Who we are
2. Context and background
2.1 North-South Collaboration in the Emerging Global Economy
Globalization, the emerging knowledge economy, economic integration processes, and free trade agreements have created a new context for knowledge transfer. The usefulness of academic, business, or policy-making knowledge and experience in national or local matters depends now to a large extent on the capacity to put them in the wider context of regional and international collaboration and exchange in science, technology and trade. Otherwise, that knowledge and experience may become parochial and, eventually, irrelevant for development. This is one of the reasons to attempt innovative North-South partnerships based in a better sharing and use of information, communication, and online learning technologies.
Changes in how the global knowledge economy operates have had profound implications to national and, particularly, local territories. "The world economy is .changing in two fundamental ways. First, ideas have become the engine of productivity and the currency of global success. Innovation determines the wealth of nations and their capacity to provide a high quality of life for their citizens. Second, today's business models are driven not by geography, but by investment decisions and information technology. Companies are moving toward global supply chains."(3)
Rapid changes in the knowledge base of social services provision, industrial production, and trade practices, have rendered indispensable more frequent the updating of professionals, technicians, administrative staff, entrepreneurs, and program operators on issues that cut across common interests in North and South.(4) Besides, in the age of globalization, the goods and services production chain can be fragmented among many territories and countries across the world.(5) Given these new realities, developed and developing countries need - in order to compete successfully in the global knowledge economy - knowledge and skills to support policies, programs and projects that increase the capacity to foster economic growth and development.
Notwithstanding the increasing relevance of the knowledge economy, the promotion of the relation between development and knowledge on the basis of North-South partnerships, taking advantage of new information, communication and distance learning technologies, has not become easier. In the new context of competition and rapid changes in knowledge, open learning communities - people who interact with each other online for educational purposes - are needed. Learning communities built on exchanges, forums, courses, shared knowledge databases, and communication tools will facilitate strengthening relations for professional training and cooperation.
The argument of this initiative is that the emergence of more productive and sustainable partnerships for knowledge sharing and development in the new globalization scenario will be more likely to happen if they are promoted on the basis of a knowledge system that combines information, communication, and the new online learning means brought about by ICTs and the Internet. Key clientele should be professionals because they have limited opportunities to return to university classrooms, as well technicians with non-academic training.
2.2 Antecedents of this project
The flow of knowledge requires - at the minimum - information about what sources of knowledge exist. This information is limited in the case of the flow between Canada and Latin America. Canadian sources of relevant knowledge for mutual development are not sufficiently known in Latin America. As well, the knowledge about development aid, and activities involving Canadian and Latin American partners undertaken through NGOs, universities, and research centres remains fragmented. In addition, few countries in the region, apart from Bolivia, are in CIDA's (Canadian International Development Agency) priority list. Various factors may explain this situation.(6) Under these circumstances, it is not surprising that Canadian-Latin American partnerships are relatively few, and that the potential for mutual benefit is not sufficiently utilized.
This project follows a systematic exploration that took place in 2005-2006. It builds upon the experience of CIC and CEBEM in designing and offering non-degree granting online courses to a varied clientele, with an emphasis on interactive learning.(7)
The study identified several possible projects that could test different models of collaboration. Among these was collaboration in designing and delivering short non-degree internet-based courses destined to technical and professional personnel, to upgrade skills or to train individuals in areas that complemented their backgrounds. The study also found the existence of a potential demand for short-term courses for professional development in Latin America. Among the challenges identified are differences in national infrastructure and levels of higher education, language barriers and varying levels of mutual knowledge.
Of the Canadian Universities involved in the study, the University of British Columbia manifested a particular interest in engaging with Latin American partners to experiment with collaborative online education; contact was subsequently established with CIC, which has a mandate to offer non-degree online training as well as a strong focus on inter-cultural relations and international development.
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