Following below is information about the WSA as well as the application process.

INTRODUCTION:

The WSA places its emphasis on cultural diversity and identity, the creation of varied information content and the digitalization of educational, scientific and cultural heritage.

The project is an initiative by the European Academy for Digital Media (EADiM) and is held in the framework of and in cooperation with the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) 2003-2005.

THE GOAL:

Around the world, social life, education, business and politics are transformed by the new information and communication technologies. The WSIS seeks to address these transformations in terms of infra-structure, access and digital divide issues. The content gap must also be addressed.

The WSA place their emphasis on cultural diversity and identity, the creation of varied information content and the digitalization of educational, scientific and cultural heritage. These issues belong to the core of a quality Information Society in which people will be happy to live.

The goal of the WSA is to break the awareness barrier and the marketing deadlock where big promotional budgets or markets dominance decide what is available and known in e-content.

WSA AWARD CATEGORIES:

1. e-Learning
   Serving the needs of learners to acquire knowledge and skills for a complex and globalising world; transforming schools, universities and other educational institutions through interactive, personalized and distributed learning resources; creating active e-learning communities and target models and solutions for corporate training; supporting first steps in multimedia.
   
   
2. e-Culture
   Preserving and presenting cultural heritage in line with the challenges of the future; demonstrating valuable cultural assets; clearly and informatively using state-of-the-art technology.
   
   
3. e-Science
   Fostering global collaboration in the key areas of science, and the next generation of infrastructure that will enable it; providing measures to promote and demonstrate scientific processes and make them accessible to the citizens; scientific projects articulated through new media.
   
   
4. e-Government
   Empowering citizens and serving public service clients; fostering quality and efficiency of information exchange and communication services in governmental and public administrative processes; strengthening participation of citizens in Information Society decision making.
   
   
5. e-Health
   Developing of the consumer-centered model of healthcare where stakeholders collaborate, utilizing ICT, including Internet technologies to manage health issues and the health care system.
   
   
6. e-Business
   Support and optimization of business processes; creation of new business models in e-commerce, business to business, internet security and other areas; supporting SME’s in the market place.
   
   
7. e-Entertainment
   Supplying digitized entertainment products and services; entertaining the user in this world’s variety of languages and its cultural diversity; supporting movement from one-way to two-way interactive entertainment and the synergy between analog and digital platforms.
   
   
8. e-Inclusion
   All measures supporting IT integration of least developed countries into the Information Society. Reducing the digital divide between technology-empowered and technology-excluded communities and groups – such as rural areas and women; bridging society through multimedia.

WOUGNET was one of only two (2) African winners. The other was “Time to Market – T2M” from Senegal. Also known as MANOBI, the project makes available online and over mobile connections real-time market data regarding farm and sea harvests in Senegal. For the second phase of the WSIS in November 2005, WOUGNET has been nominated to the panel of experts responsible for nominating candidates from Uganda in each of the 8 categories.

If you wish to bring your innovative products, applications and ideas to the world stage, this is the opportunity you have been looking for.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

1. Name of the nominator(s)
2. Title of project/product
3. WSA award category for which project/product should be considered
4. Description of the project/product, including its objectives, the people involved and/or the target audience, language(s) used, how/when project/product was started, website (if available), and lessons learned and challenges for the project/product.
5. Reason(s) why project/product is nominated

WOUGNET (WSA Uganda Nominations)
Post: P.O. Box 4411, Kampala, Uganda
Email: wsa2005@wougnet.org
Office: Room 13, Plot 59 Nkrumah Road

A local panel of judges will evaluate the applications, and the winners in each category will be announced on June 30, 2005. The eight (8) winners – one in each category - will then be submitted to the WSA International Jury that will select the eventual winners from around the world.

For more information, contact:
Milton Aineruhanga
WOUGNET Program Officer
Office: Room 13, Plot 59 Nkrumah Road (NDA Building)
Tel: 041-256832 or 077-411556
Email: wsa2005@wougnet.org

Click here for more information about WSIS preparations in Uganda.