Technical Cooperation Projects

Project Background:
The Pacific Island Countries (PIC) leaders during the Japan-South Pacific Forum Summit Meeting in Japan (PALM) in 2000 shared their countries mid-to-long term priorities such as capacity building through active use of Information and Communication Technologies (IT).

IT has a potential to provide opportunities for improvement of life in ways of education, health and economic development. In order to enhance Human Resource Development (HRD), the higher educational model, which is suitable for PIC, should be inserted in the region by utilizing the advantages that can be gained from IT.

Established in the 1968, the University of the South Pacific (USP) that consists of 12 member countries is a premier tertiary education provider in the South Pacific region. Considering the size of beneficiaries, strategic importance of prioritizing Distance and Flexible Learning (DFL), and USP's interest in IT utilization for Socio-economic development as Research and Development Institution, JICA conducted "information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Capacity Building Project at USP from 2002 till 2005.

The Project achieved excellent outputs as JICA and USP agreed to carry out a second phase of the project. In 2009 JICA officially signed documents with USP to carry out "Technical Cooperation Project" under the new "ICT for Human Development and Human Security Project"

Project Period:
Feb/01/2010 till Jan/31/2013

Project Budget (Estimated):
¥260 million (FJ$6 million approximately)

Target Sites:
Main and Regional Campuses of University of the South Pacific (USP)

Target Group:
Information Technology Service (ITS), Centre for Flexible and Distance Education (CDFL) and School of Computing, Information and Mathematical Sciences (SCIMS), Japan-Pacific ICT Center.

Overall Goal of the Project:

1. University of the South Pacific (USP) contributes to the Information Communication Technology (ICT) Human Resources Development in the South Pacific
2. ICT related learning environment in the USP is improved

Project Purpose:

1. Attractive Computer Science (CS) / Information System (IS) and or other ICT related courses are delivered across the region.
2. ICT related facilities in the USP are enhanced

Expected Outputs;

1. New CS/IS bachelor programs are offered at SCIMS.
2. USPNet is efficiently used and distance leaning environment is enhanced.
3. New ICT technologies are utilized and promoted in delivery of distance learning
4. Operational policy and structure of the Japan-Pacific ICT Center are established.