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A common challenge faced by members of the
Association of Portuguese Language
Universities (AULP) and by other Higher
Education Institutions (HEI) around the world, is providing
access to up-to-date and relevant academic literature. In an age
where more research is being published than ever before, we need
to move with the times and recognize that we should change our
approach to tertiary education.
As a university, we have a duty to ensure
that our students and staff are provided with the most relevant
and recent scientific information, in order to teach, study and
conduct research. Only 20 years ago, almost all literature was
produced in hard copy, on the printed page. The purchase,
delivery and constant renewal of books and journals is
undisputedly expensive. The time lag between when something is
printed and when it is available to students often compromises
their education. In addition,
Conducting comprehensive research using
paper systems is time-consuming and can prove to be a science in
itself.
E-Learning provides an opportunity to
overcome some of these challenges and to level the global
academic playing field. It presents us with a reality where a
relatively young university in Northern Mozambique can offer
students the same access to the most recent and relevant journal
articles as a well-established institution in England with
centuries of history in research.
Let me give an example. In Mozambique, One
of Universidade Lúrio’s four faculties, the Faculty of Health
Science, is a member of the HINARI Access to Research in Health
Program Network. This Internet based program was developed by
the World Health Organization (WHO) together with major
publishers. The objective is to provide health science students,
teachers and researchers in countries such as Mozambique, with
the access to the literature they require and deserve.
The portal provides access to more than
8,500 journals and 7,000 e-books in 30 different languages, all
of which can be downloaded for free. Before the dawn of
e-learning and the Internet, such a resource could only be
dreamed about. The Faculty of Health Science is home to the
courses of medicine, dentistry, nutrition, pharmacy, nursing and
optometry. The beauty of the HINARI portal is that it provides
information across all disciplines in health science. A journal
article, published in New York, can be downloaded on the same
day that it is made available by a student from any one of these
courses, without having to pay a fee. The Internet reduces the
barriers of time and cost, which previously restricted our
students and staff from progressing.
Although e-learning is undoubtedly
revolutionizing the way in which we teach, learn and research,
it does not come without its challenges. Universidade Lúrio and
the other AULP members are only too aware of the importance of
upgrading our information communication technology systems, to
make the most of what this new age of Internet-based academia
has to offer. This includes faster Internet connections, more
computer facilities on campus and the professional expertise to
make sure we are optimizing the use of our ICT systems.
Any developments in ICT within a university
should be sustainable. We must not implement systems we cannot
sustain. All too often, when people think of
Sustainability, they think only of the
infrastructure. At UniLúrio we also believe that expertise and
knowledge must also be sustainable. Through a program called
Primeiro Contacto, which means First Contact, our undergraduate
students work with children in the city of Nampula to improve
their computer skills. ICT competency is improved at the grass
roots level. We believe that no child should be prevented from
pursuing further education or employment because of a lack of
ICT skills. By starting the e-learning process early, by the
time children are ready to enroll in higher education, either at
our own institution or another, they will be in a position to
take full advantage of the ICT systems, thus making the process
sustainable. In the modern world, knowledge of computers is as
essential as any other subject. The power of computing should
not be restricted to a select few.
Knowledge transfer of ICT skills through
programs such as Primeiro Contacto ensures future progress in
this field.
I will finish with a quote from the Irish
poet W. B. Yeats, who said with great profundity, “Education
is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire”.
Although e-learning was a concept yet to be developed in the
time of Yeats, I believe it is inspired by the sentiment of his
remark, by providing the matches to light that fire.
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