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The importance of ICT policy development for education & challenges for research

E.M.A. Geers (Bert)

Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), The

Netherlands

TU Delft ICT program coordinator for International Cooperation

Member of the ICT4DEV platform of the Dutch Ministry for International Cooperation

Member of the Swedish Program for ICT in Developing Regions (SPIDER) network of consultants

e.m.a.geers@tudelft.nl

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Contents

1. ICT policy development and implementation for

higher education

2. TU Delft as partner for ICT policy development and

implementation

3. TU Delft as partner for ICT research

4. Example of research project

5. Final remarks

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ICT for higher education (1)

• Researchers can access current literature; work collaboratively with colleagues around the world; submit, edit and review journal articles, theses and conference papers; and access web-based services and databases.

• Instructors can create electronic and traditional course materials including web-based resources and e-journals, communicate with students via e-mail, use e-learning tools to manage courses, submit marks; and issue and receive assignments electronically

• Students can use local and web course materials and resources instead of relying purely on lectures as the sole source of information and knowledge; participate in courses and programs even if not physically present on campus; and access online administrative systems for course registration and mark retrieval

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ICT for higher education (2)

• Administrators can reduce archaic paper-based systems; can

have certain level of control over and knowledge about the

areas they manage; and can be responsive to staff and students

needs.

• HEIs become attractive partners for research networks and

education grids

• Society at large has the benefit of ICT-literate graduates

• With their new-found ICT expertise and experience, the

university ICT specialists become a prime resource helping the

public sector start to use ICT effectively

What ICT environment need to be put in place ?

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Challenges for the HEI management

• What ICT services, ICT infrastructure, ICT technical

support and what competencies are needed?

• What ICT services, ICT infrastructure, ICT technical

support and end user skill development programs can be

afforded?

• How to secure optimal deployment

• What should be the involvement of the various

stakeholders groups?

• Internet / email services• Office automation facilities• Library information services• E-learning platforms• Academic Register Management IS• Financial Management IS• Human Resource Management IS• Academic discipline specific IS• ……..

• Bandwidth connectivity• WAN• Campus networks• Departmental networks

• ICT resource management concepts, organizational design, embedding and development principles

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ManagementAdministrators

LecturesResearchersStudents

ICT technical support

GovernmentExternal (ISP’s,

Telco’s)

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Delft University as partner for ICT policy development and implementation

• TU Delft has developed partnerships with HEI’s in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East for ICT policy development and implementation

• Key: participatory approach for formulation ICT policies and ICT master plans providing:

- common, institute or sector wide supported vision (documented in the ICT policy)

- a concerted approach of actions (documented in the ICT master plan)

- a instrument for attracting required funding from national sources and international funding agencies

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TU Delft partners for policy development and implementation

Latin America:

UNI- Nicaragua

UNAH-Honduras

Africa:

UoO- Burkina Faso

MU-Kenya

UDSM-Tanzania

UEM-Mozambique

Kist-Rwanda

Europe:

KPI-Ukraine

Asia:

USC-Philippines

HA-Philippines

CUSAT-India

HUCE-Vietnam

UCSC-Sri Lanka

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Middle East:

HE sector-Yemen

HE sector- Jordan

Financial support from:

• The Netherlands (NUFFIC)

• Sweden (Sida – SPIDER)

• EU (Tempus TACIS, Asi@IT&C and AsiaLink)

• World Bank, Central America Bank

• National Governments

• In parallel: EU: FP6-3 other research projects

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Concerted approach of actions

ICT services

Technical Support

End user competencies

ICT data comm’s Infrastructure

TU Delft Resources:

• Future search approach

• Template ICT policies and master plans

• Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL/CTA-UK)

• Template ICT Resource Management (IRM) business modules and development plans

• Generic ARIS application

• Team of International Consultants from TU Delft and its partners

• TU Delft Research capacity4 52 31

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TU Delft as partner for ICT research

Areas of ICT research (amongst other):

Research group Distributed Processing:

• Grid computing

• Sensors for wireless networks

• Parallel processing

• Peer to Peer (P2P) networking

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Example: TU Delft research project

An Integrated Peer-to-peer Platform

for

File Distribution in Course

Management Systems

Tribler Campus:

Relevant for cooperation on ICT policy development and implementation with partner HEI’s

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CMS: Client-server architecture

Present generation of Content Management Systems:

client-server

Problem: Not scalable

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Client-server architecture

• Problem: Not scalable

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Client-server architecture

• Problem: Not scalable

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Client-server

• Common solution: better hardware..., more

bandwidth….

• Expensive

• Not feasible for distance learning programs in

rural areas with limited bandwidth availability

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Peer-to-peer technology

• All computers share resources / bandwidth

• Highly scalable

• Very low costs

• More users = better performance!

peer-to-peer

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Peer-to-peer technology

client-server peer-to-peer

Napster, Kazaa, BitTorrent, ...

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Tribler Campus Project

• Idea:

Functionality of Course Management Systems

with the performance of peer-to-peer

• Based on highly advanced Tribler P2P technology

- Improved BitTorrent

- Developed at TU Delft and VU Amsterdam

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Tribler Campus prototype

• Prototype implemented and tested in the NL and the

Philippines

• Extension (TC agent) written for Moodle CMS:

- Open-source, modular approach

- 10,000+ institutions, 150+ countries

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Results (500 MB files, 40 available, 400 requests)

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Results (500 MB files, 40 available, 400 requests)

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Results (500 MB files, 40 available, 400 requests)

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Performance statistics

• Download time statistics (500 MB file, 400 requests

per day):Average Std.dev Min Max

Client-server 19.1 17.1 1.7 53.2

BitTorrent 8.1 6.3 1.7 25.0

TriblerCampus 2.9 1.5 1.7 10.1

(in minutes)

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Scalability: Requests

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Final remarks• Current CMSs: not suitable for large files

• TriblerCampus: high performance at all times

• Highly scalable, stable and reliable

• Flash crowds, multiple campuses, distance learning

• Prototype findings very promising if not spectacular

• TribleCampus highly relevant for TU Delft partnership

program on ICT policy development and implementation

• Long term ambition: TriblerCampus first step towards

toolbox consisting of shareware, open source solutions for

Higher Education

• Research Partners & funding (from FP7- IST and other

programs) are sought.

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• Pioneers• Development and implementation• Research (security, validation)