News Releases

UWI takes the Internet further, with Innovation and Mobility

For Release Upon Receipt - October 14, 2008

St. Augustine


The University of the West Indies (UWI), Faculty of Engineering, MRP Telecommunications Programme, in collaboration with the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) and the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL), will host the sixth annual Caribbean Internet Forum (CIF) at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Port of Spain from Wednesday 29th to Friday 31st October, 2008.

The theme of this year’s forum is “The Mobile Internet for Development”, which will be discussed over the three days through the sub-themes of ‘Innovations for Mobile Internet”, “Community Wireless access” and “The Enabling Environment”.

The main objective of this Forum is to explore solutions to facilitating access to the internet, new uses of technologies and improving the enabling environment. The Forum will focus on the use of low-cost wireless technologies and the application of these technologies within underserved communities in the Caribbean. The Forum will review the opportunities offered by the extensive use of mobile technologies in promoting the development of novel, locally-appropriate applications. The Forum will also discuss the implementation of Caribbean community wireless networks and community technology centres. Such facilities are designed to promote the broader use of ICTs by residents; to facilitate greater networking among community organizations and businesses; to promote enhanced personal development and to enable access to improved job opportunities.

This annual event is expected to attract participants from policy and regulatory agencies, telecommunications operators and ISPs, the private and public sector, educators and civil society organizations, as well as interested individuals. This year, regional and international speakers will lead discussions on issues related to the effective use of mobile internet technology to promote economic and social development in the Caribbean.

The third day of the Forum (October 31, 2008) includes an event, the Teleios Code Jam, which will also be of interest to local computer programmers. This is the second, ‘showdown’, phase of a two-phased team-based programming competition to design and implement novel and potentially useful SMSbased applications. All programmers over the age of 15 are invited to enter.

For further information on the Caribbean Internet Forum draft agenda and registration, please visit the CIF website at http://www.cif.tt/2008.php or contact Mrs. Candice Simonta-Dyer at 662 2002, Ext 2637 or e-mail candice.simonta@sta.uwi.edu / ciftt@sta.uwi.edu

ABOUT UWI

The University of the West Indies (UWI) is the largest and most longstanding higher education provider in the English-speaking Caribbean, with main campuses in Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, and Centres in Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Christopher (St Kitts) & Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent & the Grenadines. UWI is an international university with faculty and students from over 40 countries and collaborative links with over 60 universities around the world. Through its seven Faculties, UWI offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Engineering, Humanities & Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Pure & Applied Sciences, Science and Agriculture, and Social Sciences.

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