Date: 10th June 2022
Time: 09:00a.m – 05:00p.m
Venue: Lecture Theatre A, UTS
IDECS forum 2022 on Digital Infrastructure, Community Experiences, and the Way Forward
The International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak 2022 is holding a Digital Month in conjunction with the International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak 2022. Advanced Centre for Sustainable Socio-Economic and Technological Development (ASSET) at the University of Technology Sarawak (UTS), Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) and Association for Progressive Communications (APC) are co-hosting a high level public forum on Digital Infrastructure, Community Experiences and the Way Forward on June 10, 2022.
Local community representatives, policymakers, practitioners, and international panellists gathered on June 10, 2022 at the University of Technology Sarawak in Sibu for a one-day forum to discuss digital access, service sustainability, and the critical role community engagement plays in developing long-term and sustainable digital inclusion policies for Sarawak. Local and international speakers, including community members, researchers, and practitioners, presented at the forum. Professor Datuk Dr. Khairuddin Ab Hamid, Vice-Chancellor (UTS), and Associate Professor Dr Tariq Zaman, Head of Advanced Centre for Sustainable Socio-Economic and Technological Development (ASSET), UTS, delivered the forum’s opening remarks. Two community leaders discussed the perspectives and experiences of the community regarding digital inclusion programs in Sarawak. Other conference speakers represented the Khazanah Research Institute (KRI), Malaysia, the Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC), and the University of Technology Sarawak. The forum’s keynote speakers were Mike Jensen, co-founder of Canada’s first ISP for non-profit organisations – The Web; Adrian Wan, Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager; and Dr Sarbani Banerjee Belur, Asia Regional Coordinator, Community Networks Project, APC. The outcomes of this forum will be carried forward to the next Policy Forum, which is scheduled to be organised in conjunction with the Participatory Design Conference 2022 (Malaysia PDCPlace – https://asset.uts.edu.my/pdc2022) from 18 to 20 August 2022 at the University of Technology Sarawak, Sibu.
