The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) and the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency–e-Africa Programme are pleased to announce the call for applications for the first African School on Internet Governance to be held in Durban, South Africa, from 10-12 July 2013.
Internet Governance (IG) is usually defined as the development and application, by governments, the private sector, and civil society of principles, policies, norms, rules, decision- making procedures, and programmes that shape the evolution and use of the internet. While few contest the definition itself, the respective roles, responsibility, power and influence of various stakeholder groups continue to be the subject of intense debate. Also contested is the institutional ecosystem within which decisions that impact on the internet are being made, as well as the principles on which such governance should be based.
What is not contested is that (a) IG is complex and and participating effectively in IG processes is not easy, (b) African participation in IG, be it in technical, social or political spheres, is insufficient and (b) few African countries have established sustainable open and inclusive policy discussion forums where government, civil society, businesses and technical people are able to interact effectively and collaborate to develop consistent national and institutional strategies aimed at mobilising the internet for economic, social, political and cultural development.
The first Summer School on IG (SSIG) was held in Europe in Meissen in July 2007. It has become an annual event and has given rise to the South School on IG held annually in Latin America for the last four years and an Asia Pacific school that took place in 2011. The African School on IG will build on their experience but customise session content to meet the needs of African IG interest groups. We will utilise the expertise that exists within the continent as well as that of international academics and practitioners in the field.
Topics to be covered include:
•History and overview of IG
•Policy, development and human rights
•Regulation and management: standards, protocols, gTLDs, ccTLDs, internet intermediaries
•Multi-stakeholder approaches to IG: roles and processes, challenges and opportunities
APC/NPCA can support two groups of successful applicants:
•Those who are already planning to come to ICANN47 but who would need to arrive earlier to attend the School (accommodation and meals)
•Those who are not currently planning to come to ICANN47 but who want to participate in the school (travel, visas and meals and accommodation for the duration of the School)
The organisers of the School are not able to support accommodation and other costs for participation in ICANN47, only for participation in the African School on IG.
To apply please fill in the form at http://tw.gs/Q7uehW by 12 June 2013. For more information contact alexandra@apc.org