ICT Research Grants: PhilICT, SIRCA

Research grants are being made available  to  help build ICT research capacities in the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific region.  Many thanks to Dr. Erwin Alampay of the Philippine ICT Research Network and UP NCPAG, for emailing these announcements:

1. The Philippine ICT Research Network Research Grant

The Philippine ICT Research Network, in cooperation with the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) is calling for research proposals that will 'advance theoretically and empirically grounded research and provide sound insights on the roles and impact of information and communication technologies (ICT) on Philippine society and culture.' 

Funding for these grants was made possible through the support of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada. Grant guidelines are available at the UP NCPAG office, UP Diliman, Quezon City. Deadline for the submission of proposals is on October 7, 2008. 

The research areas prioritized under the program are: 

a) Civil society, politics and social movements
b) National and local governance
c) Entrepreneurship
d) Work 
e) Migration and family
f) Rural communities
g) Education, information and knowledge
h) Personal and group identities

2. Strengthening ICT4D Research Capacity in Asia (SIRCA) Programme

The Strengthening ICT4D Research Capacity in Asia (SIRCA) Programme, based in Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, has just been launched with a call for proposals. This programme seeks to identify emerging researchers relatively new to ICT4D research in developing countries and to facilitate their advancement through the support of research grants. For more details please go to the SIRCA website.

The programme includes a mentorship arrangement, and promotes 'broad-based high-quality multidisciplinary research in ICT development, e-services, new media use and social impact, and policy for the benefit and advancement of individuals, organizations, nation and society.' There are three categories of funding: 20,000 SGD, 26,500 SGD and 33,000 SGD. Research guidelines may be downloaded here.

Fifth Annual Web 2.0 Summit, November 5-7, 2008, San Francisco, Ca. USA

The 5th Annual Web 2.0 Summit will be held in San Francisco, Ca., USA from November 5-7, on the theme: 'The Opportunity of Limits: Sustaining, Applying and Expanding the Web's Lessons'.

A lot has been written about Web 2.0. According to Wikipedia, Web 2.0 is a 'trend in the use of World Wide Web technology and web design that aims to enhance creativity, information sharing, and, most notably, collaboration among users. These concepts have led to the development and evolution of web-based communities and hosted services, such as social-networking sites, wikis, blogs, and folksonomies.'  

The term was first used by O'Reilly Media in 2004 to refer to the changes that had taken place in the World Wide Web. Web 2.0 was not so much a technological upgrade of the Internet, but a discovery of its opportunities for self-expression, social networking and collaboration. For introductory information on Web 2.0, you may visit the following resource sites:

What is Web 2.0?

'What Is Web 2.0: Design Patterns and Business Models for the Next Generation of Software' (by Tim O'Reilly)
'Everything You Need to Know About Web 2.0: Learn About Ways Your Organization Can Benefit from Emerging Technologies'

Web 2.0 and eGovernment

eGovernment Resource Centre (Articles and resources about the implementation of Web 2.0 technologies in egovernment; site maintained by the Government of Victoria, Australia)
 
Web 2.0 and Business

'Building the Web 2.0 Enterprise: McKinsey Global Survey Results' (needs registration to access)

Web 2.0 and Education

'Web 2.0: A New Wave of Innovation for Teaching and Learning?'
'e-Learning 2.0 - How Web Technologies Are Shaping Education'
'Integrating the Best of Web 2.0 in the School Library Media Program'

Web 2.0 and Social Development

'NetSquared: Remixing the Web for Social Change'

Web 2.0 Tools

'Back to School with the Class of Web 2.0: Part 1'
'Web 2.0 for the Classroom Teacher'

IDRC Announces New Grant Program for Asia Pacific ICT Community

A new grants program for the Asia Pacific information and communication technology (ICT) community has been launched recently. The Information Society Innovation Fund (ISIF) 'aims to stimulate creative solutions to ICT development needs in the Asia Pacific region'. This is a joint initiative of Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Internet Society (ISOC), and the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC).

Deadline for applications is September 1, 2008.  More information is available on the ISIF website.

3rd Leg of UNESCO's 'Training the Trainers on Information Literacy' to be held in Malaysia

The 3rd leg of UNESCO's current global workshop series on 'Training the Trainers on Information Literacy' will be held in cooperation with the Universiti Teknologi Mara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 11-14 August 2008. Funded by the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Council for the Information for All Programme (IFAP) of UNESCO, the series consists of 11 sessions to train 25-50 participants 'in the best available pedagogies for teaching information literacy'.

A principal goal of the project is to sustain the momentum generated by UNESCO, IFAP, alongside efforts of other organizations like the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), the National Forum on Information Literacy (NFIL) and the National Commission on Library and Information Science (NCLIS), to disseminate information literacy models. 

UN-APCICT Call for Case Studies on ICT4D

UN-APCICT has announced that it is compiling a series of case studies on different ICT4D perspectives from allover the Asia-Pacific region.

According to the website, two issues of the series will be published annually, in print and online. For the inaugural issue, the themes include: technological convergence and the new media; e-governance; and gender. The deadline for submission of case studies is 31 August 2008.