:: "Romania E-Readiness Assessment" Community - Concept paper

Justification

As proven in the Planning Phase, during the activities related to the drawing up of the E-Readiness and Needs Assessment Reports, obtaining relevant information about the ICT sector in Romania is not an easy task. Some data are very hard to find. The same data obtained from different sources rarely coincide.

The set up a resource center in the field requires a partner with international expertise. Harvard University is probably the most prestigious potential partner. Harvard University has already designed a methodology for drawing up this kind of studies, methodology used by many other research centers.

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The Project

Based on the E-Readiness Assessment drawn up at Harvard University and the authors' suggestion for the setting up of a partnership between eRomania Gateway Association and Harvard University, a new community will be created within the RoDG portal. The community will be dedicated to discussing and updating this kind of assessments. In this respect the following key functions will be used:

• Forums
• Documents database
• Discussion lists
• Resources

Further on, one will organize a series of specialized E Readiness workshops on various key issues such public administration, education, healthcare, etc with two goals in mind:

1. Create awareness on the dynamics of change initiated by the introduction of the IT in each particular segment;
2. Gather valuable information from the participants on how one can really make things happen, what are the obstacles, what are the particularities, etc.

If this information is widely shared (the RDG website will be an appropriate vehicle) and if a few think tanks could be established to work on the issues the impact on the Romania economy and society overall would really be a significant one. For example, possible new and more efficient ways for implementing and conducting development projects could be imagined.

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Project results

- The creation of a unified and clear image on E-Readiness in Romania

- Specialized E Readiness workshops

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Partners

Harvard University

ANIS (and other IT&C professional associations)

Mercury Research

Arthur Andersen (or other consulting companies interested in the field)

Ministry for Prognosis and Development

eRomania Gateway (eRG) is a not-for-profit organization, its mission being to promote and support the e-development in Romania. Established in November 2001, the Association is an open partnership between the public sector (represented by the Romanian Government as a founding member and under the umbrella of the Romanian Presidency), the business community and civil society organizations.

Specific objectives include:

• to develop and manage a leading portal on Romania, "Romania Development Gateway" (RDG), within the context of World Bank's "Development Gateways" (DG) initiative, which aims to assist countries in establishing a presence on the Internet through Country Gateway portals;
• to assist the Romanian Government and Romania in general in drawing-up and implementing various initiatives part of the national information strategy, presenting them with clear guidelines guarantees so that they will be successfully implemented in a medium and long- term perspective;
• to conduct public awareness campaigns on IC&Ts impact on economy, education, and society as a whole.
  

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