mprove learning experiences but also solve existing problems and bottlenecks in educational and administration resources.
However, the rapid development of digital technologies and the continuing need for learning and training over professional life-times are also reshaping the role of the university itself. A number of alternative delivery modes have started to emerge over the last decade, including massive open online courses (MOOCs), ‘learn now-pay later’ courses, alternative digital credentialing and bootcamps. As these models continue to gain popularity and become increasingly recognised by employers, higher education providers are adapting their course offerings as well. Physical resources such as books and scientific journals are becoming increasingly digitised, with libraries shifting books into basements and converting halls into spaces for collaborative and project based work. eVersity, a fully online university originating from the University of Arkansas system, is now fully reliant on open educational resources (OER) for course delivery. While these trends may never substitute traditional campus universities, they address many skill gaps in the labour market and enable provision of affordable education at scale.
Challenges facing low income countries
Most of these developments are taking place in more advanced economies. With their potential to improve quality and access to education at lower cost, these technologies are also desperately needed in low income countries. However, adopting these technologies appears far beyond the reach of many countries due to the lack of essential digital infrastructure. This includes inadequate broadband connectivity in educational institutions, bottlenecks in the domestic telecommunications infrastructure and limited international Internet capacity. The digital gap between low and high income countries in terms of access is best indicated by the international Internet capacity per user, with the median being around 10kbit/s in Africa compared to over 90kbit/s per user in North America (Exhibit 2). Many of these low income countries are either land locked or small island countries with no direct access to cost-efficient Internet capacity via submarine cables.
Sustainable business models
These countries, as well as many other developing countries, have used a variety of financial models to fund ICT infrastructure, including government finance (largely from international loans), private investments and international donor funding, public-private partnerships and even engaging local communities in construction work. However, sourcing the capital and building the infrastructure is often less problematic than maintaining connectivity.
There are many international precedents, such as in the Pacific Islands, where donor funding was used initially to establish Internet connections in educational institutions. However, funding for ongoing costs has proven to be uncertain in many cases. Public universities in low income countries are typically teaching only institutions which rely on government funding for operation. Many of these institutions are either tuition free or demand relatively low tuition fees from residents. Due to their limited financial resources, such institutions are likely to rely on governments or third parties to sustain connectivity. Sustainable financial models for operating costs are key to success.
Leveraging economies of scale and having an efficient national strategy is instrumental in these contexts. Higher education institutions need to negotiate favorable rates with vendors by collaborating with others seeking similar devices and services. One way to achieve this is by establishing or extending the scope of National Research and Education Networks (NRENs). An advantage of such networks is that governments can aggregate demand and negotiate lower data traffic rates for universities. They also facilitate interconnection with international universities.
To date public-private partnerships (PPPs) and cross-sector collaboration were mostly limited to local partne