Global University System (GUS) aims to build a higher level of humanity with mutual understanding across national and cultural boundaries for global peace.  The mission of GUS is to help higher educational institutions in remote/rural areas of developing countries to deploy broadband Internet in order for them to close the digital divide and act as the knowledge center of their community for the eradication of poverty and isolation through the use of advanced Information and Communications Technologies (ICT).

The goal of the GUS is to improve the global learning and wellness environment for people in the global knowledge society where the global responsibility is shared by all.  A central theme is the sharing and exchange of knowledge among educational, research, industry and trade sectors.  The GUS will (1) seek open, egalitarian and culturally transparent methods to achieve improved learning and healthcare worldwide, cooperating closely with people around the world, (2) harness the emerging technologies of broadband Internet connectivity among institutions of higher learning in developing countries to provide learners of all ages with global e-learning across national and cultural boundaries, (3) nurture the intellectual development of youngsters around the world through creative competition for excellence with affordable and accessible broadband Internet, (4) coordinate and facilitate national and international regional systems which will support and complement the traditional institutions of learning and healthcare, by using conventional methods in tandem with advanced electronic media.

The GUS has group activities in the major regions of the globe with partnerships of higher learning and healthcare institutions.  They will foster the establishment of GUS in their respective regions, with the use of an advanced global broadband Internet virtual private network.  Those institutions affiliated with GUS will become members of our GUS/UNESCO/UNITWIN Networking Chair Program.  Their students will be able to take their courses from member institutions around the world to receive a GUS degree.  They will also form a global knowledge forum for the exchange of ideas, information, knowledge and joint research and development.  The Global E-Learning Center at the University of Tampere in Finland acts as the headquarters of the GUS.  The GUS program is a comprehensive and holistic approach to building smart communities in developing countries for e-learning and e-healthcare/telemedicine.

Our current Amazon Project consists of deploying the CampusNet which will connect six federal universities in the Amazon region by broadband satellite Internet, and Community Development Networks which will connect higher educational institutions, secondary and elementary schools, libraries, hospitals, local government offices and NGOs, etc., in the cities of the main campuses of the CampusNet-affiliated universities by broadband wireless Internet at drastically discounted rates or free of charge.  Similar projects are now starting in Cuba and the Caribbean region and Malawi in Africa.

We helped the Japanese government pledge US$15 billion to close the digital divide in developing countries for the eradication of poverty and isolation during the Okinawa Summit in July of 2000. Mr. Koizumi, Prime Minister of Japan, made another pledge of US$2 billion to aid education and healthcare in developing countries during the G8 Summit in Canada in June of 2002, and at the Environment Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa in September of 2002, respectively.

Our projects will combine (1) the Japanese government's Official Development Assistance (ODA) funds and (2) Japanese electronic equipment (computers, tranceivers, dish antennas, etc.) with (a) the Internet technology and (b) content development of North America, to help underserved people in rural and remote areas of developing countries by closing the digital divide.  GUS will emulate this approach in other developing countries around the world in the future.

The officers of the GUS are: P. Tapio Varis, Ph.D., Acting President, (University of Tampere, former rector of the United Nations University of Peace in Costa Rica); Marco Antonio Dias, T.C.D., Vice President for Administration, (former director of Higher Education of UNESCO); Takeshi Utsumi, Ph.D., Vice President for Technology and Coordination, (Chairman of GLOSAS/USA). The trustee members are: Dr. Pekka Tarjanne, (former Director-General of the ITU) and Dr. Federico Mayor, (President of the Foundation for Culture of Peace and a former Director-General of the UNESCO). The special advisors are: David A. Johnson, Ph.D., (Professor Emeritus, University of Tennessee) and Fredric Michael Litto, Ph.D., (President of the Brazilian Association of Distance Education at the University of Sao Paulo).

Secretariat, Emerging GLOBAL UNIVERSITY SYSTEM (GUS) CONSORTIUM
Chairman: Takeshi Utsumi, Ph.D.; Vice Chairman: Louis Padulo, Ph.D.;
Board Members: David Johnson, Ph.D., Peter Knight, Ph.D., Joseph Pelton, Ph.D., Tapio Varis, Ph.D.;
Secretary: Ben Haraguchi, J.D.; Treasurer: Hisae Utsumi