Product Developments


A not-for-profit global governing body of the world’s leadingcomputer skills certification programme Members - computer societies in Europe Established in January 1997 by CEPIS (Council of European Professional Informatics Societies)

ECDL Foundation


• Help raise the general level of computer skills in society • Establish a global benchmark for core computer skills

competency and IT knowledge • Provide an essential qualification that allows all people to

participate in e-Society • Be an inclusive programme, ‘Open to everyone’

ECDL Foundation Mission


ECDL Mission: ‘Computing Skills for Life’

Evolution of IT Technologies & Competencies

ECDL SyllabusVersion 3.0

ECDL SyllabusVersion 4.0

MOTIVATION• Currency & Relevance• Quality Improvement

* Clarity & Precision* Structure* Rigour

CONTINUITY• Evolution not Revolution• ECDL Module Structure• Consistent Literacy Message

Syllabus Version 4.0Value & Relevance• Continuity: Builds on Success of ECDL Brand• Focus on Current IT Skills • Relevant Competencies• Clearer and more Precise Wording (for)

* Candidate* Trainer* Test Provider

• Improved Structure (for)* Precision in testing* Courseware

• More rigorously designed (for)

* Test Validation* Test Improvement


ECDL Foundation Role

• Global governing body• Licensing Authority• Product maintenance & development• Quality assurance• Standards and guidelines• Audit Function• Working groups – special needs, teachers• Approval of external service providers• Communication • Marketing & Business Support


ECDL SuccessStatistics:• 3.25 million students, July 2003• 12 million+ tests• 15,000 test centres, 132 countries, 27 languages

Europe - ECDL as a % of population: • Almost 6% of Irish population• Nearly 4% of Swedish and Danish population


ECDL Development

• Finland - CDL• Employers, Unions, Govt, Education• Council of European Professional Informatics

Societies (CEPIS) Task Force• European Commission - ESPRIT• Pilot Tests - April 1996• ECDL - August 1996• ECDL Foundation - January 1997


Differentiation

• CEPIS = 250,000 IT Professionals.• International Support - computer societies,

international bodies, governments.• Social ethos - not for profit, commitment to raising

skills, disability issues.• Generic growth model – “Sweat” Equity approach.• Test Centres / Courseware / Test Providers.• All embracing syllabus development process.• Validation - ETS, EASK, Citogroep,12Million Tests!


International Context

http://www.unesco.org/


Levels of Input • CEPIS

• National Computing Societies

• Practicing Computing Professionals

• National Operators

• Test Centres / Courseware & Test Providers

• Subject Matter Experts (SME’s)

• Specialist Expert Groups

• ECDL Candidates


Vital Statistics - Ireland

5,5005,500

Test Test CentresCentres CandidatesCandidates LicencesLicences TestersTesters

120,000120,000140,000140,000230,000230,0001,1001,100

On a per capita basis, Fastest growing On a per capita basis, Fastest growing ECDL uptake in the world!ECDL uptake in the world!


ECDL Value to Economy• Irish government grant of €19,500.

• Impact Study - government objectives, economic benefits, social objectives.

• Scale of program - estimated annual value to Irish economy, approx. €30million.

• UK and Italy are largest ICDL markets, currently 6-7 times size of Irish market and growing.

• Value to UK and Italian economies???

• Factor of 7 = €200million annually???

• Hidden productivity benefits from up-skilling???


• Designed to help people in work and at home

• Gives candidates a recognised, relevant & up-to-date qualification

• Gives solid foundation of computer skills

• Personal development and motivation

ECDL Key Benefits - Candidate


• Increased productivity

• Reduced PC support costs

• Establishes a tangible benchmark for computer user skills

• Increased quality of administrative output

• Faster payback of IT investments

• Enables employers to invest more efficiently in IT

• Ensures that best practice and quality issues are

understood and implemented

ECDL Key Benefits - Employer


ECDL - Gateway to the Information Society

• Raise the general level of competency in computer skills

• Promote Computer Literacy

• Raise IT Knowledge Levels

• Facilitate Job Mobility

• Facilitate Re-Training

• Improve Productivity

• Enhance returns for IT investments

ECDL Key Benefits - Society


Social Ethos• Inclusiveness: ECDL for People with Disabilities - EU

Project with partners in Austria, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Norway.

• UNHCR - Global Catalyst Foundation project in Mtabila Refugee Camp, Tanzania.

• Ramallah Refugee Camp - UNESCO test centre.• Zimbabwe - WorLD Links for Development Project.• Chile Califica Program.• Tristan da Cunha.• Kabul, Sarajevo, Tsula


ECDL - Founded on Inclusiveness

• ECDL programme - an inclusive programme • Open to everyone

• Specific design to ensure equal and fair access for all people

• Regardless of gender, ethnicity, physical ability, age or speciality area the ECDL certificate represents the same recognised standard for the whole community


ECDL PD Project

(P1) Austrian Computer Society OCG - Austria(P2) University of Linz - Austria(P3) MediaLT - Norway(P4) Berufsbildungswerk Paulinenpflege - Germany(P5) Asphi Onlus - Italy(P6) bfi Steiermark - Austria(P7) ECDL Foundation - International(P8) European Disability Forum

Target Group 1 Blind and visually impairedTarget Group 2 Deaf and hard of hearingTarget Group 3 Cognitive disabilitiesTarget Group 4 Physical disabilities


ECDL PD Aims

• Promote IT usage and IT training for people with disabilities• Increase the availability of integrated and special training• Raise the quality of training available for people with

disabilities– support of training and teaching organisations

• Syllabus, tests, procedures, pilot projects, technologies

by means of the standard ICDL certificate


International Recognition

The ECDL is the only computer skills certification program adopted and recognized by:

• The European CommissionEuropean Commission initiatives:ESDIS Committee Oct ’02 recommended that ECDL“be accepted as a Europe-wide basic IT accreditation scheme”

• UNESCOICDL program in Arab States delivered through UNESCO Cairo Office. Also working with UNESCO in Russia.

• United Nations Development ProgramApril 2003: UNDP enrolled 5,000 staff members in 131 countries in the ICDL program.


International Recognition

Accepted internationally at government level:

• Education Ministries- Australia, Austria, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Jordan, Poland.

• E-Government Plans – Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Norway.

• Ministries of Defense – UK, Sweden, Italy.

• Re-training Schemes – UK New Deal & FIT Ireland.

• Health Services – UK, Sweden

• Institutes of Public Administration – Ireland, Romania

• Multinational Organizations


EU Activities

• ESDIS Recommendation • DG EMPLOY, INFOSOC, EAC, ENTERPRISE• E-Learning Industry Group (e-LIG)• E-Skills Forum – Copenhagen, October 2002• E-Skills Forum – 2004• E-Skills Consortium – Industry association• ERISA• EASK – European Association for Skills & Knowledge• ECDL PD Project• Co-operation with CEPIS• Activities coordinated with Interel, Brussels


Product Development Roadmap

E-Kids*

EqualSkills*

E-Citizen**

Basic Concepts of IT

Using Computer & Managing Files

Word Processing

Spreadsheets

Database

Presentation

Information & Communication

Advanced WP

Advanced Spreadsheets

Advanced Database

Advanced Presentation

ECDL Certified Training Professional

ECDL CAD

ECDL Web Publisher**

ECDL IT Administrator**

ECDL PD**

ECDL ProgrammeECDL Programme

IntroductoryIntroductory CoreCore AdvancedAdvanced SpecialistSpecialist


ECDLSpecialist

ECDL Core

Introductory

EC

DL

CTP

ECDL Advanced


EqualSkills

• OriginDeveloped and piloted in collaboration with Irish government and ISC Skills. 80,000 participants in pilot.

• AimEasy, un-intimidating entry to the computer world and the e-Society.

• Target AudienceIntroduction to IT for those who have never had any contact with computers.

• Structure:10+ hours of tutor led training covering introduction to using a computer, the Internet, e-mail.


E-Citizen

• OriginBeing developed by ECDL-F in collaboration with licensee network, Ireland, UK, Norway and Finland.

• AimE-Inclusion as per the E-Europe 2005 Action Plan, e-Society, e-Government.

• Target AudienceIntroduction to IT for those who have little or no IT experience or knowledge.

• Structure:30+ hours of training, both independent and tutor led.A broader introduction to end user computing including applications.


ECDL Leading the Way…

…for others to follow!


Contact Details

David Carpenter

Chief Executive

The European Computer Driving Licence Foundation Ltd.

107 The Windmill, Sir John Rogerson’s Quay

Dublin 2

IRELAND

Ph: +353 1 679 2847

Fax: +353 1 679 2921

Email: [email protected]

Documents

ECDL - Lithuania, 28 August 2003 David Carpenter Chief Executive The European Computer Driving Licence Foundation Ltd. ECDL / ICDL Today