Modern  Learning Technologies have become  the mainstream in Global education and training systems. However, connectivity and equipment availability still remains a central issue in Africa, while the other problems are related to pedagogy, content, quality assurance and standards, as well as the training of teachers, continuous development, organisational change and the transformation of education and training processes

African Nations lack qualitative education and the necessary investment capacity, very little progress  has been  made in the use of new information and communication technologies. The conference will therefore reflect on :

• The need to reform education and training systems for the knowledge society

• Promoting digital literacy, and  e-skills

• The up-skilling of the workforce and lifelong learning for all.

The conference will be  structured such that it could:

• Provide a vision of African e-Learning policies;

• Take stock of the current situation;

• Work towards developing a forward-looking approach.

Learning and the use of modern technologies will  be examined from a number of complementary perspectives:

• Education - supporting the development of key life skills and competencies;

• Enterprise - for growth, employment and meeting the needs of industry;

• Employment - lifelong learning and improving the quality of jobs;
  Social - improving social inclusion and addressing special learning needs;

• Research - emerging technologies and new paradigms for learning;

• Policy - the link between e-Learning and Africa/national policy imperatives;

• Institutional - the reform of Africa’s education and training systems and how new technologies can act as a catalyst for change;

• 
  Industry - the changing nature of the market for learning services and the new forms of partnership that are emerging.

The conference will also consider the perspectives and vision of the NEPAD programme and how this will stimulate the promotion, development, and deployment of e-Learning content, products and services and the contribution of these to lifelong learning.