ICT Regulation - Policy and Practice

ICT Regulation - Policy and Practice supports regulatory development activity by providing tools and discussion on how policy making and regulatory practice can meet an ever-changing ICT future. New, diverse and constantly evolving technologies make it important for policy makers and sector regulators to find new ways to achieve good policy making and regulatory practices to safeguard good service and the interest of consumers and authorities.

 

Title

ICT Regulation - Policy and Practice

Background

ICT Regulation - Policy and Practice supports regulatory development activity by providing tools and discussion on how policy making and regulatory practice can meet an ever-changing ICT future. New, diverse and constantly evolving technologies make it important for policy makers and sector regulators to find new ways to achieve good policy making and regulatory practices to safeguard good service and the interest of consumers and authorities.

The programme builds capacity in two ways: 

  • it provides training and support for participants in management positions at ICT regu­latory authorities and policy makers at ministries to implement a change initiative in line with the organisation’s strategical direction. 
  • it trains representatives from regional regulatory organisation to support participants when implementing their change initiatives, and channels the change initiative work into regional working groups to harmonise efforts, strengthen regional coordination and sustain results.

Change initiatives are the corner-stone of the programme. A change initiative is a project which the participating organizations see as timely and in line with their and the country’s strategic direction for regulatory policy making and practice. Thus, the change initiatives need to be well established in the organizations, i.e., be proposed by the Senior Management. The change initiatives also need to have the full support of the immediate superiors of the participants in the programme. SPIDER will request an Endorsement Letter from each organization that confirms the importance of the change initiatives and the provision of time for participants in the programme to implement the change initiatives.

The endeavours are called change initiatives, rather than change projects. We foresee that several of the change initiatives will not be concluded in one round but rather will span over several rounds and could grow to include other organizations, countries and even regions in later rounds. It is more important for the programme’s outcome that participants work on the change initiatives deemed to be timely and in line with the strategic direction of their organization, than to continuously accumulate new change initiatives. Countries who have participated in earlier rounds of the programme are expected to select change initiatives that builds on previous change initiatives in the programme.

Learning Objectives

The long-term objective of this programme is to contribute to universal and affordable ICT services by strengthening the capacity of regulators to:

  • Perform strategic regulatory development activities that are sustainable
  • Strengthen the mandate of regulatory organisations, national and regional, to benefit society and consumers
  • Increase general capacity for regulators and their organisations

Content and Structure

The training content of the programme will provide the subject knowledge and support required for the participants to succeed with their change initiative formulation. The bulk of the expertise will come from the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS), but also from industry experts from telecom supplier Ericsson and from Sweden’s largest operator Telia Company. The participants will also be trained in gender equality, inclusion and project management. The training will follow these thematic blocks:

  • Institutional & Legal framework
  • Competition Regulation
  • Consumer Protection & Transparency
  • Spectrum Management
  • Secure Communications
  • Future Regulatory Issues

The programme broshure is available here.

 

Phase 1 – Preparation (4 months)

Programme participants are selected by their organisations. Members of the Programme Team will make initial visits to invited countries. The organisations identify relevant change initiatives and participants for the programme round. An endorsement letter is sent by each participating organisation.

Phase 2 – Sweden (Planning and Training) (2 months)

The training will provide the subject knowledge required for the participants to succeed with their change initiative formulation. The bulk of the expertise will come from PTS. The participants will also be trained in project management and gender equality, and will make relevant study visits.

Phase 3 – Change Initiative Initiation (3 months)

After the training phase in Sweden, participants start working on their change initiatives in their home countries with support from the regional regulatory organisations.

Phase 4 – Regional follow-up (1 week)

Meetings in the region to discuss the progress of the change initiatives and provide further training.

Phase 5 – Change Initiative Implementation (5 months)

Implementation of the change initiatives with support provided by regional regulatory organisations.

Phase 6 – Conclusion and Evaluation (1 month)

Evaluation of the round with assessment of potential further developments of change initiatives within the programme.

 

Methodology

The programme utilizes various pedagogical methods to stimulate and optimize learning, this includes lectures, group discussions, study visits and support sessions. The participatory design of the programme requires active participation. Participants will also need time provided to work on the change initiative in phase 3 and 5 as described in the endorsement letter.

Targeted Audience

The main target group is staff with a mandate to manage strategic projects at ICT national regulatory authorities (NRAs) in three regions in Sub-Saharan Africa. An invited NRA will first select a change initiative, in line with their strategic directions. The NRA then appoints staff to implement the change initiative, who will become part of the participant group.

PREREQUISITES

The organisation is invited to participate in the programme and senior management is available to meet with the Programme Team for discussions in the preparatory period (phase 1)

Time provided by management for the participant to work on their change initiative which is spelled out in an Endorse­ment Letter

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

The training programme, including all lectures, will be con­ducted in English. Programme participants need to master English in writing and speaking.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS 

If selected, a participant will be required to attend all phases of the programme.

Application Process

All participants in the programme are appointed by the Senior Management of their respective employer, the national regulatory authorities (NRAs).