UNESCO and Microsoft Announce Higher Education ICT Task Force for Long-Term Skills and Sustainable Development

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) and Microsoft Corp. today announced a joint task force to helphigher education institutions worldwide meet the growing challenge ofsupporting economic stimulus efforts and work-force development strategies.The UNESCO-Microsoft Task Force on Higher Education and Information andCommunication Technology (ICT) will create a strategic plan of action toidentify how ICT can be used by governments as a catalyst for change.

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The announcement was made at the UNESCO World Conference on HigherEducation (WCHE), which opened today and is being attended by close to 100ministers of education, senior education officials and policy advisors. TheWCHE is also focusing on critical issues around reduced funding for educationglobally as a result of the economic crisis and the need for governments tofind affordable measures for short-term skills training and work forceenhancement in support of economic recovery and growth. Many delegations inattendance from developing regions emphasized the longer-term challenges ofsustainable higher education reform and capacity-building.

The UNESCO-Microsoft Task Force on Higher Education and ICT will analyzethe findings and recommendations of the WCHE, in addition to feedback fromglobal higher education experts and stakeholders, to identify key initiativesthat will promote more effective use of ICT in post-secondary teaching,learning and research.

"Higher education is increasingly strategic for building up skilled workforces in countries. Our focus has been on ensuring that tertiaryinstitutions address the key long-term requirements of our increasinglyknowledge-based societies and that students today are best equipped to driveand support economic growth and to address major development challenges fromeducation to health to the environment," said Nicholas Burnett, UNESCOassistant director-general for education. "Through the creation of theUNESCO-Microsoft Task Force on Higher Education and ICT we will help mobilizecritical strategic resources to better assist ministries of educationworldwide."