Digital Reach

have agreed to work as partners on the UNESCAP Development

Centre, which will soon be founded in Korea to focus on IT skills

development. They will also explore areas of potential collabora-

tion and partnership, including the donation of refurbished

computers to CTLCs, use of the Unlimited Potential curriculum

in KADO’s international training programmes, and participation

in other major events focused on digital inclusion and bridging

the global digital divide.

Another example of KADO’s successful multi-stakeholder

partnerships is the Intel

Education Programme toward the

Future. It was initiated in 2002 with the participation of the

Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development,

Korea Education and Research Information Service, city and

provincial offices of education, and other related organizations.

With the firm belief that education is the key to preparing for

the future and that we must cultivate the talents of tomorrow

in order to lead future social changes, KADO signed an MOU

with Intel, and started an education programme to increase

teachers’ ICT access skills and specialities. Between 2002 and

2004, over 18 000 educators in primary and secondary educa-

tion in Korea received training through the programme. This

programme aims to improve ICT access abilities and the knowl-

edge of teachers so that they can integrate ICT and related

projects into the classroom and improve the quality of learning

and education. Helping students to develop improved cogni-

tive abilities will allow them to become active, successful

participants in the knowledge-based economy of the 21st

century. For these goals, KADO and Intel will continue to work

together and invest in education.

Creating synergies

As the aforementioned programmes illustrate, a multi-stakeholder

partnership results in more diverse and dynamic programmes,

and synergistic relationships provide greater results than the sum

of their efforts. The interests of each individual organization may

differ, but when different organizations can work together towards

a common goal, share information, and adjust their interests,

then those organizations can achieve greater results.

When executed properly, a multi-stakeholder partnership may

result in synergistic effects from the creative tensions and the

variety of parties involved, but significant problems can arise in

the management of the project. Different interests can come into

conflict with catastrophic results. Therefore, it is crucial that each

party clearly sets forth respective duties and rights and has a clear

understanding of its goals before initiating any project, in order

to achieve a successful multi-stakeholder partnership. In addi-

tion, each organization must accept the responsibility of project

ownership, so that the strengths of each can combine to create a

synergistic effect.

Caused by inequality in access to information, the digital divide

can result in social and economic disparity between and within

nations, and can seriously threaten the economic structure of the

information network. In an information society where knowledge

and information equates to capital and competitiveness, the

disparity in access to information can aggravate problems such as

inequality in industrial society. The digital divide comprises

various social and economic issues and cannot be resolved

through the efforts of one organization alone. Through multi-

stakeholder partnerships, various organizations can take the first

steps towards resolving the economic and social problems

brought on by the digital divide by cooperating, sharing infor-

mation and working towards a common goal.

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KADO and Intel are helping to educate teachers in ICT

A visually impaired boy uses assistive technology to access ICT