Twelve projects for the New Economy

“We intend to build cyber-campuses in localities with high unemployment and tradition in university education. It’s a pity to waste the values that emerge from those classrooms,” Communication and IT minister Dan Nica said.

“Investments in research and technology are basic for the life standard increase in Romania,” the Minister added. During “The New Economy-A Chance for Romania” conference, he presented the first clear governmental strategy since 1990 aiming at introducing the IT in the Romanian society.

Romania’s strategy to move to the New Economy complies with the European development strategy based on IT, eEurope, launched in Warsaw last May.

It comprises 12 projects outlining the introduction of IT in all the schools and pre-university education institutions and starting with the depressed areas, including the rural ones, minister Nica said.

The 12 projects will be financed mainly with funds derived from private managed businesses, as “the large companies are interested in medium-term projects.”

The Government hopes to attract investors from communication and IT fields, which would be willing to invest in cyber-centres located in a few important Romanian cities, such as Timisoara, Brasov and Galati.

Alcatel and Solectron have already concentrated investments at Timisoara and similar things are expected to happen in Brasov and Galati.

The World Bank will assist the projects included in this programme, Yasuo Izumi, WB representative at this conference suggested. The WB assistance tools are PSAL II, PIBL II (Private/Business Environment Improvement), CDF/Global Gateway (Comprehensive Development Framework) as well as assistance in the field of financial reform. WB programmes are described at www.worldbank.org, the organisation’s web site.

The Romanian Government could learn from the experience of other countries such as Singapore and India in order to make an easier transition to the New Economy, thinks Richard Boulton, managing partner with the Business Consulting division of Arthur Andersen.

Moreover, creating a proper background and an education investment framework would help the authorities encourage the young people to stay in the country, Boulton considered.