Mark Surman
Partnership Director, telecentre.org
Panel: EM5: Emerging Markets Session
Partnerships, Networks and Telecentre 2.0

Questions and answer summaries:

Q1. Your panel revolves around the concept of Partnerships and telecentres working together to leverage common experiences and lessons learned. What are some examples of those successful partnerships?

The whole point of Telecetre.org is to help people connect and achieve more impact in their communities. Telecentres tend to be isolated. The people who work in them don't always have a chance to connect to other. Telecentre networks that have started to emerge has made it possible to do that, and we have started to see successes at the national, regional or global level. That knowledge sharing and excitement flower up in changes and desires to share that information more broadly. One example is the creation of a collective newspaper, the Telecenter Times in many different languages. Is that desire to work together and work with each other that comes from these networks. There are more success stories.

Q2. When you hear the concept Telecentre 2.0, what image comes to you? What do you think is the next step for well established telecenter initiatives?

In many people's minds Telecentres were about access to computers and the Internet. But many more people now know that is about access to knowledge, social transformation, opportunities. What we're seeing more and more are second generation telecentre initiatives that are layering services, education, healthcare on top of connectivity, and specific services for participation and access to government. The emphasis is on these services of access to knowledge. It is happening in many diverse ways in different parts of the world.

Q3. Your session is on the Emerging Markets track of the conference. Are telecentres part of the market forces at play in developing countries? What is the relevance of Telecentres in emerging economies?

The relevance is broad, it depends on the economy and on the individual community. They are an opportunity to learn about what technology is. Hopefully they provide an opportunity for people to come to technology in their own terms. In emerging markets people have recognized the value that technology can bring to them and start to use it as a way to lean or do business. In many places telecentres start having very vibrant information economies. They provide affordable use of technology and devices, but also an environment for collaborative use and learning.

Q4. On the same note, what are the challenges of Telecentres in the scenario of emerging economies? Are there new challenges for Telecentres 2.0?

Telecentres have always faced and continue to face sustainability challenges. That is also true for almost any small enterprise bringing something new and emerging to a community. Having the creativity and access to ideas to offer new kinds of services, health care, training etc. has been a difficult transition. This only happens with support from a lot of actors in an ecosystem.

Q5. What are your expectations from GK3? How can GK3 become a real milestone in the history of ICT4D?

We're holding the Telecentre Leaders Forum, a gathering of networks of telecentres from around the world. We see it as a watershed moment in which the community leaders can take a bigger role to take Telecentre.org into the future. The other expectation is to bring these initiatives closer to entrepreneurial and government links that could potentially create new partnerships.