EDICT – Enterprise Development through Information and Communication Technology  is a project funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Italian Cooperation to Development and realised in cooperation with UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization), having its head office in Vienna and UNINETTUNO/ UTIU – International Telematic University UNINETTUNO.
The project is aimed at realising distance education courses on issues related to Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion - EDIP in Iraq by means of the new information and communication technologies (ICTs).

Most specifically, the project envisages capacity building aimed at promoting the development of new business companies in the three Governorates of Baghdad, Erbil and Thi Qar, in Iraq and works in close connection with the Ministry of Industry and Minerals in Baghdad, with Kurdistan Regional Government of and Thi Qar Province Council, areas where the training activities are going to take place. The International Telematic University UNINETTUNO supplies the competences, technologies and methodologies to implement distance education courses on the Internet and on satellite television

UNIDO supplies course contents that are going to be adapted and consolidated in order to be delivered according UNINETTUNO didactic model; it coordinates all project activities in its head office in Vienna, supplies teachers, technical staff and administration staff in the three Governorates of Baghdad, Erbil and Thi Qar.

 

In particular, the UTIU shall:

−    Realise a dedicated UNIDO-UNINETTUNO e-learning platform based on the UTIU psycho-pedagogic model (under copyright) supporting e-learning activities in Iraq.

−    Train the experts selected by UNIDO as video teachers in UNINETTUNO methodologies as it regards didactic communication aspects on video and on the Internet to enable them to record training sessions based on the latest distance education methodologies and to produce the related training materials supplementing the videolessons.

−    Train the tutors selected by UNIDO in the use of the distance training platform and methodology to enable them to play the role of guide for the students who will attend the distance training courses.

−    Train the counsellors selected by UNIDO in the use of the platform and web-based tools to enable them to operationally manage the requests of the future entrepreneurs and support them also after the completion of course delivery;

−    Train the technical staff in the management and maintenance procedures of the Technological Poles technological infrastructure.

−    Train the didactic managers as it regards the coordination and supervision activities and the management of the training activities at the local Technological Poles and the coordination and the monitoring of the tutors’ activities.

−    Produce 360 hours of training modules in English or Arabic adapting them to be delivered on the Internet and on satellite television and most specifically:

-    160 hours of videolessons (in English or Arabic or a mix of both languages) realised jointly with UNIDO experts at UNINETTUNO production centre in Rome;

-    200 hours of training materials and texts linked to the videolessons (in English, or Arabic or a mix of both languages) realised b UNIDO experts and adapted by UNIETTUNO experts to be posted on the Internet-based platform.

−    Produce 1500 CDs or DVDs as off-line training tools.

−    Broadcast UNIDO training modules produced through the UNIDO-UNINETTUNO Internet-based e-learning platform for 12 months during the project execution period and 12 months after the project duration (for 24 months on the overall) and on satellite TV for 12 months;

−    Realise 3 Technological Poles at the EDU (Enterprise Development Unit) institutions in the Iraqi Governorates of Erbil, Baghdad and Thi Qar (one for each Governorate). The Technological Poles shall installed and commissioned.

 

The Technological Pole is didactic structure equipped with the new information and communication technologies (ITCs) that, beside delivering training services to the students/users, performs the function of coordination and supervision of the training activities in the area it is competent for. Its main role can be identified in the management of the distance training course: the Technological Pole manages and delivers training services, supplementing those at distance, according to the identified training needs. In particular the Technological Pole:

−    Promotes and coordinates design, reporting and development activities in the territory it is competent for;

−    Manages the Distance Learning Office made available to the enrolled students/users;

−    Sets up multimedia workstations and sees to the maintenance of the networkd and of the technological equipments;

−    Sees to the management and maintenance of the Internet site area including all local information according to the students/users’ specific needs.