Victor Mbarika ICT Weblog

Interview With Prof. Victor Mbarika, Pioneer President of The ICT University

Interviewed by Dibussi Tande (Originally published on Scribbles from the Den)

"A plethora of ICT experts and management scholars and practitioners have suggested the need for human capacity development in the ICT domain in developing economies. Empowering these economies to develop the right solutions with contextual and cultural relevance requires institutions to educate and train graduates to meet their contemporary needs." Prof. Mbarika

In most developing countries, Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) programs and policies almost always center around issues of accessibility, availability and affordability, with not as much attention being paid to human capacity development, which is a critical, if not indispensable, element in  harnessing ICTs for development purposes. Without qualified and well trained ICT experts, it is virtually impossible for these countries to develop viable knowledge economies. It is in a bid to address this issue that a group of visionaries decided to establish The ICT University (ICT-U) is based in Louisiana, USA, which offers ICT-based degree programs that target Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia.

To find out more about this exciting initiative, Scribbles from the Den talked to Cameroon-born Professor Victor W. Mbarika, the pioneer President of ICT-U, who is also the founding and executive director of Southern University's International Center for Information Technology and Development in Louisiana, USA, and the Editor-in-Chief of The African Journal of Information Systems. Excerpts:

(Video) Interview with Prof. Victor Mbarika (Part 1)

Dean Donald Andrews of SU College of Business interviews Prof. Victor Mbarika, Director of ICITD, Southern University on BRB Network TV, a TV Show in Louisiana.

 

(Video) Interview with Prof. Victor Mbarika (Part 2)

Dean Donald Andrews of SU College of Business interviews Prof. Victor Mbarika, Director of ICITD, Southern University on BRB Network TV, a TV Show in Louisiana  

 

Cameroon Is Making Strides In ICT - Dr. Mbarika

Interviewed By Fidelis Pegue Manga [Originally published in The Post]

Cameroon-born Victor Wacham Agwe Mbarika is one of Africa's foremost experts on Information and Communication Technologies ICTs. He has been described as being in the forefront of academic research into ICT implementation in Africa, and has provided a theoretically informed framework for understanding ICTs in less developed countries. His work has focused on ICT infrastructure in Africa, and it provides an excellent base from which to begin to understand the contextual differences that dictate information systems research in less advantaged environments.

Interview: Quelle chance pour le commerce électronique en Afrique ?

La problématique du commerce électronique et du développement, s'apparente à l'éternelle question de l'oeuf et de la poule. Lequel doit précéder l'autre? Autrement dit, dans notre contexte caractérisé par la carence des infrastructures, à quoi faudrait-il accorder la priorité? Pour certains la question ne mérite même par d'être posée, vu que tout nous manque (cadre reglementaire, infrastructures, plates-formes de transactions), même si par la force des choses, nous sommes entrés à l'ère des "grandes ambitions".

Pour d'autres comme le Dr Victor Mbarika, les deux doivent aller de pair, car argumente t-il, le commerce électronique crée des emplois qui génèrent des revenus, qui à leur tour entrent dans le PNB du pays; donc le commerce électronique peut aussi entraîner le développement.

Victor Mbarika: Le Commerce Electronique en Afrique n'est encore qu'à ses balbutiements

Interview originally appeared on www.webman-cm.net

"Le Commerce Electronique en Afrique n'est encore qu'à ses balbutiements à cause de la carence des infrastructures bancaires et de communication"

Nous ouvrons cette rubrique l'invité sur le thème du Commerce électronique et de l'enseignement en ligne avec comme pour invité Victor Mbarika. Pardon ... Dr Victor Mbarika. Car à l'âme bien née, la valeur n'attend point le nombre d'années(Site Web personnel -www.vmbarika.com).

Quel âge a notre jeune docteur ? Regardez la photo, et devinez vous même! Le plus important, c'est que ce jeune camerounais sorti à peine de l'adolescence et venant d'un pays estropié technologiquement, est l'un des experts africains dans le domaine des technologies de l'information. Il enseigne le commerce électronique dans des universités américaines (Southern University et A&M College of Business).

Mbarika: E-Commerce in Africa is still at an embryonic stage

Translated from the French original by Dibussi Tande

E-Commerce in Africa is still at an embryonic stage because of deficiencies in the banking and communications infrastructure

We are launching this guest column with a focus on E-commerce and online learning. Our guest is Victor Mbarika. Sorry ... Dr. Victor Mbarika. After all, for souls nobly born, valor doesn't await the passing of years (Personal website - www.vmbarika.com). How old is our young doctor? Take a look at the picture and make a guess! Nonetheless, what is most important is that this young Cameroonian, who is barely out of adolescence and who is from a technologically challenged country, is one of Africa's experts on Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs). He teaches e-commerce at an American university (Southern University and A&M College, College of Business, Louisiana).