What languages are the courses held in?
Separate classes are conducted in English, French, and Spanish (from 2012).
When is the course held?
Classes typically take place from May until October each year.
What kind of time commitment is required?
Participants are generally expected to commit a minimum of 8 hours per week to preparation and participation in the course. Many activities can be done at any time. At the start of each course, the tutor will negotiate with the students to set the most suitable time for the weekly online chat sessions. You can also read our timeline to see the complete 2012 course schedule.
Who should apply?
The course is designed for Internet Society members from academia, the public sector, technology industries, and civil society who are committed to the ongoing expansion of an open, sustainable Internet.
In particular, we encourage applications from the following categories of individuals from all countries:
- Officials in government ministries and departments dealing with ICT-related issues (for example, telecommunications, culture, education, foreign affairs, justice);
- Officials in regulatory authorities or institutions dealing with Information Society, Internet, and ICT-related issues;
- Postgraduate students and researchers (for example, telecommunications, electrical engineering, law, economics, development studies, sociology);
- Engineers in the Internet field;
- Civil society activists in the Internet field;
- Journalists covering Internet-related issues; and
- Business people in the Internet field (for example, those managing ISPs or involved in software development).
Selection criteria
Selection for the course is competitive. All applicants must be members of the Internet Society, aged between 20-40 years, and must have:
- A basic awareness of, and interest in, Internet-related issues;
- Knowledge and experience of the multi-stakeholder approach in international affairs;
- A professional background and relevant work or academic experience in the Internet field;
- Fluency in English, French, or Spanish;
- Good writing skills, ability to summarize information, and focus on details;
- Regular access to the Internet (dial-up connection is sufficient);
- Minimum of 8 hours commitment per week during each thematic part of the online course (this is perhaps the single most important requirement and should be evaluated seriously by any potential applicant); and
- Readiness to participate in online consultations (once a week at specified times)
