"Only 13% of Romanians use Internet and only 6% on a regular base"

- Interview with Professor Vasile Baltac, President of ATIC Romania (Association for Information and Communication Technology)

eRG: What are in your opinion the main obstacles in promoting knowledge based economy in Romania?

Professor Baltac : The main obstacles are related to what is called the Digital Divide, i.e. the divide that exists between the ones who can and the others who cannot afford the new technologies of information and communications. The Digital Divide affects nations as well as various layers within society: rich vs. poor, young vs. old, normal vs. disabled, etc. Knowledge based economy leads to large-scale access and use of systems based on digital technologies and has to be built for all, not only for an elite.
The basic IT&C indicators show a real Digital Divide in Romania and other South Eastern Europe (SEE) countries compared with Europe and even with the world. Per capita information technology and telecommunications expense is almost 50 times more than Romania. Compared to the Europe's average SEE has 2.4 times less PCs, 2.9 less Internet users, 5 times less domain names. Recent studies revealed that only 13% of Romanians use Internet and only 6% on a regular base. This shows that access to and affordability of IT&C are real obstacles in promoting knowledge-based economy in Romania.
But only the wide access and affordability are the main problems when talking about obstacles? Beyond access and affordability there are also problems of mentalities, education and IT literacy that are equally important. I have noticed what I called a "repellence syndrome" characteristic to managers over 40 years old, which prefer to stay away from computers, afraid of not being able to cope with younger colleagues or staff and thus resisting introduction of information systems in their area. There is low penetration of IT in small and medium sized enterprises and one reason behind is this. Such a manager understands easily what an investment in new machine tool or in a car brings to his company, but hardly realises why computerized systems are there for. On a different scale, most family heads understand why a refrigerator is needed, but accept less an investment in a PC which is more or less of the same size. This brings us to the need of joining the effort to build the IT infrastructure with a very big investment in education to use IT.

eRG: What kind of developments in the field of IC&T should Romania encourage in order to promote knowledge economy?

Professor Baltac: Romania has to make substantial steps to increase its IT readiness. This means connectivity, information security, eBusiness climate and human potential. According to a study by McCornell International, Romania still has problems with connectivity, information security and eBusiness climate, but is well placed, as we all know from human potential perspective.
Romania is therefore in need to encourage large-scale access to Internet and IT&C in general on an affordable geographical and social base. The Government should start or continue to offer incentives for investments in the IT infrastructure of the country, to make investments in the public education and continue eGovernment projects to raise public awareness on IT. There are several Romanian eGovernment success stories like ePublicTenders, eTax, InfoKiosks and management of high-school admission over Internet. They are good examples on how pilot projects can raise public awareness on IT and stimulate its use.
To be short what is needed in my opinion is the promotion of improvement of access and use of Internet for business and education, development of the business environment through a better legislation and help to SMEs, mainly to Internet start-ups, acceleration of the development of digital infrastructure, Internet, telecom, including eCommerce infrastructure for B2B applications and ePayment infrastructure, large scale investment in training and educating people, promotion of Digital Literacy and eEducation, improvement of security of information and data bases through enforcement of specific legislation on anti-piracy and prevention of hacking, increase of the IT "absorption" capability.

eRG: Which areas of knowledge economy in Romania are in particular need of attention?

Professor Baltac: I would start with education. All graduates of universities and in a second step of high schools should have the basic abilities to use the infrastructure of the Knowledge Economy. This effort should continue or be done in parallel with public officers, managers, and adults, disabled and senior people. The building of Knowledge Economy will be a gradual process, but leapfrogging will be stimulated by first, rapid development of several areas. Among them I would mention without any intention to be complete: eBanking including cards, eGovernement (Information Portals, eProcurement, eTax, etc.), eCommerce in tourist industry, retail shopping, etc.

eRG: Which individuals or institutions in Romania should be mainly involved in knowledge economy projects?

Professor Baltac: Knowledge economy projects could be successful trough a giant common effort of many institutions and individuals. I include Presidency, Parliament, Government, ministries, political parties, NGOs, media, education units of all levels, etc.
Repeated interventions in public appearances in favour of knowledge economy by the President, Prime Minister, leaders of political parties, media opinion leaders, etc. followed by the launch of concrete projects would create a climate where most of delaying, bureaucratic or adverse reactions will be reduced.

eRG: Please think of a concrete example to point out, in your opinion, the practical outcomes of a functional knowledge based economy in Romania.

Professor Baltac: Admission to high schools was a large project involving hundreds of specialists to design and implement a secure system accessed by tens of thousands of people. The first positive outcome was that through millions of accesses people could see a real nation-wide system working and better understand the power of IT/Internet and possible ways to simplify their life and avoid corruption suspicions. A second positive output was that the system resisted to attacks and proved to public that Internet can be also safe. A negative output was the reaction of a part of mass media that tried to blame Internet for several human generated failures.

eRG: What is ATIC (Association for Information and Communication Technology) doing and what is the connection between its activities and the knowledge economy concept?



Professor Baltac: The industry should answer through the development of low cost localized applications, development of applications/versions adapted to a poorer Internet infrastructure, dissemination of valuable content to Digital Divide worst hit areas, large-scale dissemination of IT skills. ATIC is among other actions heavily involved in IT literacy dissemination. ATIC organized the ECDL activity in Romania. ECDL/ICDL - (European/International Computer Driving Licence) is a globally accepted IT skills certification program that prepares all people for participation in the Information/Knowledge Society, by promoting core IT knowledge and providing an essential certification that is becoming the de facto global IT skills standard.
The ECDL/ICDL certifies that the holder has a certain minimal knowledge of basic concepts of IT, using a computer and managing files, word processing, spreadsheets, using databases, making presentations, using information and communication networks, mainly Internet/Intranet. First targets are universities, high schools, public administration, small companies, individuals, etc.
A further specific ATIC project is to launch web ECDL-type courses with a good part of accesses free, e.g. for underdeveloped areas, trainers for SMEs, schools in rural areas, disabled and senior people institutions, etc. We are currently looking for funding of such projects.