1 WORLD LINKS FOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (WorLD) * I. Abstract The World Links for Development Program (WorLD), managed by the World Bank, functions to enhance knowledge and professional development through information and communication technology (ICT), by linking thousands of teachers and students in developing countries with their counterparts in the industrialized economies. Students from all over the world participate in collaborative projects, voice their opinions in online discussions, and gain access to information on the web. Professional development of teachers is ensured through technical and pedagogical training on a continuous basis. An attempt is thus made to integrate ICT in the course curriculum with the objective of increasing student knowledge and improving the education system in developing countries. Through the medium of ICT, the program seeks to empower the students and teachers of the participating nations, by placing them on a common platform of global knowledge and information. Although the program is designed to give equal gender access to participating schools, cases of discrimination against girl students are noted in a few countries. Some of the other challenges faced are inadequate hardware and software, slow Internet connectivity, high implementation costs and inability of students to pay high fees for accessing technology. II. Background World Links for Development began in 1997, as a five-year pilot initiative (1997-2002) of the World Bank’s ICT for Education program. In order to meet the continuing and growing demand of the developing countries to conduct professional development programs in ICT, World Links was established as a nonprofit organization, independent from the World Bank, in 2000. The teacher training and professional activities are managed by the World Links NGO, while the program is funded by other public, private, and nonprofit organizations including the World Bank. In the beginning, it started on a school-to-school initiative, using the Internet to connect teachers and students in a school in Uganda to another in Wyoming (USA). Since then, it has expanded its teacher training and professional development activities and is currently active in 15 countries in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia. The mission of the program is to assist developing countries in generating awareness about digital learning resources while in the process expanding their access to information. * This case study was prepared by a team comprising Prof. Deepti Bhatnagar and Ankita Dewan at the Indian Institute of Management (Ahmedabad) and Magüi Moreno Torres and Parameeta Kanungo at the World Bank (Washington DC). Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized 51448