International Civic Engagement

Applications Available for 2008 iGov Research Institute

Center for Technology in Government
2008 iGov Research Institute 
July 13-20, 2008

Doctoral students from around the world who are interested in international digital government research are invited to apply to participate in this week-long, intensive residential program focused on ways to advance, study, and understand digital government research in an international context.

The Institute includes both academic activities and practical field visits and is organized around the experiences of a major city using advanced information policies and technologies for economic, cultural, and social benefits. The faculty team comprises internationally known researchers as well as senior government officials.  The 2008 venue is the University of Salford and the City of Manchester, UK. 

iGov Research Institute is a program of the Center for Technology in Government at the University at Albany/SUNY and supported by the US National Science Foundation.

The 2008 iGov application submission deadline is February 8, 2008. To learn more about the Institute and to apply, visit http://www.ctg.albany.edu/institute.

UN Partners with Microsoft to Bring Technology Benefits to Millions in Africa

From the UN News Service:

The United Nations telecommunications agency and technology giant Microsoft have announced a new partnership to help bring the benefits of information and communication technology (ICT) to millions in Africa, a key aim of a global summit that kicked off yesterday in Rwanda.

As part of the partnership, announced yesterday at the Connect Africa Summit, the UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Microsoft will launch ITU Global View, a virtual earth-based online platform to showcase and track ICT-related development projects on the continent.

They also agreed to support programmes providing skills development and capacity building, particularly for young people, the delivery of relevant applications and services in Africa, and collaboration on cybersecurity.

The Connect Africa Summit brings together governments, industry, development banks and international organizations to mobilize the human, financial and technical resources required to expand the development of ICT infrastructure and ensure that it is used effectively to close the technology gaps throughout Africa.

“Connect Africa is a call to action for the private sector, and we are encouraged by the progress we have made together with Microsoft to broaden the scope of capacity building in Africa,” said ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré.

Michael Rawding, Vice President, Unlimited Potential Group, Microsoft Corp., referring to the 1 billion people already connected to the Internet, stated that “bringing the benefits of technology to the next 5 billion people will require new approaches to development and new partnerships between international organizations, governments and the private sector.”

The company is seeking – through its Unlimited Potential vision – to work with governments, organizations and industry partners to reach the next 1 billion people who are not yet realizing the benefits of technology by 2015.

The two-day Summit offers a venue for leaders from various sectors to focus on the crucial factors needed to advance ICT investment and boost growth in Africa, including the expansion of broadband infrastructure.

“This meeting illustrates the power and potential of public-private partnerships,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told delegates, noting that the Summit brings together the African Union, the African Development Bank, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, African governments and the private sector to address the barriers to connectivity in the region.

In a message delivered by Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Sha Zukang, Mr. Ban said that narrowing the digital divide is part and parcel of global efforts to achieve development for all.

He noted that information and communication technologies have much to contribute to the fight against poverty, disease, hunger, illiteracy and environmental degradation – all key aspects of the global targets to be achieved by 2015 known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The benefits offered by ICT must be made available to all segments of society, in urban and rural areas, and in all regions, especially in Africa, the one region not on track to meet the Goals by 2015, Mr. Ban stated, calling for redoubling efforts and forming a true partnership for development.

Hong Kong, Jordan and Estonia Debut Among the Top 10 in Globalization Study

From Government Technology:

Hong Kong, Jordan and Estonia debuted among the top 10 most globalized nations in their first year on the Globalization Index, an annual study produced by A.T. Kearney and Foreign Policy which assesses the extent to which nations are becoming more or less globally connected. The index is published in the November/December issue of Foreign Policy.

Singapore ranked first for the third consecutive year. However, Hong Kong debuted very close behind, in second place. The Netherlands rose four places to third, followed by Switzerland and Ireland at fourth and fifth. The United States dropped four spots to seventh overall, despite its continued strength in the index's technology score. Index newcomers Jordan and Estonia ranked ninth and tenth, respectively.

Rankings

1. Singapore
2. Hong Kong
3. Netherlands
4. Switzerland
5. Ireland
6. Denmark
7. United States
8. Canada
9. Jordan
10. Estonia

UN-Backed Forum Examines Role of Information in Humanitarian Operations

Improving humanitarian responses during emergencies through better information is the focus of a United Nations event that kicked off yesterday in Geneva, bringing together governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), scientists, academics, the media and the private sector.

Over 300 humanitarian and information specialists are attending the week-long conference, which aims to improve current humanitarian operations through new technology and improved information practices.

Hosted by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the meeting will also review progress made since the first Symposium on Best Practices in Humanitarian Information Management and Exchange, held five years ago.

Participants will address how information can meet the challenge of today’s humanitarian environment; the impact of citizen journalism and new media in humanitarian reporting and advocacy; and how to improve communications to people in need during an emergency.

“The role of information in humanitarian operations cannot be overstated,” stated John Holmes, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. “It is the key element for accurate analysis, which underpins effective coordination, evidence-based advocacy, sound policy and effective action.”

Mr. Holmes will be among the keynote speakers at the event, which will also showcase the latest innovative tools and new technologies currently being used in humanitarian operations, such as REDHUM, YouTube, Flickr, Second Life, satellite imagery and blogging.

Civic Engagement Week Gets Students Involved

From The University Daily Kansan:

This week, the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics played host to the fourth annual Civic Engagement Week to encourage active participation in the community.

Barbara Ballard, associate director of the Dole Institute and state representative, said that the week would have several opportunities for students to be involved in the civic process. She said she was especially excited for this morning’s breakfast for future and current leaders at the Dole Institute.

“It can be a social thing as well as an opportunity to meet other student leaders,” Ballard said.

Ballard said that the main purpose of Civic Engagement Week was to focus on what it meant to be a United States citizen. On this campus, she said, it meant getting involved.

Ballard said that being engaged in the civic process included meeting other students, volunteering and voting.

“I enjoy working with students and making sure they’re involved in where they live,” Ballard said. “We look for ways that students could actively participate and not just sit and listen.”

Events occurring during the week include Sustainability Day on Wednesday, which features presentations in the morning and a town hall forum in the afternoon, a showing of the movie “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” on Thursday and volunteering at the Jubilee Café on Tuesday and Friday morning. Students will also be able to register to vote from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day this week at a table on Wescoe Beach.

Ballard said that she had worked with several student organizations to give several different groups at the University ownership of the week.

One such group is the Student Legislative Awareness Board, or SLAB. Alex Treaster, Shawnee senior, is director of the legislature.

“SLAB is going to be more focused on registering voters while the Dole Institute will be hosting a variety of political programs,” Treaster said. “Although we will both have our own events throughout the week, the SLAB-Dole Institute partnership has been the driving force behind the development of Civic Engagement Week.”

Ballard said that Civic Engagement Week was part of a national movement started by a relationship between the University, Harvard University and several other institutions throughout the country. Ballard said that other schools had similar weeks to try to promote civic engagement. She also said that once a year she took students to Harvard to meet with other universities to discuss ways to promote civic involvement on campus.

Beka Romm, Bennington senior and student outreach coordinator for the Dole Institute, said that Civic Engagement Week was part of the institute’s mission.

“The mission of the Dole Institute is to educate and engage students,” Romm said. “Civic Engagement Week is really about what you are going to do with what you’ve learned.”

Park University Student Reports on U.N. Internship

I am posting (with his permission) the second report from Park University student Salam Lazkani on his experience as a UN intern:

I expected all of the excitement to come at the beginning of my internship at the United Nations and that the remainder would be smooth sailing, but was I ever wrong.  There is nothing smooth or slow about this midpoint.

Time is flying, and I have been here more than four weeks.  These weeks are a very demanding time for my department.  My boss feels sorry that I am working extra hours, but I am so happy because I am getting the chance to participate in multiple projects. 

In my last report, I mentioned that I would soon sit and talk with my boss about my performance.  She had very positive feedback and told me that I am on the right track.  I finished the Tiger Team Training and submitted a report about the areas that we can improve for the upcoming training.  When my boss asked me to write the report, she asked me to submit it to her.  Now, it has turned out that the report will be submitted to the head of our department, and might even be read by the Assistant Secretary General.  The training program is getting a great deal of attention, and the upper mangers, or the “Section Chiefs” as we call them at the UN, want to develop a more dynamic training program.

One of the things that one must learn to adapt to at the United Nations is hierarchy and the value of the organizational structure.  Everybody here follows the system and you need to be cautious about the reporting mechanism.  For example, you could see Section Chiefs here on daily basis, but it is not appropriate to speak to them.  You need to talk to them through your supervisor, following the chain of command.  I am the one who wrote the report about the training program, but I could not read it in front of the Section Chief since I am an intern.  The structure reminds me of a military structure, and it is important to understand all the complexity of the system.  The person who read the report felt bad for me since he presented my work, so he thanked me for my work in front of everyone.  The good news is that they treat me as one of team members, and they even gave me a certificate as proof that I completed the program.  The head of the Tiger Team even told me that he would hire me if he could.  Of course, hiring somebody in the UN is not easy at all.  You must meet many requirements, and for this reason, I can not be hired for two reasons.  First, interns need six months after finishing their internship to be considered for any job at the UN. Second, I need my Masters degree to be considered for a job at the UN, which I will complete in six months.  I felt so happy, not only because, to some extent, I was offered a job, but because they are appreciating my work.

For the last two weeks, everyone in my unit has been working until 8:00 PM.  We had to develop a training program called “Hybrid Training” for more than seventy staff members.  We needed to explain the reporting mechanisms in the UN and the linkages between various departments in Peacekeeping Operations.  Also, the training focuses on establishing a mentor in each unit that will guide his/her unit through their daily tasks.  The main challenges are developing a program from scratch and ensuring that all the information presented is correct.  It might sounds strange to you, but my unit is trying to draft Standard Operating Procedures for everything.  We want to standardize the recruiting, managing, and administrating procedures around the world.  Believe me, it sound easier than it is.  You cannot create a Power Point presentation here without acquiring approval from the head of the whole section.

Last week, my boss called a meeting, and I was in this meeting.  They were discussing what part each one would work on.  My boss looked at me and said, “Salam, which part do you want?”  I was surprised that I am getting this big task and I know that my whole unit is under pressure since we will be presenting it to the head of our section.  I told her that it does not matter.  They gave me the part that discussed the hierarchy in the references that the staff members use to base their decisions on.  She asked, “Can you do it?”  I told her, “Yes, for sure,” but honestly, at that moment, I had no clue where to even start, but I wanted to be positive and knew that this was my chance to prove that they can rely on me.  I had to read hundreds of pages to find the information that I was looking for.  I did my part before the due date, so my boss kept asking me to assist in putting all the information together.  She was pleased with my work and she appreciated that I was staying after hours to finish the project. 

We presented the first session on Tuesday, and the Section Chief loved it!  He came to thank me in person and called me by name; it was a good sign that he even knew my name.  He is really high ranking here and he has been with the UN for at least twenty years. 

The Section Chief called me into his office yesterday.  I was so scared.  Automatically, I thought that I was in trouble for something.  I got that feeling of being a kid when the principal calls you into his office, and you know that means bad news.  I walked in his office; he pointed to his computer and said, “Do you know how to fix this?”  I said, “Let me try.”  I was praying in my heart that it was something I could do.  I was lucky that I was able to fix the problem in just a couple seconds.  This was another chance to show him that I know how to do the job.

As you can see, I have had a really busy week.  I am currently working on editing and checking references for some of the Standard Operating Procedures that my unit has been working on for the last two years.  I am also developing some templates on Excel to facilitate their daily tasks.  I had the opportunity to meet many people in past few weeks and I am using the networking skills that Global Future taught me.

In the upcoming weeks, I have a busy schedule.  Next week I am going to visit the United States Permanent Mission at the UN, and hopefully we will meet the Ambassador. The following week, I will visit the French and Dutch Missions.  It will be a great opportunity to meet these diplomats.

I have one final story to leave you with.  Last Sunday I had lunch with the one of the Diplomats from Paraguay.  I met him through a friend.  He is one of the youngest Diplomats in the UN.  He is a great person and was responsible for his President’s security when he was in New York two weeks ago.  He told me that he is working on arranging for Ban Ki-Moon to speak at Kansas State University.  This young Diplomat graduated from K-State and he really wants to make this happen for his University.  I asked him if he could arrange a meeting for me to meet Ban Ki-Moon.  I am thinking that if he can get him to K-State, maybe I can get him to Park.  Anyways, I was thinking, this is a dream, but I have learned something in my time at Park: dreams can come true and there is no limit to one’s horizons.

Finally, there are multiple factors and people that made this internship possible for me, and there are many people who made my dreams come true.  I want to thank them all and I promise that I will meet your trust.

To be continued…

Application Opens October 15th for the United Negro College Fund Special Programs Corporation's Institute for International Public Policy

Background
The Institute for International Public Policy (IIPP) Fellowship Program is a program of the UNCF Special Programs Corporation that is now entering its 14th year. The Institute seeks to enhance U.S. national security and global competitiveness by promoting excellence, international service, and awareness among a representative cross-section of the American citizenry. The IIPP also seeks to broaden access to international education and training opportunities for underrepresented minority college students.

The IIPP Fellowship Program provides students from underrepresented minority groups with education and training experiences critical to entry and advancement in international affairs careers. IIPP is a comprehensive program of summer policy institutes, study abroad, intensive language training, internships, graduate study and student services, including, mentoring and career development. Additionally, the program provides students with the education and training needed to enter successfully, advance within, and lead international affairs careers.

IIPP Fellowship Components:
* Sophomore Summer Policy Institute
* Junior Year Study Abroad
* Junior Summer Policy Institute
* Summer Language Institute
* Internship
* Master's Degree Program in International Affairs/International Relations

Eligibility Requirements
The IIPP welcomes applications from undergraduate sophomores who:

* Are enrolled full-time at an accredited four-year baccalaureate-granting institution;
* Are U.S. Citizens or legal residents (documentary support required);
* Have a minimum 3.2 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale);
* Have a strong demonstrated interest in international affairs;
* Are an underrepresented minority (African American, Hispanic/Latino American, Asian American, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander); and
* Plan to seek admission to a two-year master's degree program in international affairs.

Students from underrepresented minority groups, especially those from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Other Minority Serving Institutions (OMIs) are particularly encouraged to apply. Though not a requirement, applicants are strongly encouraged to complete at least one of the following courses before starting the IIPP Fellowship: international affairs, foreign policy, a foreign language, political science, sociology, macro/micro-economics, statistics or a course in journalism.

IIPP Fellowship Funding Package
The IIPP Fellowship funding package includes the following:

* Sophomore and Junior Policy Institutes: housing and meals in university facilities; books and materials; field trips and excursions; a stipend; and travel from home or school to JSPI. New Fellows are responsible for travel between their home or school and SSPI;
* Junior Year Study Abroad: one-half of program costs and personal expenses for one semester of overseas study during a Fellow's junior year, with the expectation that his/her school will supply the other half through financial aid or scholarships and a reasonable family contribution;
* Summer Language Institute: tuition and fees; room and board; books and materials; travel to and from SLI; a stipend;
* IIPP Internship: depending on whether the internship is domestic or international, IIPP may provide travel costs and a stipend.
* Graduate School: $15,000 in matching scholarship funds, provided the Fellow has completed each IIPP program component and will pursue a Master's degree in International Affairs at an Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) - accredited program, or other program approved by IIPP.

How College Sophomores Apply
1. Visit www.uncfsp.org/IIPP and follow the link "APPLY ONLINE." Please refer to the complete online application guidelines.

2. Complete all sections of the online application, including:
a. Personal, academic and employment credentials.
b. 1000 word essay that provides your analysis of a current social issue.
c. 500 word personal statement that describes your objectives and motivation for seeking an IIPP Fellowship.
d. Upload resume.

3. Mail hard-copy supporting documents including official college transcripts, College or University Nomination Form, Financial Aid award letter and/or Student Aid Report. These items must be postmarked by the March 15th application deadline.

4. Application Deadline: March 15th. Applications from college sophomores are not considered complete until all documents have been received. Late applications, including those hard-copy supporting documents postmarked after the March 15th deadline, may not be reviewed by the selection committee. Decisions will be mailed no later than May 1st.

Email Nicholas Bassey, Deputy Director/Program Manager with comments or questions at Nicholas.Bassey@uncfsp.org.

Rural High-Speed Internet In US Now Just a Wal-Mart Store Away

North America's largest satellite broadband provider has linked up with Wal-Mart to sell satellite high-speed Internet access in rural and suburban areas across North America.

Read the full Digital Communities article at http://www.govtech.com/dc/articles/155624

College Convention 2008

College Convention 2008
November 28 - December 1, 2007
Center of New Hampshire
Radisson Hotel
Manchester, NH
Web Site: http://cc2k8.nec.edu

Every four years America chooses a new president. Like Olympians gathering for their quadrennial contests, the candidates face a decathlon of challenges – primaries and caucuses – that test their stamina and determination as well as their qualifications. The first event, the first primary, is won or lost here in the frosty streets and warm coffee shops of New Hampshire. Every four years they come, the Democrats and the Republicans, the Libertarians and all the rest. In this small state with a rich tradition of handshaking, doorbell ringing and living-room neighborhood stump speeches, candidates are made or broken by the rigors of meeting what must seem like half of the people in the state.

Just before that first in the nation primary election, a newer traditional event occurs: College Convention. On November 28 - December 1, 2007, college and high school students from all over America, and potentially the world, will gather at the Radisson Center of New Hampshire for College Convention 2008. With them we expect to gather all of the major party presidential candidates as well as the two dozen or more independent and third party candidates who exercise their right in the New Hampshire primary. There will be a full agenda of policy driven and issue oriented sessions featuring important elected officials and renowned experts, and surely a few surprises.

In 2004, College Convention brought together a thousand participants from over 30 states and countries with seven major party candidates including John Kerry and John Edwards. We also hosted such speakers as Senator Sam Nunn, Senator Harris Wofford, Secretary William Bennett and media mogul Ted Turner. In 2008 things will be even bigger. We welcome your inquiries and we invite you to become a part of the process, to become a part of history yourself at College Convention 2008 – Where the Road to the White House Begins!

Student Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition - Oct 31 Deadline

From Community-Campus Partnerships for Health:

The 2008 Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition (GSEC) is seeking college and graduate students to enter a national business plan competition in which students from around the world create commercially sustainable businesses that address problems of poverty in the developing world. Competition organizers have expanded the competition this year to include global health plans. Submitted plans will be judged by their impact on quality of life in developing countries, implementation feasibility, and financial sustainability. Contestants will need to demonstrate how their plans will impact population health, as well as how those health care benefits are good for society. The deadline for preliminary materials is Oct. 31.

Information: Go to http://bschool.washington.edu/gsec/