Communication Systems Design for Development

The programme is based on a technology transfer alliance supporting the establishment of sustainable communication networks and associated supply chains in areas with demand but short of supply due to high-perceived risks among commercial providers. It is focused on high-performance, low-effect, low-cost ICT systems based on open source software and selected standard off-the-shelf hardware components.

Main objective:
The aim of this project is an integrated framework for multi-stakeholder partnership for development and deployment of advanced communication systems as a basis for capacity building of human and organisational competence.  Moreover it is necessary to support the establishment of sustainable comunication markets in communication-challenged areas. It combines development project goals and problem-oriented, project-driven capacity building necessary to sustain the development project goals.
On the development side, it is focused on high-performance, low-effect, low-cost ICT systems based on open source software and selected standard off-the-shelf hardware components.
On the deployment side, it is based on a technology transfer alliance supporting the establishment of sustainable communication networks and associated supply chains in areas with demand but short of supply due to high-perceived risks among commercial providers.
On the capacity building side, there is a combination of individual learning for academic credit on the PhD and MSc levels, institutional learning towards certification in different specialisations and consortial learning among the partnership members clarifying different roles on the communication market.

Main activities:
The programme is project-oriented. It contains research, development and edcation activities. The major project activities include project work in teams coached by researchers, teachers, more senior students and relevant industrial specialists. On-going projects include support to the establishment of NRENs in Africa, Green networks, High-performance, low-effect, low-cost routers and high-definition video-conferencing clients, delay tolerant nework services for communication challenged areas, etc. There is also institutional cooperation between universities to reinforce MSc and PhD curricula in the area of communication systems design.

As a rough estimate this could include say 10 institutions per each of 10 countries, including 10 ministers of education, 10 regulators, 10 institution heads, 100 faculty members and 1000 students, medical specialists and organisations conducting e-Health R&D.