Milestone 3: Improved ICT and Library Services
More well-trained ICT staff to support students, staff and researchers
During the program, selected staff of the partners will follow online training in system and network administration and computer maintenance. This will help them build their capacity at their own pace and based on their own needs. For this, we will make use of an online learning platform that offers such content (e.g. Udemy). Using such a e-learning platform will also make it possible to follow up on the staff performance and provide them access all year to high-quality training material. Shifting to an online training platform that provides the necessary learning material has the advantage that we can support the project even when the Flemish staff does not have the necessary experience or time to support the numerous requests for support on different subjects. The staff can also use the content on the platform as an inspiration to prepare their own training material. During the first phase, we piloted this approach, and the feedback was very positive and was seen as very innovative in the Ethiopian context.
The ICT offices at the Ethiopian partner universities exchange knowledge and capacity on the local level and with other VLIRUOS partners
When possible, staff will participate in training organized by other VLIR-UOS programs in Ethiopia (Arba Minch and Bahir Dar) and Africa (IUC in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania). This will strengthen the exchange of experiences and facilitate the transfer of knowledge. The SP will also invite participants of those programs to participate in training and workshops organized in Ethiopia.
The involved ICT offices have developed a modern vision on how ICT should be implemented by developing policies and strategies
In parallel with the deployment of infrastructure and services (see below) the necessary workshops will be organised to develop and plan the implementation of ICT policies and Information Management policies.
University researchers and students have better access to better and more ICT services
The necessary ICT infrastructure equipment to support the other sub-projects of the program will be procured and set up in the first two years of the project. The ICT equipment needed are high-capacity servers and supporting networking equipment. Training will be provided by a Flemish expert in data centre design to make sure that the investments are set up correctly considering local circumstances. To be sustainable and to limit costs, the servers will be installed with open-source software. Flemish experts will train the system administrators and network administrators in the installation, and the management of an open-source virtualization system (Proxmox). By using such a system, the foundation for the deployment of ICT services will be laid. Jimma University and Ambo already use Proxmox and we will upgrade their current knowledge. Jimma University and Ambo University staff will develop training material and offer training and guide the implementation at Hawassa University and Addis Ababa University (College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture). As much as possible, we will implement services by using train-the-trainer approaches.
Once the foundational infrastructure has been put in place the staff will be supported by Flemish experts from Ghent University, VUB, UHasselt and Thomas More Geel in further deploying ICT applications. To provide sustainable services the necessary supporting services will need to be deployed or upgraded too. For example, backup services and network monitoring software. Cyber security training will also be organized.
Contrary to what would be expected there is a high number of female staff employed in the involved ICT offices (30% to 50%). However, the number of female staffs that are actively involved in the ICT tasks is low. One of the reasons identified is that many of them are lacking education in ICT and have few opportunities for ICT training. To inspire and support the females in the ICT offices we will put in place quotas, so females are given the opportunity to attend training and workshops. For the cyber security training, the instructor is female.