European Commission

Development of

Network of Mediteranian Information Technology Nodes (ITNs)

A seminar conducted by Bureau van Dijk

with contribution of Birzeit University

P R O G R A M M E

• Aim of the Training Seminar on Management

The aim of the seminar is to provide experts from IT centers in the various Mediterranean countries with a qualification in regards to organisational and management activities in the field of information and communication technology (basic knowledge in regards to working in cooperation with other organisations, project management, relationship with companies, technology transfer, management of changes).

At the end of the seminar, participants will have learned the methodology to manage the project and twill be capable of setting up a local IT cooperative network; the action plan will be established for 1999

• Duration

35 hours on two parts (3 days + 2 days, one month later)

• The public targeted

Decision-maker (directors, technical or commercial managers, project managers, those responsible for programmes or studies...) working within of Information Technology Centers.

• Number of participants in the seminar

10 or 12

• Profile of the participants

In order to participate actively in the seminar, the participants must have the following background :

- academic training level Bac + 4 minimum,

- a university degree in the field of information technology,

- professional experience (periods of training within a company for an educational institution are not taken into consideration) with 5 years minimum within a national organisation or specialised organisation in information technology,

- a position as a decision-maker within a project (or research programme) consisting of several engineers or technicians (responsible for a team) or several organisations (responsible for administrative or financial management) for at least one year,

- fluent in French or English speaking (according to the seminar).

• Teacher

1 teacher from Bureau van Dijk

1st PART (3 days)

1st day

9.00 - 12.15 : INTRODUCTION

• Opening address (by an EEC representative or the ITN leader)

• Aims and context of the MED-ITN project

Decisions of European Union as regards an Information Society, the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, resources for Information Technology, the ITN project, the five themes... Concept of skill and expertise. Their role for developing industry and commerce.

• Presentation of the programme

The two parts of the training seminar ; the specialized seminars ; practical aspects

• Presentation of the participants

Activities and skills represented by organisations; motivation of participants

13.30 - 17.30 : INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES AT STAKE

• Distinction of the field covered by the information and communication technologies and by the information industry.

Typological approach ; hardware industries, software industries, information industries, service industries; field of applications concerned and specific characteristics: internal management, marketing, communication and business, documentation, scientific and technical data; organisations concerned: companies, government, academic organisations, individuals; activity sectors concerned in the country: textile, tourist trade, building industry.

• Incidence of TI for Mediterranean countries

Economical incidences, now and in the future, in various sectors of activities ; opportunities; "map" of the situation in the country; main sectors concerned.

• Stakes for the companies and organisations

Conquer new markets, be able to meet the globalisaton of economic exchanges, maintain clientele loyalty; gain in efficiency or in internal productivity, improve the corporate image; facilitate the exchange between partners.

• Examples of incidences in some sectors

• IT position inside the country

2nd day

9.00 - 12.15 : EXPECTATIONS OF ORGANISATIONS

• Expectations vis-à-vis IT nodes : an actual support and profitable, professionalism...; to know identify needs and built a realistic offer ; role of relays ; choice of sectors ; concept of quality of services.

• The specificity of marketing applied to the services, companies and applied to innovating products ;

The preliminary studies (detection of the potential expectations, identification of the market segments, of the installed park, analysis of the macro-environment; critical analysis of its own capabilities and potential) ;

Inventory of the IT skills in the country; setting-up a directory. Statistical data on the infrastructures and equipment that users have at their disposal. Setting-up an information-gathering apparatus. Principal sources/channels of information in the field.

• Conditions for technology transferring.

13.30 - 17.00 : Working in a network

• Example of European countries

The main Europan programmes. Networks developped by European Union ; examples ;

• Contributions of networks of IT nodes

How to answer to aims and expectations in the mediterranean countries; to practice the benchmarking : to follow what is the best in Europe and in other mediterranean countries ; potential co-operations.

• Examples of actions developped by IT nodes

3rd day

9.00 - 12.15 : CONDITIONS OF SUCCESS

• Types of co-operation : informal and structured co-operation (GIE, consortiums, ...); tools in order to make the management agreements operational (charters, contracts, other operational rules, ...). Juridical and economical aspects

• To introduce a new partner in the network

• Success of actions

To respect engagments ; to maintain a high level oc activities ; choice of actions offering best fall back for a low cost ; professionalism of actors

13.30 - 17.30 : Planning and Project Management

• The project management applied to small projects

• Works to do

Preparation of the detailed programme of support activities in information technology (Who does what for the period 1998-1999 according to the 5 specialised themes)

Presentation of specialised training seminars

Dispatching of work for preparing the 2nd part of the seminar

• Specific tools of information between participants of the project : Web site and bulletin

2nd Part (2 days)

1st day

9.00 - 12.15 : ELABORATION OF THE ACTION PLAN

• Progress of the setting-up of the networks since the first part of the seminar, the agreements concluded or that remain to be concluded.

• The organisation established in order to :

- collect and diffuse the information concerning the use of IT in the industry and commerce,

- compare the results obtained with those of the other networks set-up in Europe or in other Mediterranean countries,

- promote the activities of the developped networks,

- maintain a Web site devoted to TI

13.30 - 17.30 : ELABORATION OF THE ACTION PLAN (Continuation)

- training actions

- creation and maintenance of local developments

- demonstrations

- communication actions

- making known and promotion in regards to companies

- event organisation (workshops, visits, ...)

- contacts with partners

- technical or counselling support aids

- technology watches, etc.

2nd day

9.00 - 12.15 : FOLLOW-UP OF IMPLEMENTATION

• Piloting of the follow-up of the plan of action (gathering of information, motivation, support, ...)

• Links with other ITNs in the Mediterranean and European countries

• Links with the persons in charge of the project (BVD, CCE), utilisation of the communicaton tools (the Web)

• Auto-evaluation procedures during 1998-1999

13.30 - 17.00

• Final phase of elaboration of the action plan

• Assessment of the seminar