 August
26-30, 2003 - Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic The
Dominican Republic's Universidad Abierta para Adultos
(UAPA) in partnership with the Inter American Distance
Education Consortium (CREAD) hosted the "1st Congress
on Information Technologies, Communications, and Distance
Education: Challenges in the Development of Latin America"
amidst the beauty of the Caribbean shore of Puerto Plata.
The Congress was a success thanks to the shared organization
of the event among five national universities - Universidad
Abierta para Adultos (UAPA), UNAPEC, Pontificia Universidad
Catolica Madre Maestra (PUCMM), UNICARIBE, Universidad
de la Tercera Edad (UTE) with the support of the Secretariat
for Superior Education, Science and Technology (SEESCYT).
The Congress brought together representatives from
universities and distance education programs from throughout
the Americas to discuss the challenges the region faces
in tapping into the existing innovative technology that
could provide the necessary outreach for the distance
education programs. Participants were treated to a rich
offering of presentations from representatives of the
academic community, public sector, private sector and
international organizations. Presentations centered
around the theme of distance education coupled with
today's technology, the experiences and lessons learned,
and how to work as a regional community that can make
efficient use of the technology to assure education
for the Latin American and Caribbean population. The
World Bank's Global Development Learning Network had
the opportunity to share its experience by way of a
presentation titled, "Evaluation on the use of
Technology in Distance Education Programs Directed at
Economic and Social Development: The World Bank Experience
in Latin America and the Caribbean".
In addition to the presentations, a hands-on, interactive
workshop was incorporated into the Congress which provided
participants with an overview of international organizations
and funding agencies and how the participants themselves
could present projects for financing opportunities.
Dr. Angel Saltos, Private Sector Specialist for Creative
Associates International led and moderated the interactive
workshop in which he identified potential sources of
funding and provided participants with a methodological
approach in how to present projects before funding agencies
in order to secure financing.
The Congress concluded with the "Declaration of
Puerto Plata" in which the participating organizations
of the conference affirmed their commitment to facing
the challenges of distance education by 1. seeking investment
of the public sector, 2. providing open access to distance
education programs to people in the Americas without
discrimination, 3. creating the potential in distance
education institutions to achieve new technology, 4.
supporting and implementing capacity building programs
for those involved in education in order to elevate
the quality, 5. unifying distance education program
standards, and 6. promoting distance education knowledge
sharing conferences and congresses such as those being
organized with CREAD and AIESAD.
In addition to the information exchange and knowledge
sharing which took place, participants were also fortunate
recipients of the unrivaled Dominican Republic hospitality
as they were greeted at the airport to the sounds of
merengue drums, were declared illustrious guests of
the city of Puerto Plata by the mayor, and ended the
conference with a night full of merengue dancing. Because
of the success of the event and the cooperation achieved
among the national academic institutions, a second congress
will take place next year in the Dominican Republic
to once again bring together key actors in the development
of distance education in the region to discuss the latest
technology and how it affects the region.
For more information on this event or to learn of related
upcoming activities, please contact Carmen Carpio at
ccarpio@worldbank.org.
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