Overview of LIKTA ICT education and e-skills activities

Latvian Information and Communications Technology Association – LIKTA

January, 2012

AGENDA

LIKTA overview LIKTA ICT education and e-skills initiatives International projects and cooperation

Latvian Information and Communications Technology Association – LIKTA

A professional association (NGO) encompassing the ICT industry and ICT professionals (established in 1998)

LIKTA represents more than 200 members: Over 80 organizations from ICT industry, research and educational

institutionsmore than 14 thous. employees turnover over 1.26 billion EUR Individual members (ICT professionals) and other associations

LIKTA objectives and priorities

Promoting national ICT strategy and development of Information Society Promoting ICT education and digital skills, Latvia@World initiative, use of ICT

technologies in education Fostering e-Services and e-Government development, use of ICT in different

sectors and industries Encouraging ICT Industry development and growth, export incentives Harmonisation of regulation and legislation in ICT, implementation of EU

regulatory framework Promoting innovations, knowledge transfer and RTD in ICT sector Initiatives to facilitate participation of Latvian SMEs in EC RTD and ICT

programmes

International links

CEPIS member Council of European Professional Informatics Societies

ECDL-Fondation member European Computer Driving License Foundation

IEEE ComSOC Sister society Telecentre Europe member

PPP initiatives in e-business and INFSO field in Latvia – ICT annual prize Platinum Mouse

Established by LIKTA since 2007Aims to raise awareness of innovative

ICT solutions and e-servicesOrganized in cooperation with Public

sector partners and industry partners

Includes awards in categories : E-government services E-business solutions (solutions for

business development) Social services Over 100 projects and e-services

promoted in 4 years

LIKTA EC Projects

IST4Balt, Star-Net projects to facilitate participation of Latvian SMEs in EC R&D programmes (2005-2007)

ESF project “Raising qualifications for ICT industry SMEs “ (2006-2008) ESF EQUAL project “Training in Computer and Internet Usage of

Unemployed in Latvia” (2005-2007) National strategy for ICT sector and cluster development (2006) Study on ICT sector statistics requirements and demands from user

perspective (2007) ESF project on training ICT company employees in advanced IT

technologies and Business courses (2008-2010)

LIKTA EC Projects II

Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013 project BONITA (Baltic Organisation and Network of Innovation Transfer Association) (2008-2011)

Grundtvig project “Improving Key Competences of Citizens at Risk of E-Inclusion from the Labour Market” (KC4all) started with participation of LIKTA (2009-2011)

„Latvia - RTD technological audit” study performed by LIKTA (contracted by European Commission, 2009-2010)

LIKTA ICT education and e-skills activities LIKTA activities covers the whole range of goals and

themes linked to ICT education and digital skills : Digital skills for everyone ( e-Inclusion aspects) :

disadvantaged groups, seniors, minorities etc. ICT skills for Office productivity and competitiveness

of SMEs : ICT skills for ICT professionals Development and defining of ICT standards and

curricula for Universities and High-Schools Supporting and fostering ICT research and

innovation

Latvia@World initiative -digital skills for everyone

LIKTA is initiator and coordinator of e-Inclusion and e-Skills development initiative Latvia@World, started at 2005

Latvia @World goals : Diminish the digital and social gaps in society Provide basic information society skills for everyone Promote the usage of existing e-services

More than 95000 people have acquired different level e-Skills within the project

Project is an example of PPP and has accumulated resources from: ESF, other EU funding programs, Governmental support programs, private donors (Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Swedbank, Lursoft, etc.) and municipal (local) funding

Latvia@World initiative -digital skills for everyone-2

Programme- Basic Information Society Skills Learning tool for people who have no or little experience of working with

computers 16 hours hand-on-training program followed by individual work

Digital skills for SMEs Specialized training program for SMEs and micro-enterprise needs 24 hours program with additional module for e-business

Digital skills for NGOs Promote the NGO leaders' interest in ICT to use in their work,

communication tools, presentation tools, document exchange sites, creating an effective work of NGOs

Digital Guide for Families – A unique inter-generation training program for family members

Online knowledge assessment and testing tools (IT Barometer, E-citizen and ECDL tests)

International projects and cooperation

Digital skills for different audiences

IT Barometer

IT Barometer is an on-line testing tool designed to assess basic IT Barometer is an on-line testing tool designed to assess basic information society skills. information society skills. ItIt allows to examine ICT competence allows to examine ICT competence level and receive an automated evaluation with indications for level and receive an automated evaluation with indications for necessary improvementsnecessary improvements Takes not more than 5 minTakes not more than 5 min Can be taken any time, any place (Internet connection needed)Can be taken any time, any place (Internet connection needed) Statistics for training centre, e-mail with results – for business Statistics for training centre, e-mail with results – for business

versionversion Advice on skills upgrade / certificationAdvice on skills upgrade / certification

IT Barometer

LIKTA coordinates Get Online week in Latvia

Get online week ( e-skills week ) 2011– a Europe wide campaign to get new computer users online and promote e-services and e-skills

"We are all better off when everyone is online."

Neelie Kroes, the Vice-President of the European Commission, responsible for the Digital Agenda, at the Launch of Get online Week in Brusssels, 24.02,2011

Partnerships in Latvia – more than 200 partners involved Coordinators

Latvian Information and Communication Technology Association (LIKTA)

Ministry of Environment and Regional development (VARAM) Principal Partners

SIA Lattelecom SIA Microsoft

Regional partners (municipalities) Digital map of Latvia – www.eprasmes.lv

Information partners www.esmaja.lv www.piesledzieslatvija.lv and 1188 www.solipasolim.lv www.draugiem.lv

Partneri

Main results of GOW

41482 participants in 5 days Latvia the most active participants in EU 1.8 % of total population Number of seminars and workshops taking place

all around Latvia – 709 Number of portal www.latvija.lv users

increased after the Get Online week

ICT skills for office productivity Special training program for SMEs and micro enterprises

Includes modular and in-depth training Initiated and coordinated by LIKTA, supported by ESF

Online Employment toolkit developed within Kc4all project

ECDL certification LIKTA is the ECDL license holder in Latvia since 2001 Manual and Automated tests available in Latvian ( and

Russian )

ICT skills for ICT professionals LIKTA initiates and supports regular qualification upgrade

of ICT professionals ESF project “Raising qualifications for ICT industry SMEs “

(2006-2008) ESF project on training ICT company employees in

advanced IT technologies and Business courses (2008-2010)

ESF project on training ICT company employees in innovative technologies and business development (2010-2013)

High quality ICT education

Primary and Secondary schools European Computer Driver’s License (ECDL) program

level education Attraction of students to exact sciences High results in ICT international Olympiads for schools

University level ICT professional education In 2010: 2211 ICTE students enrolled

1168 graduated with diploma 15 higher education institutions with 44 programmes at

college, professional, bachelors, masters and doctoral levels

Continuous professional skills upgrading programs and courses for ICT companies

International projects and cooperation

LIKTA has a long term partnerships with NGO and ICT industry associations around the world: Members of Telecentre Europe and Telecentre world

organizations – more than 35 countries Partners of LIKTA EU projects ICT associations and NGO s from Eastern Europe and

neighboring countries: Russia, Belorussia, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Turkmenistan, Serbia , Turkey etc.

International projects and cooperation-2 LIKTA has shared its experience and tools for e-skills

development at International and European conferences and summits Telecentre Europe summit, Istanbul 2009, ( Online e-skills testing tools ) Telecentre Europe summit , Budapest, 2010 ( E-skills development tools

for SMEs and NGO ) 3 rd global Forum on Telecentres , Santiago, Chile 2011 _ (Employment

Online Toolkit) And many other events...

We are willing and ready to share and replicate our best practice with other countries and regions !

Thank you for your attention!

www.likta.lv www.eprasmes.lv