Sustainable Infrastructure
Development in Developing
Countries
Love Ekenberg
Dept. of Information Technology and Media,
Mid Sweden University
and
Dept. of Computer and Systems Sciences
Stockholm University and KTH
SWEDEN
2002-09-23
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Basic Idea
• A sound foundation in computers and access to the Internet
has become essential for modern higher education and
research.
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Scope and Support
• DSV unit for development co-operation is a section within
Department of Computer and Systems Sciences,
Stockholm University.
• The scope of co-operation is the enhancement of
information Technology (IT) in Sri Lanka, Vietnam,
Mozambique and Tanzania by investment in appropriate
electronic infrastructure, and competence development of
IT professionals.
• The funding for the first round is approx. USD 7M.
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Projects Participants
Joint projects between
• Sida-SAREC
• Ministries, IT Institutes and university departments in Sri
Lanka, Mozambique, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Vietnam
• Dept. of Computer and Systems Sciences, Stockholm
University
• Other Swedish Universities
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The Programs
• The development of an electronic infrastructure for:
– universities in Sri Lanka including the Lanka Educational and
Research Network responsible for interconnecting Educational and
R & D Institutions across the country.
– Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique
– Dar es Salaam University, Tanzania
– Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
– Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, Vietnam
• Split PhD Programs
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Split PhD Program (6+6)/12
• The split Ph.D. programs have provided for 24 split Ph.D.s in
the field of Information Technology.
• By the end of 1999 8 Ph.D. Students from the Universities of
Colombo, Moratuwa, Ruhuna and Peradeniya had
commenced work.
• During 2001 12 Ph.D. Students from Mozambique and
Tanzania commenced their PhD studies.
• In 2002 2 Ph.D. Students from Vietnam have commenced
their PhD studies.
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First Objectives
• Operate and maintain campus wide and national networks.
• Deploy applications such as distance education and library
functions based on the networks.
• Build and maintain a network management unit to support
networking activities in the Research and Education sector.
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Ultimate Objectives
• Connect all of the Universities in the countries to national networks.
• Provide internet connectivity to all universities and major research
Institutes.
• Obtain sufficient international bandwidth to support the academic
activities of the staff and students of the universities and research
institutes.
• Expand campus wide networking in other Universities.
• Operate and maintain the campus wide networks.
• Deploy applications such as distance education and library functions
based on the networks.
• Build and maintain a network management unit to support networking
activities in the Research and Education sector.
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Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is the first country where Sida supported
ICT projects in a substantial way.
Inspired by former positive results of earlier minor
project for the development of science and
technology, the present project was commenced in
1998.
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Sri Lanka
Most universities in Sri Lanka have very few
senior staff members (with PhDs) in their
Computer Science and ICT departments.
Very few are involved in R&D.
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Sri Lanka: Some Basic Facts
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POPULATION:
URBAN POPULATION:
ADULT LITERACY:
GNP (per capita):
LIFE EXPECTANCY
INFANT MORTALITY
LANGUAGES:
ETHNIC GROUPS:
– Singhalese 74.0%
•
18.5 million
24%
91.8%
US$833
72.5 years
17 per 1000 /live births
SINHALESE, TAMIL, ENGLISH
Tamils 18.1%
Others 0.8%
RELIGIOUS GROUPS:
– Buddhists 69.3%
Hindus 15.5%
– Christians 7.6% Others 0.1%
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Moors 7.1%
AREA:
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Muslims 7.5%
65,610 sq.km
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Sri Lanka: Some Basic Facts
Source: PROF. V. K. SAMARANAYAKE, CINTEC
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TELECOM SERVICES
– SLT
– WLL
– CELLULAR
– DATA COM
– PAGING
– PAY PHONE
COMPUTERS
INTERNET
– ISPs
– .lk HOSTS
– SUBSCRIBERS
TELEVISION
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600,000
100,000
200,000
25,000
10,000
5,000
200,000
(MONOPOLY) DENSITY = 30/K
DENSITY = 10/K
20
1,000
50,000
DENSITY = 85/K
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Present Telecom Situation
Source: PROF. V. K. SAMARANAYAKE, CINTEC
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SRI LANKA TELECOM PRIVATISED WITH 35% SHARE SOLD TO NTT OF
JAPAN IN 1997
TWO PRIVATE WLL PROVIDERS
FOUR CELLULAR SERVICES
FOUR PAGING SERVICES
FIVE PAY PHONE OPERATORS
NINE DATA COM SERVICES
ONE MOBILE TRUNCKING OPERATOR
SE-ME-WEE II & III AND SATELLITE LINKS
20 ISP's, 50,000 INTERNET USERS
SLT MONOPOLY ONLY ON INTL. VOICE TILL 2002
NO CONCESSIONS ( E-RATE )
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Present Telecom Situation
Source: PROF. V. K. SAMARANAYAKE, CINTEC
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LEARN ACADEMIC NETWORK
20 ISP's , 50,000 CONNECTIONS
CINTEC ACTS AS DOMAIN NAME REGISTRY FOR .lk
ISP ASSOCIATION TO ESTABLISH INTERNET SWITCH
E-MAIL & WEB SITES IN LOCAL LANGUAGES
CINTEC MAINTAINS NATIONAL WEB SITE
INTERNET ON RADIO & TV PROGRAMS
COMMUNITY RADIO & TELE CENTRES WITH INTERNET
LIVE ELECTION RESULTS ON INTERNET & TV SIMULTANEOUSLY
EXTENSIVE USE OF MULTI MEDIA
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LEARN
• The Lanka Educational Academic and Research Network
(LEARN) interconnects Educational and R & D
Institutions across the country.
• Prior to the Sida project, LEARN interconnected 9
institutions at 64kbps and had the same bandwidth for an
external link.
• The Sida project aimed at increasing the bandwidth to
already connected institutions, add new institutions to the
network, and increase the external bandwidth.
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Project Set-up
• IT Infrastructure investments at University of Colombo,
University of Peradeniya, University of Ruhuna, and
National Aquatic Resources Research and Development
Agency (NARA).
• Institutional capacity building through split PhD programs.
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Electronic Infrastructure
• Campus-wide networks in Sri Lanka have been
constructed at University of Colombo, University of
Peradeniya, University of Ruhuna, and National Aquatic
Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA).
• In addition, a network connecting all Universities in Sri
Lanka and some research institutions such as the National
Science Foundation has been upgraded.
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Electronic Infrastructure
• A proposal to establish the Colombo University campus network in
1996.
– fibre cable network,
– equipment
– UTP cabling
• In 1998 under the infrastructure development project contribution was
made to provide equipment and UTP cabling and also enhance the
existing fibre cabling work.
• The campus network covers all departments of the universities in the
faculty of Arts, Science, Medicine, Law, Management and Finance,
Education, Libraries and administrations and other units.
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Electronic Infrastructure
• University of Peradeniya.
– Fibre optic cable network connecting all the faculties (campus
backbone)
– Fibre optic cable networks connecting all the buildings in the
faculties of Engineering and Science, and some buildings in the
other faculties
– UTP cabling in all the buildings of the Faculties of Engineering
(over 900 points) and Science (over 450 points) , Main Library (
90 points) and the Senate buildings (over 140 points). Faculties of
Agriculture, Arts, Dental Sciences, Medicine, and Vet. Medicine
(over 50 points)
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Electronic Infrastructure
• University of Ruhuna.
– Fibre optic cable network and UTP cabling connecting all the
faculties (campus backbone)
– Campus network switches and related infrastructure
– The Department of Computer Science has received a big boost to
its stock of equipment.
– All servers have been replaced by more powerful new servers.
– Set-up of a lab with multimedia supporting PCs.
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Split PhD Program
• By the end of 1999 8 Ph.D. Students from the Universities of
Colombo, Moratuwa, Ruhuna and Peradeniya had
commenced work.
• 4 LicPh at present.
• All other basically in phase with one exception.
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Costs
• Infrastructure: USD 2.5 M
• PhD student/year: USD 32.000
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Benefits with Split PhD
• Continuous contact with the home department.
• Possibility of using international networks and
participation in related projects.
• Participating in projects of a wider range, beyond the PhD
program.
• Continued co-operation after finishing exam.
• Other benefits for home departments.
• Reduced risk for brain-drain.
• Participation in local development and supervision.
• Family issues.
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Obstacles
• A split PhD might imply absence from regular supervision
contact.
• Heavy work load at home departments.
• Possible brain-drain.
• Quite substantial costs.
• Lack of personnel at home universities.
• Lack of adequate supervision at home universities.
• Family issues.
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Conclusions
• Reasonable IT infrastructure should be an investment of high priority.
• General solutions for international bandwidth must be sought for.
• This set-up should be the responsibility of the users. Do not involve
external competence only.
• An efficient organisation is a requirement.
• A split PhD set-up seems to be of great importance as a mean for
reducing brain-drain.
• External universities is a valuable resource also for post doctoral
collaboration.
• Post PhD strategies should be taken into consideration.
• National collaboration must be stimulated after PhD.
• Observe that there are a lot of other ongoing very ambitious activities
on Sri Lanka and elsewhere. Use synergies.
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