Bangladesh is a member country of Commonwealth as such we pay annual fees to the Commonwealth Science Council (CSC). The main objective of CSC is to improve the financial and social conditions of Commonwealth countries through implementation of science and technology. According to CSC statement science based technology is the basis for prosperity and wellbeing. But the wealth, prosperity and health generated through science and technology is enjoyed mostly in the richer counties, while millions elsewhere continue to live in abject poverty. How the poor also can enjoy the fruits of science is the main question to most people in developing countries.
The answer seems simple: just transfer some of the fruits of science and technology from the rich in the North to the poor in the South. But it is more than just an inequality in financial resources and technical know-how that divides North and South. Modern technology is almost exclusively developed and adapted for temperate climates and the cultural and socio-economic conditions found in the North. So initiative must be taken very carefully by the technologist who really knows how to use the right tool in right purposes.
There are three major areas that we need to accept as challenges:
The first is to let out the big secret that science and technology is fundamental to development of a secure and prosperous way of life. We need an education and awareness programme on the vital role that science and technology plays, and could play, in everyday lives, that can capture the imagination of everyone, from school children to policy makers.
The second is the need to develop the capability for scientific research and technological development in the South, targeting the problems and needs that are unique to developing countries, and acquiring technology tailored to the requirements and cultures of the South. This will often require a radical change in thinking, and new curricula for teaching science in schools and colleges, which is relevant to the local social and physical environment.
The third, we must restructure global science so that the benefits and rewards are distributed equally. Novel ways of working are needed so that we can develop unique situations every where.
The Commonwealth, covering a quarter of the globe with its countries that are rich and poor, large and small, land locked and small island states, is an ideal platform to explore new ways applying science and technology.
Our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is determined to establish Digital Bangladesh which was her commitment to the nation before election. Now this is the time to explore how we can utilize the Commonwealth as the most effective platform in creation of Sheikh Hasina’s digital Bangladesh. The following message sent to the writer: (Lutfor Rahman) from a colleague in Commonwealth can be helpful to decision makers particularly to the Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina.
The British government has recently given an advertisement for appointment of Director of Digital Management for its Cabinet office in White Hall. As per requirement, the applicant must be a Commonwealth Citizen. It is a fixed term appointment for three years and working arrangement is full time, job share or part time.
The successful applicant will:• Develop a strategy and implementation plan for extending digital engagement across Government
• Work with communication, policy and delivery officials in Government departments to embed digital engagement in the day to day working of Government
• Work with Directors of Communication to ensure that digital media are included in the reporting of reaction to Government policy and initiatives. * Work closely with web teams to ensure that digital communications are making the most effective and efficient use of hardware and software • Act as head of profession for civil servants working on digital engagement
• Ensure that digital engagement is always a leading part of Government consultation
• Introduce new techniques and software for digital engagement, such as 'jams' into Government
• Convene an expert advisory group made up of the leading experts on digital engagement to provide advice to Ministers and act as a sounding-board for the Government's digital engagement strategy
• Work closely with the Ministerial Group on Digital Engagement, delivering the work agreed at Cabinet on digital engagement
Suggestions have come from different corners saying that every national government needs this kind of top-level position and team if they want to be recognized as global citizens.
The other responsibilities of the director of digital engagement will be as follows; He will manage a small team, directly, but will have to manage relationships with a wide group of senior officials across Government. This will require developing working arrangements in which departmental officials feel they are accountable to the Head of Digital Engagement without the benefit of a formal line management arrangement. These relationships will be at Director and Director General levels and may well involve five or six departments at any one time. The relationships will be across professions, involving policy and delivery officials as well as communications and IT. Since this is a new role charged with getting Government to work differently, he will have to develop nice relationships from scratch in a pressured environment in which Ministerial expectations of delivery are high.
He will have a small budget, but two key purposes of the job are to assist Government in making effective use of current digital spend, which runs into many millions, and to enable departments to save significant sums on their engagement activities through complementing traditional face to face and postal methods with cheaper digital techniques. He will be accountable for leading Government's new focus on digital engagement, which is central to Government priorities and with significant risks of reputational damages if this does not happen or Government gets it wrong.
He will be accountable to the Permanent Secretary – Government Communications and to the Minister for the Cabinet Office. Judgement will be crucial in this role. It leads on the future of Government engagement with citizens through digital means. This means that the post will be breaking new ground on a daily basis, across Government. The agenda is politically very high profile and full of complex issues between and within departments that he will have to exercise very sensitive judgement on how to manage and resolve. He will have a level of professional expertise that is likely to mean that he will be unique in his ability to exercise judgement and provide advice to Ministers and Permanent Secretaries/ senior officials on matters within his limit.
Influence is a key aspect of this role. He will be required to exercise influence across departments with Ministers and senior officials to drive forward the future of digital engagement. This will require the Government and individual departments to change the way they do business – from consulting citizens to collaborating with them on the development of policy and how public services are delivered to them. It will involve supporting Ministers and senior officials in entering conversations in which Government does not control the message or the dialogue. Giving Ministers and senior officials the
confidence to do this will require influencing skills of the highest order. This role has few direct reports and little direct resource at its command. The ability to make change and delivery of challenging objectives happen by negotiation, persuasion and influence will be critical.
This is not a role for a generalist. The professional skills required are formidable. Engagement in the digital space is a young 'profession' and the job requires someone who would be acknowledged by their peer group to be a leader in this field. The successful candidate will have a CV that creates instant credibility and confidence with Ministers, senior officials and digital communicators in Whitehall. Within six months the Head of Digital Engagement will have developed a strategy and implementation plan and be able to show concrete signs of momentum in executing the plan.
Within a year the Head of Digital engagement should be able to point to two departments whose use of digital engagement are recognised in digital community as being the world class. Within two years the use of world class digital engagement techniques should be embedded in the normal work of Government.
From the advertisement, it becomes easier for other Commonwealth member countries to take decision on whether they will hire some one on similar position. Another example will be helpful to understand how the digital system can be effective in keeping control over wide range.
The University of South Pacific (USP) serves the Pacific Islands region in and through its 12 member countries: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribatis, Marshal Islands, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Soloman Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tovalu and Vanuatu, and maintains a strong regional presence through USP centre located in all its member countries. USP has the provision of distance education, face to face teaching and summer schools. USP has now 18,000 enrolled students and 11,000 of them are full-time students. It has an exciting future, being at the forefront of Information Technologies with its Satellite Communications Networks and an extensive computer network. The Vice-Chancellor of the USP is capable of providing an appropriate mix of visionary flair, personal leadership and management skills to realise the goals of USP as the region's leading tertiary institution.
From the University of South Pacific, it is learnt that the Vice-Chancellor of the Fiji-based university is controlling the university campuses located in 12 countries which do not have universities. Modern technological equipment has enabled him to run 12 universities smoothly while sitting in one place.
Now we will have to take decisions whether Bangladesh will hire a director of digital management like other member countries of Commonwealth.
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