Despite launching a number of policies aimed at simplifying its Administrative procedures, Macau Government has been criticised for excessive bureaucracy. The UNU-IIST has been working with the SAR Government since 2004 and is set to sign the agreement for the third phase of the project.
“Actually in terms of e-governance, Macau is one of the most advanced Governments in Asia. I wouldn’t say that it isn’t efficient. In terms of my own experience using Government services here, I could say it’s very efficient,” Haddawy said.
The institute has partnered with a number of Governments, including Macau, to create high-tech platforms for the business of governing. Since 2004, the institute’s e-Macau Program has supported the local Government by introducing information technology to make it more efficient and effective.
The UNU-IIST director stressed that the institute is planning to sign the agreement for the third phase of the project. “The third phase is looking forward how we can help the Government to more effectively connect with citizens and businesses, as well to provide support to businesses. We are also looking at how to help the Government to diversify the economy,” he said.
Apart from that, the institute will start two new projects, but is still looking at how they could be applied in Macau. There is a project on e-learning, aiming “to create interactive and engaging environment for learning”; and in the area of health, particularly in electronic patient records.
Looking for partners
There are ongoing programs as well as new projects that will be launched immediately, and others that will take a few months to kick off.
The institute is also looking for partnerships with local universities.
“Our institute is quite small, so in order to achieve the fairly ambitious agenda we have and to have a real impact we need partnerships,” Haddawy said.
“We have had collaborations with universities in Macau, but it was more on an individual basis. We would simply like to notch that up to other levels,” the director added.
Haddawy was speaking on the sidelines of the institute’s board meeting. Yesterday, the board announced the UNU-IIST’s new mission, which is to develop and use information and communication technology to address global problems of sustainable development. The new mission will support the achievement of the UN’s priority millennium development goals.
“Our new role is to look at how we can take information and communication technology and apply it to address some of the world’s most pressing problems in sustainable development, such as climate change, problems of water resources, access to high quality health care and high quality education particularly in developing countries.
“It’s quite a shift from the work we have been doing to align ourselves more closely with the United Nations’ agenda,” he said.
The UN institute, located near the Guia Hill, is one of the Research and Training Centres of the United Nations University.
It strives to further the development and application of Information and Communication Technology to address pressing global problems of sustainable development that are of concern to the UN and its members, through education, research and policy support.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Alexandra Lages
Quelle/Source: Macau Daily Times, 02.11.2010
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