GTZ  Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit GmbH

www.gtz.de

GTZ, with its 30 years of experience in the field of Technical Cooperation, was an early adopter of information and communications technology (ICT) and was named Germany’s "Knowledge Manager of the year 2005". A core task of GTZ is strengthening the abilities and capacities of individuals and organisations, enabling them to achieve their goals on a sustainable basis. ICT can play a decisive role in this regard and has proved its worth in a multitude of projects worldwide. To make further progress towards a knowledge society, important steps such as improving ICT literacy, skills and access have to be taken while promoting local knowledge and ownership. This has wider implications within the political debate in view of such themes as the digital divide or the governance of the internet. That is why GTZ advises the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and actively participates in the World Summit on the Information Society.

GTZ uses ICT and the internet for three main purposes: to facilitate project work with its partners; to broaden its cooperation with other institutions; and for its own internal organisation. The project applications range from geographical information systems in urban development, e-learning platforms in the field of vocational training, or e-government solutions for local administrations and businesses (MetaLogo). In its support for multi-stakeholder networks GTZ has established or joined various institutional or sector networks. These are chiefly coordinated via the internet and specific collaboration platforms. For many years now, GTZ Head Office and the field structure have also been exchanging their regional and sector-specific expertise through virtual platforms. To this end various tools for communication and online knowledge-sharing are used, such as document management systems or weblogs. One key lesson, however, is that these technologies are only tools for a higher goal and it is the users themselves who generate the actual value.

In this light, the new shift in the development of the internet, often called web 2.0, is promising. It focuses on participation of the users. The growing number of social networks and the opportunities to participate, share and contribute media and content reflect this evolution. When combined with technological advancements like open source software or universal standards (XML and RSS), knowledge becomes more accessible and can be pooled more efficiently. Furthermore, these new social internet tools have become more user-friendly and allow collaboration in multiple ways to foster change. ICT has spread rapidly over recent years but many obstacles still remain. Nevertheless, it has become obvious that access to knowledge is a key factor for economic, social and political development. GTZ has thus set out to highlight the importance of effective knowledge-sharing and learning for the success of its daily work. With its Capacity Development approach, GTZ aims to empower partners. Supporting this endeavour, web 2.0 offers considerable potential to initiate new paths for development.