The Initiative at a glance
The Digital Transformation Centres (DTC) Initiative was launched in September 2019 by ITU in partnership with Cisco, with the objective of supporting countries to strengthen the digital capacities of citizens, particularly those in rural and the underserved communities.
Objectives of the Initiative:
- Contribute towards the goal of an inclusive digital society by ensuring that citizens are equipped with relevant digital skills to fully engage in the digital space in a safe and responsible manner;
- Narrow the digital divide by developing digital skills for the most underserved groups.
- Improve the livelihoods and economic prospects of citizens through the use of digital technologies and services.
The Centres
The DTC Initiative operates through a global network of national institutions, the Digital Transformation Centres (DTCs), which have a mandate to deliver digital skills programmes in their countries. The DTCs operate nationally and demonstrate proven capacity, infrastructure and experience to implement training at basic and intermediate levels.
Learn more about the DTCs here.
Highlights and impact to date
Since it was launched in 2019, the Initiative progressively expanded, growing to a network of 14 centres across four (4) regions. As of December 2024, the total number of course participants trained by the DTCs since the launch of the Initiative has exceeded 482,000 (53 per cent female).
ITU, Cisco and other partners of the Initiative have been supporting the DTCs to build their institutional capacities through train-the-trainer programmes, reaching more than 700 trainers and instructors (26 per cent female) across the DTC network. This continued support has contributed to further strengthening the Initiative’s scalability and impact on the ground.
Stories and news relating to the DTC Initiative, including specific activities and digital skills trainings conducted by the DTCs, are featured on the DTC News webpage. Learn more
“Boosting Digital Skills through the Digital Transformation Centres” Project
In 2021, the “Boosting Digital Skills through the Digital Transformation Centres” project was launched as a partnership between ITU and the Government of Norway. This project supports the activities implemented under the DTC Initiative, particularly those aimed at scaling the delivery of digital skills training – and hence digital literacy - in local communities and among marginalized groups.
The first project, implemented from January 2021 to September 2024, provided significant resources for expanding digital skills training in Ghana as well as the global DTC Initiative. The project has transformed the lives of over 22,000 people (68 per cent women) —including women entrepreneurs, students, marginalized groups, persons with disabilities, including visual impairments and unemployed youth - through digital skills training interventions, fostering social and economic development in underserved areas. The project also equipped community ICT centres, supported coding clubs, and strengthened the capacity of trainers in Ghana.
Highlights and results achieved under the project, as well as testimonials from training participants, are featured in the project video documentary (below) and the impact story "Revolutionizing lives with DTC in Ghana".
Cultivating a global community committed to accelerating digital skills development for all
By joining the Initiative, the DTCs become part of a global network of organisations sharing a common vision and committed to accelerating the uptake of digital technologies among citizens as well as to boosting their capacities to integrate into the digital economy and society.
ITU and Cisco have been facilitating networking opportunities for the DTCs by organising face-to-face workshops and virtual meetings held every year. These meetings contribute to strengthening the global DTC community and provide a platform to discuss the implementation of the Initiative, review the progress made and results achieved, as well as exchange experiences and lessons learned among DTCs.
Learn more
Multistakeholder partnership model
The DTC Initiative is committed to bridging the digital skills gap and has been instrumental to supporting the DTCs in their roll-out of basic and intermediate digital skills training interventions. With proper resources and scaling, the DTCI has the potential to make a direct impact on the lives of people and communities around the world, and multiply the impact and benefits achieved to date.
The DTC Initiative can only achieve scale through the engagement of partners. Private and public sectors, UN agencies, governments, and the international/donor community interested in partnering with ITU and Cisco are welcome to contact the ITU Capacity and Digital Skills Development Division at dtc@itu.int