Knowledge Economy Project

Romania's Government developed a programme to advance an information society and meet the Lisbon Agenda and Digital Agenda for Europe 2020 requirements, aiming to bridge Romania's digital divide with other EU countries. The Ministry of Communications and Information Society prepared the programme in 2004-2005 and implemented it from 2006 to February 2013 with World Bank loan financing, responding to Bank requests to increase use of public e-services, increase digital literacy and ICT access, promote computer-assisted learning in basic and lower-secondary schools, and support private-sector innovation.

Support knowledge-driven activities nationally and within local communities, and accelerate the participation of knowledge-disadvantaged communities in the knowledge economy and society.

The project established 255 Local Community electronic Networks (LCeNs), each aggregating four community nodes (Town Hall, School, Public Library and Public Point of Access to Information) into an integrated network, and trained 510 knowledge specialists (one LCeN manager and one IT specialist per community) who became local resource people for information-society promotion.

An estimated 30% of Romania's rural and small urban communities benefited from the project. 229 disadvantaged communities had LCeNs operating satisfactorily toward a sustainable future in line with their business plan; 90% of communities had a satisfactory 3-year LCeN sustainability plan (2011-2013); 93% of targeted schools reached the intended level of ICT integration; 75% of targeted teachers were using the new digital skills in the classroom; and 85% of people trained in the LCeNs who acquired basic digital-literacy skills were using those skills at work.

The project is presented as a success case for future initiatives on providing ICT access, implementing e-government services, and promoting e-commerce and innovation support.