Trinidad and Tobago will host the 2014 edition of the South School on Internet Governance (SSIG), an annual programme aimed at raising a generation of leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean to represent the region at international fora where the future of the Internet is shaped and debated.

The SSIG is a five-day programme designed to educate young professionals in all aspects of Internet governance, from Latin American and Caribbean perspectives. The school is open to individuals working in government, the private sector and civil society as well as tertiary education students and academics. It aims to train new generations of professionals to actively participate in regional and global meetings that determine the future of the Internet.

The weeklong programme trains and actively encourages participants to engage in the development of national, regional and international Internet policy. The ultimate aim is to increase the quality of representation of Latin American and Caribbean countries at regional and international fora where issues related to the development of Internet governance are decided.

Since its inauguration in Argentina, the SSIG has been held annually in Brazil, México, Colombia and Panamá with the support of governments and private sector organisations.

The Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), a regional inter-governmental organisation that supports the development of the Caribbean ICT sector, fully supports of the convening of the 2014 SSIG in Port-of-Spain, as that venue gives Caribbean stakeholders greater access to benefit from the programme.

The 2014 SSIG will take place in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad from April 28th to May 2nd.

The course covers the current governance of the Internet and the political, economic, social impact and legal frameworks. It presents the international fora for decision-making for the Internet’s development; technical protocols and standards; the role of Internet and governance and its significance to the evolution of the Internet. The course also includes lectures covering the practical management of critical Internet resources, as well as the development of the domain name market. Each academic lecture is followed by a Q&A Session.

Fellowships are available to cover the cost of accommodation, meals, course materials and social activities. Information on course details, registration and fellowships is available on the CTU website.