Can the internet in tertiary education in Africa contribute to social and economic development?

ICT is considered one of the key factors behind sustainable development, not only as a means for automation of work processes, as a tool for education and scientific collaboration, and a platform for technological innovation, but also for communication and access to information. It thus contributes to democratic empowerment and poverty reduction. Poverty, poor access to education and lack of public investment capital are commonly believed to be the main causes of the digital divide, however, other causes may be of influence. A basic understanding of the mechanisms of the implementation and the role of ICT in society is necessary to reduce this digital divide, bearing in mind the local circumstances, differences and cultural contexts. This paper focuses on Africa, the most underserved continent in terms of ICT.Poor internet connectivity is one of the serious underlying causes of the digital divide between developing and industrialized countries, and is hampering the transition to the global information society. The recent emergence of national and regional research and education data communication networks in parts of the developing world have shown large benefits arising from collaboration amongst tertiary education institutes. Africa is currently the most underserved continent in terms of information and communication technologies. Collaboration amongst tertiary education institutes in Africa is essential to make them key players in the enhancement of information and communication technologies for society