According to William Ruto, Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya who opened the summit, “ICTs occupy a very special place in the hearts and minds of Kenyans. Indeed, ICTs not only drive the Kenyan society today but also are intricately embedded in our national development plan, which Kenya calls ‘Vision 2030. To gain from the wave of ICT innovations, we must urgently build the capacity of our people and institutions. This is particularly critical for developing countries and least developed ones that still lag behind in many respects.” Organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN specialized agency for ICTs, and hosted by the Communications Authority of Kenya, the global ICT Capacity Building Symposium (CBS-2016) aims to formulate and optimize human capacity building strategies for the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, to improve’ digital skills and empower countries to take full advantage of strong continued growth in ICT-related jobs. “We live in a knowledge economy where new opportunities are emerging every day. ICTs are now at the centre of almost everything we do, and those who are empowered with digital skills and have the ability and opportunity to learn and adapt will gain a significant competitive advantage,” said ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao. “This symposium brings together key ICT and education stakeholders to discuss how emerging technologies are changing the human capacity building environment: ITU is committed to helping all its members effectively and rapidly build human ICT capacity and improve ICT skills.” CBS-2016 discussions are focusing on new skills requirements in a changing world; innovative tools for education and learning; new digital learning methodologies including online learning through social media and MOOCs (massive open online courses); and the central role of academia in building skills in the digital era. “The cornerstone of ITU’s capacity building strategy is strengthening existing structures and introducing innovative initiatives for capacity building.” said Brahima Sanou, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau, which is organizing the event. “Partnerships and collaboration are essential for capacity building in the ICT sector: we rely on partners to design and develop appropriate programmes and deliver training to our Members: our work impacts people’s lives across the globe.”
