Information Competencies: Bridging the North-South Knowledge Gap (Mortenson Distinguished Lecture)

Knowledge is readily available in middle-income developing countries through international information repositories on the Internet. However, most citizens from the Southern Hemisphere do not possess the information skills or information competencies to access, use and understand such knowledge wealth. Most economically evolving developing countries have made progress in education in recent decades, but they still lag behind in information use/generation, such as book and serials production. Their educational systems seem to inhibit the development of information skills, i.e., competencies that are crucial to citizens to benefit from increasing knowledge growth or to cope with ever-present technological innovations and the changing complexities of the world economy. The development of information competencies in Southern countries is critical to reduce North-South gaps, where knowledge inequality is probably the most important among them. In this paper, information development indicators are utilized to illustrate the current knowledge status of countries and the significant role that constructivist educational systems play in the development of information competencies

The global knowledge economy in question

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to bring into question the idea of the global knowledge economy. Design/methodology/approach – The paper explores the characteristics of the knowledge economy, as elaborated by academics and policy makers concerned with knowledge in the contemporary global business environment. A range of available data is reviewed concerning the global distribution of investments in knowledge, information and communications technologies (ICTs), international transactions in knowledge-intensive services and royalty and licensing fees, employment by sector and literacy rates. Such data provide a basis for an initial critical evaluation of the notion of the global knowledge economy. Findings – The use of the term “global knowledge economy” fails to acknowledge the uneven distribution of knowledge-based economic activity. Moreover, as currently constituted, the idea of a global knowledge economy, which focuses on knowledge as conceptualised in the commercial activities of advanced countries, overlooks the diversity of knowledges present in the world today. Originality/value – This paper provides the first attempt to question and critically explore the global knowledge economy

Afterschool for the Global Age

Summarizes discussions from a July 2006 convening on model afterschool programs and best practices for enhancing global literacy, including innovative uses of community and international connections, project-based learning, and educational technology

Developing an African Offshoring Industry—The Case of Nigeria

The purpose of this note1 is to raise awareness of Nigeria’s potential as an African offshoring hub, and it is aimed primarily toward policy makers, potential private sector investors, and development partners. What can Nigeria do to take advantage of the benefits of global trade in services; how can the country brand itself as an offshoring destination for international investors; and what government policies are required to ensure that Nigeria plays a role in the growing ICT offshoring sector?development, Africa, Offshoring, Industry Nigeria, trade in services, investment, ICT, government policies, IT, communications

The influence of global intellectualization on human development

In the context of the global intellectualization, human capital is the determining factor in the innovation development and the international competitiveness of countries. In the XXI century. the leading component of human capital are qualitatively new information, communication and network technologies. Particular importance are education and training, professionalism, high level of human resources management, building up, reproduction and human capital development. These factors are the prerequisite for the growth of the competitive advantages of the country in the conditions of globalization

Advancing adult learning in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

This report presents available evidence on adult education and training in Europe and Central Asia (ECA), differentiating two separate types: continuing vocational education and training (CVET) for the employed, sought either by employers or individuals, and retraining and second chance education for the non?employed. This paper presents available evidence on the extent and patterns of lifelong learning in ECA. It argues that advancing adult education and training in ECA is important not only to meet the new skills demands but also to respond to a rapidly worsening demographic outlook across most of the region. While it is not equally important for all ECA countries, adult education and training should be high on the agenda of those ECA economies that are closest to the technological frontier and facing a demographic decline, such as the new European Union (EU) member States and Russia. The paper lays out a framework for government action to advance adult learning in ECA through a mix consisting of policy coordination between government and the enterprise sector, a sound regulatory regime and appropriate financial incentives.Access&Equity in Basic Education,Education For All,Primary Education,Teaching and Learning,Gender and Education

Bringing financial literacy and education to low and middle income countries : the need to review, adjust, and extend current wisdom

This paper presents a World Bank led and Russia trust fund financed work program to measure financial capability and the effectiveness of financial education in low and middle income countries. The two activities and their staging have been motivated by the lessons of high income countries with financial literacy programs and the deviating characteristics of low and middle income countries. While progress has been made in high-income countries to measure financial capability, there is little robust empirical evidence thatfinancial education can improve it. While applying the financial capability concept in low and middle-income countries looks promising it will need to be adjusted to their characteristic and supported by innovative interventions and rigorous impact evaluation to improve it.Financial Literacy,Access to Finance,Access&Equity in Basic Education,Education For All,Poverty Impact Evaluation

Solutions for Financial Inclusion: Serving Rural Women

This document presents a CaseStudy for solutions for financial inclusion. Using Uganda as a CaseStudy, Women's World Banking set out to better understand the needs of rural women and to use the research and lessons learned there to make recommendations on the design and delivery of microfinance products within Uganda and throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The research highlights the specific gender-based social, cultural and legal barriers that rural women face in accessing and using financial services and examines operational challenges to effectively serving this market