RITSEC

Internet & Communication Networking

Networking the Region

• In the early 90s, RITSEC was the leader in introducing the internet to Egypt, arab world (13 countries) and Africa.
• Regional integration: Led efforts to connect Arab countries through a regional network to promote knowledge sharing, experience transfer, and socio-economic cooperation.
• Economic empowerment: Promoted the use of the internet to boost trade and economic collaboration among Arab nations.
• Global connectivity: Worked to integrate the Arab region into the global information society by linking it with the international community. Pioneering experience: In 1996, RITSEC introduced the internet to Egypt and served as the backbone of the Internet Society of Egypt.
• Regional leadership: Launched the Arab Regional Initiative to extend internet access across the Arab world.
• Support to RAITNET: Provided services and support to 24 RAITNET agencies representing 22 Arab countries.
• Capacity building: Delivered continuous consultation, technical assistance, training courses, workshops, and seminars based on its firsthand experience in Egypt.
• Direct facilitation: Acted as the internet gateway for Jordan and Syria during their start-up stages, deploying experienced Egyptian professionals to support their connectivity efforts.

Throughout 10 years of hard work, RITSEC’s Arab Regional Initiative helped Arab countries build national information societies by providing technical support and establishing over 10 specialized networks, including trade and environmental information networks.

E-learning: regionally and globally

Linking the World through e-Learning.

• Launch & Aim (1995): Established to build a global e-learning environment for human resource development using emerging ICT under the Global Campus framework.
• Personalized Engagement: Enables one-on-one teacher–student interaction using cutting-edge delivery methods (Internet, satellite links, multimedia).
• Global Courseware Access: Provides learners worldwide with interactive online access to a comprehensive, multidisciplinary resource library.
• Arab Virtual University: Created the first Internet-based Arab university, offering postgraduate degrees in IT, software engineering, and business for those unable to attend traditional campuses.
• Strategic Partnerships: Secured collaborations with U.S. and European universities, plus regional training institutions, to deliver online master’s programs, professional diplomas, and specialized courses.
• Global Campus Evolution: In ten years’, time, it expanded into a full-service platform delivering academic distance-learning master’s degrees, continuing professional education, and interactive executive workshops.
• Advanced Delivery Methods: Deployed a mix of Internet, videoconferencing, multimedia CD, and cyber-tutoring technologies to support state-of-the-art distance learning.
• Personalized Engagement: Prioritized one-on-one teacher–student interaction via networks, satellite links, and multimedia tools.
• Universal Access: Provides learners worldwide with an interactive online portal to a multidisciplinary pool of courseware.

E-Commerce

Building the Arab e-Market.

The e-Commerce Initiative empowers Arab developing countries to expand their share of world trade and support SMEs by leveraging advanced ICT. It began with a pilot model in Egypt that integrated end-to-end digital trade workflows and then developed secure transaction protocols, privacy safeguards, customs automation, and robust network infrastructure. Through RAITNET, it convened a special interest group of trade, banking, and ICT agencies that issued reports and studies to guide regional e-commerce adoption.