05 October 2004

Colima, Mexico: Mexico’s Universidad de Colima and the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme have officially launched the Latin American United Nations Information Technology Service (UNITeS) University Volunteer Network. Universidad de Colima is the first institution to coordinate a regional network within the University Network under UNITeS.

Eleven universities in seven Latin American countries – Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, and Mexico – are part of the network that sends highly-skilled information and communication technology (ICT) volunteers within the region to take part in ICT- related development projects for a period of six months.

Speaking at the launch in Colima, Mexico, on 23 September, Andre Carvalho, Chief of UNV’s Programme Development and Operations Group, highlighted the network as a tool to foster collaboration among youth in the region. “UNITeS offers a platform for youth to get involved and give the world a new shape,” he says. “It provides a new means of North-South and South-South cooperation that becomes a daily reality. It also has the potential to help form associations among the communities around the world and make the benefits of ICT applications available to all.”

In total, 23 university volunteers have started a number of ICT projects in Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Honduras. The volunteers have taken up assignments in a number of areas such as training young people to create and maintain web sites and databases, teaching representatives from community-based organizations on web site development, and introducing tech literacy to higher education centres and work cooperatives.

Dr. Carlos Salazar, Rector of the Universidad de Colima, says the University Network is also an invaluable vehicle to help meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)–a set of time-bound development targets agreed to by world leaders at the UN Millennium Summit. “This programme has its priority in helping reach the MDGs, with youth that can apply their knowledge, supported by technological tools, and with the perspective that education is the only way to access development,” he explains.

Launched in 2001, UNITeS is a global volunteer initiative to help bridge the digital divide, led by the UNV. To date, 77 university volunteers from around the world have joined the UNITeS University Network.