The UNU Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT) has formally become an Academy Training Centre, as part of the International Telecommunications Union’s Academy Training Centre programme. This programme takes the International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU’s) capacity development work forward into the future. It will directly contribute to building knowledge and skills among professionals in the ICT field, thus enabling them to contribute to — and fully participate in — the digital transformation.
ITU Academy Training Centres (ATCs) are internationally recognised institutions offering high-quality training to intermediate and senior personnel, with a focus on the needs of developing countries. ATCs are the core capacity development partners of the ITU, delivering first-rate courses that address the most important training topics, as identified by ITU’s membership.
Dr Mindel van de Laar, Head of UNU-MERIT's Capacity Development Office, reflects, “We look forward to intensifying our training interactions with ITU offices and staff members. In the past decade, we already cooperated with ITU very closely. We jointly commit to expanding our relations and providing excellent training to professionals in the ICT field in the years to come. The courses we will offer focus on the policies and societal impacts thereof, including for instance policy processes and design of ICT relevant policy, intended and unintended consequences of ICT policy and state-of-the-art innovation policy. Like all training offered by the Capacity Development Office, these courses are designed at an academic level to service the needs of intermediate and senior professionals.”
UNU-MERIT Director, Prof Dr Bartel Van de Walle, said, “I am delighted to take the next step in our collaboration with the ITU. Over the last few years, our partnership has produced policy-relevant research and we are looking forward to delivering training opportunities within the ATC programme.
Our cooperation will work to strengthen the capacities of policymakers in charge of designing and implementing policies and strategies to lead their countries through the digital transformation, as well as other professionals in the ICT sector requiring knowledge and skills in the field of digital technologies.”
For more information, visit the UNU-MERIT website.
