- Tiago Sousa Prado
- Abraão Silva
- Alex Högback
- Gustavo Fonseca Ribeiro
Intermediate
Event organizer(s)
Initiative
Description
The online training for ICT business planning toolkit: school connectivity networks provides a specialized methodology for planning ICT infrastructure aimed at connecting schools. It serves as a complement to the ITU ICT business planning toolkit – 5G networks and supports the Giga Initiative. Giga is a partnership between ITU and UNICEF to connect every school in the world to the Internet and give students access to opportunity, information, and choice.
The training course aims at introducing tailored principles for projects focused on school connectivity networks. It seeks to provide practical tools, methodologies, and guidance to help regulators and policymakers understand the key variables of a business plan and how they should be interpreted within the specific context of these initiatives.
Regulators and government officials seeking to gain a deep understanding of ICT business planning design and implementation for school connectivity networks.
Participation is open to all, with preference accorded to applicants from countries and territories collaborating with the Giga initiative: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Burundi, Cambodia, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eswatini, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Moldova, Mongolia, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Panama, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uzbekistan, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Qualifications or experience needed to participate in this training course:
- Telecommunications Economics and/or Engineering background: intermediate level
- MS Excel: intermediate level
- English communication skills: advanced level
Participants should also have good knowledge of the main gaps in the telecommunication/ICT’s infrastructure in their country, especially with regards to school connectivity.
Selection criteria:
- Priority will be given to participants from countries currently engaged in Giga.
Number of available places for the cohort: 40
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Outline theories related to evaluating school connectivity networks projects by using the Net Present Value (NPV) of a cash flow;
- Apply a practical methodology for the accurate economic evaluation of broadband infrastructure installation and deployment plans;
- Describe the main aspects for using business planning as a public policy tool;
- Analyze and compare different infrastructure projects;
- List the key elements for a successful business planning implementation for ICT infrastructure development (estimating demand, revenues, CAPEX, OPEX);
- Apply financing mechanisms for the implementation of a broadband public policy.
- Compare different infrastructure projects in order to evaluate a given public policy based on solid technical parameters;
- Estimate the demand for broadband services in schools;
- Predict the investments required to deploy digital connectivity in schools;
- Evaluate operational expenses related to the provision of connectivity in schools;
- Analyze the financing mechanisms related to schools connectivity networks.
The training course is divided into two sections.
- Section 1 focuses on theory over a two-week period, using the ICT Business Planning Toolkit: School Connectivity Networks. It includes three online sessions (2 hours each), 2 hours of office hours for discussion and Q&A, and a final examination.
- Section 2 consists of business planning clinics. Participants will work in groups to develop a school connectivity business plan through an assisted exercise, culminating in a 3-hour online workshop to present their results.
Each week, participants are expected to review assigned readings, complete practical exercises in MS Excel, engage in the collaborative forum, and join the weekly office hours. The instructor will remain available throughout the course to respond to questions and provide timely feedback on exercises.
Reference material: ICT Business Planning Toolkit: School Connectivity Networks, available at https://www.itu.int/hub/publication/d-pref-ef-ict_struct_kit-2023/.
Section 1 – Online Business Planning Sessions (50 points)
- Active participation in six live sessions: 15 points
- Active participation in the discussion forum: 10 points
- Final exam: 25 points
Section 2 – Business Planning Clinics (50 points)
- Results presentation: 50 points
To receive an ITU certificate, participants must achieve a total score of at least 70%.
Section 1 – Online Training
Week 1 – Training (6h) + Forum Chat
- Examine ICT business planning and public value
- Outline key elements of deployment models and demand estimation
Week 2 – Training + Final Exam (6h)
- Calculate CAPEX/OPEX, NPV, project lifecycle, and financial mechanisms
Section 2 – Business Planning Clinics
Week 3 – Clinic Instructions
- Receive group assignment and project selection guidance
- Discuss and select project
Week 4 – Clinic Work
- Estimate demand and revenues for selected project
Week 5 – Clinic Work
- Calculate CAPEX and OPEX for selected project
Week 6 – Clinic Work + Final Workshop (3h)
- Calculate Net Present Value (NPV) and conduct sensitivity analysis
- Present clinic results in final workshop
Tutors
Registration information
Unless specified otherwise, all ITU Academy training courses are open to all interested professionals, irrespective of their race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, economic status and other diverse backgrounds. We strongly encourage registrations from female participants, and participants from developing countries. This includes least developed countries, small island developing states and landlocked developing countries.
