Filippo Nardin, Citizens Energy, Boston

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LINKING BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY WITH ACADEMIC
DEVELOPMENT AT THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF ANGOLA

• Filippo Nardin, Citizens Energy, Boston
• 27th Annual Symposium on Technology and
  Development in AfricaCenter for African Studies
  and College of EngineeringUniversity of
  IllinoisUrbana-Champaign, April 27th, 2001

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SUMMARY

• Catholic University of Angola and supporting
  organizations
• ICT infrastructure
• Computer Engineering Curriculum
• Industry current and future involvement
• Key issue
• Challenges
• An important legacy

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CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF ANGOLA

• Open university, admission criteria based solely
  on merit, its purpose being to serve Angola and
  its people
• UCAN opened its doors in November 1999 to its
  first class of students, today there are 1000
  students enrolled
• Its presence has created an alternative to
  state-sponsored education that encourages higher
  academic standards
• Departments established Law (1999), Economics
  (1999), Computer Engineering (2001)

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CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF ANGOLA
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ANGOLA EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FUND

• The Angola Educational Assistance Fund (AEAF) was
  created by Citizens Energy in March 1996 as a
  501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to support the
  establishment of the Catholic University of
  Angola (UCAN)
• AEAF promotes collaboration between higher
  education institutions and development
  organizations, in Angola and abroad
• AEAF seeks to increase the involvement of the
  private sector in educational activities in Angola

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

• Resources
• Staff management (1), HW/SW/network/web support
  (4)
• 200 LAN-connected WINNT/WIN98/LINUX servers/PCs
• 5 computer classrooms, 1 hardware lab
• Additional connected PCs in the library
• Open spaces for Internet access (25 PCs)
• 1 Mbs wireless bridge to Ebonet based on
  spread-spectrum technology
• Leased line from Ebonet to Angola Telecom _at_ 1 Mbs
• Angola Telecom satellite link _at_ 2 Mbs
• Printers, scanners, media lab for digital
  photography and video, etc
• WEB development
• Highest possible information and communication
  technology standards available for UCAN faculty
  staff and students

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Wavenet wireless bridge antenna
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ISP building withtransmitting/receiving antenna
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Server Room
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Computer Classroom
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Internet access area
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Library
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Students
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COMPUTER ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

• Collaborative-consultative effort
  (Angolan-driven, intl team)
• Curriculum has been developed using unique
  requirements
• survey among intl and local companies operating
  in Angola
• 4 year under-graduate degree, 5.5 year graduate
  degree, plus an early exit point (after 1 year)
• tailored to market needs, emergency of a
  knowledge-based economy, telecommunication
  liberalization, etc
• includes direct involvement of private sector in
  academic activities
• approved by the Angolan Ministry of Education
• Faculty initially, reliance on some foreign
  staff, long term goal is an all-Angolan faculty
• Diaspora
• Locally trained

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INDUSTRY

• Petroleum related, either operator or service
  company
• Foreign-based, many are multinational
  corporations
• It is a closed businesses, i.e. expatriates
  occupy all levels of jobs and only a small number
  of low-level jobs are offered to locals
• Bank sector in expansion, but criteria above
  still apply
• Minerals extraction has potential, but diamond
  sector under scrutiny
• Other sectors slowly growing Coca-Cola, Seaboard
• Long term government goal differentiate economy

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COMPUTER ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

• Preparatory year (1 year, Propedeutico)
• It will give students the title of computer
  literate with basic knowledge in and familiarity
  with the use of information systems and software
  tools for office automation
• Undergraduate degree (3 years, Bachelorato)
• Undergraduates will be able to carry out
  professional and technical activities in the
  design, organization and management of computer
  systems and networks, develop localized software
  and web content
• Graduate degree (1.5 year incl. internship,
  Licenciatura)
• Opportunities for graduates range from pure and
  applied research to innovation and production
  development, advanced design, planning and
  programming and complex systems management,
  management

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INDUSTRY AND CED/UCAN

• Involvement of non-academic practitioners as
  teachers or teaching assistants at UCAN
• Companies have both the competencies and the
  willingness for this involvement
• Internship programs
• Student internships will strengthen
  knowledge-flow between UCAN and the private
  sector, could also start applied research
  practices
• Corporate Advisory Panel for continuous feedback
  and relationship building
• Establish a formal communication channel to bring
  issues from the industry into the university and
  viceversa

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INDUSTRY AND CED/UCAN

• Visits by students and staff to local industries,
  organizations and ICT-related facilities
• Promote relationship at all levels, create a
  familiar environment for future programs
• Professional development programs for industry
  local staff at UCAN
• Cuts into training costs for companies, provide
  an additional financing mechanism for UCAN
• Organization of seminars and conferences

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KEY POINTS

• Angola-centered collaborative effort
• Key question are we building local capacity?
• Examples students abroad, fellowships at UCAN,
  etc
• Peer-to-peer initiatives really drive innovation
• institution-to-institution, faculty-to-faculty,
  student-to-student
• Work with local companies
• Reinforces Angola private sector development
• Outsourcing to local companies
• Transparency
• Tell what you want to do and how much you will
  spend doing it

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CHALLENGES AHEAD

• Academic excellence create an Intl Research
  Center
• Action-research on multicultural environment,
  human-technology interaction, digital divide, etc
• Foster institution development in areas that
  create a competitive edge for UCAN
• Resolve competitive issues with universities in
  Europe/US
• Do universities in Europe and US have an
  attitude problem? Is the willingness to help
  really building capacity, or is it source of
  competition?
• Human Resources
• Single most difficult task find and retain
  skilled staff
• Public health is a crucial issue
• Long-term funding
• Would an UCAN Endowment be the solution?

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MICHAEL KENNEDYS LEGACY (1)

• SEED FUNDING Oil Exploration Block 1 (One)
  Social Bonus
• Identified a project with the right size and
  with an overall positive impact on Angolan
  societal development
• Worked with the Angolan Government and the
  commercial partners to make creative use of the
  social bonus concept
• Create a support fund for to theCatholic
  University

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MICHAEL KENNEDYS LEGACY (2)

• SUSTAINABILITY Oil Sector Training Levy Decree
• Originally drafted by the AEAF in 1995, final
  legislation passed by the Angolan Government in
  July 1997 to fund the University using the
  countrys oil revenues
• UCAN receives one cent per barrel of oil
  (0.01/b.o.) from the operators, oil companies
  get a tax refund
• Current oil production amounts to 800,000
  b.o.p.d., you do the math ...
• Similar decrees passed later for theA. Neto
  State University

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THANK YOU

• http//www.ucan.edu/
• http//www.aeaf.org/
• http//www.aeaf.org/afrst/
• http//www.citizensenergy.com/