With 60 percent of the Commonwealth’s population under 30 years of age, the skilling of youth is a top priority for governments. COL’s current focus includes course and programme development for information and communications technology (ICT) and media skills that lead to employability and livelihoods. The Advanced ICT Skills Development project aims to develop relevant open educational resources (OER) to support employment and entrepreneurship.
While the development of courses has become easier with the availability of technology and OER, it is important that courses reach learners in the Commonwealth and help to improve their livelihoods. COL works with open universities and other institutions offering advanced ICT skills courses to reach learners across the Commonwealth.
Since 2015, COL has worked with the following universities and institutions to develop a range of courses related to web application development, mobile application development, animation and multimedia, and courses for camera operator and sound engineers.
- Allama Iqbal Open University
- Bangladesh Open University
- Centurion University of Technology and Management, India
- Indira Gandhi National Open University
- National Open University of Nigeria
- Open University Malaysia
- Open University of Tanzania
- Open University of Sri Lanka
- Odisha State Open University
- University of Mauritius
- Digital Empowerment Foundation
In the year 2018-2019, COL supported Kampabits, Uganda to provide advanced ICT skills training to vulnerable youths in the slums of Kampala. Seventy-four out of the 95 who received training are now either employed or have started their own ICT-related business.
Available at: Brochure
