1. PLANWEL:
2. History and Accomplishments:
3. Problems:
4. Opportunities:
5. Mission:
6. Specific Activities:
7. Developmental Phases of PLANWEL Virtual University:
8. Anticipated Outcome:
9. Sustainability:
10. Expected Benefits:
11. Telemedicine and Telemedics:

1. PLANWEL:

PLANWEL (Association of Planning Professionals for Social Welfare Work) was created in 1990 by a group of like-minded professionals in the fields of planning and development. PLANWEL University is a government of Pakistan licensed software training and development center.

PLANWEL has been awarded the status of an ALCOS business partner jointly by the University Grants Commission and the Pakistan Software Export Board of the Pakistan Ministry of Communication. Government of Pakistan with the responsibility of establishing institute for training information technology (IT) students of international standards will assist the software export program of the government of Pakistan.

This Institute has been equipped to train students in the field of information technology in a laboratory and lecture format. It is currently in the process of upgrading and modernizing the educational delivery system, in order to gradually convert this Institute to a distance learning/virtual university POP (Point of Presence).

The members of the Board of Management of PLANWEL are a highly motivated group of professionals belonging to various fields of, computer software, hardware telecommunications, engineering, design, architecture, city and regional planning, management, accounting economics, management, etc. They are assisting by setting up training centers in information technology and building of data bases for the government industry, trade and commerce. It is a direct commitment of professionals towards upgrading the quality of underprivileged masses in the developing countries under the changing scenario of globalization.
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2. History and Accomplishments:

PLANWEL University has partnered with Utah State University to open the first Utah State University and PLANWEL POP (Point of Presence). It is the first instance that a leading Carnegie Foundation for Education’s Classified Research University-I is opening up its international center in the region; which is a major step towards quality education, research and development in the region.

Note Research University-I offer a full range of baccalaureate programs, are committed to graduate education through the doctorate, and give high priority to research. They award 50 or more doctoral degrees each year. In addition, they receive annually $40 million or more in USA federal support.


• PLANWEL University was invited by Washington State University, USAID, University of Jordon to the Higher Education Partnerships for Social and Economic Development., international conference attended by leading US higher institutions of higher learning
  
  
• PLANWEL University is a signatory to the MOU with the European Union - Promoting Multimedia Access to Education and Training in Europe (PROMETEUS) - A Partnership for a Common Approach to the Production and Delivery of Learning Technologies, Content and Services.
  
  
• PLANWEL University also entered into an international competition for "The Global Bangemann Challenge" funded by World Bank. The City of Stockholm invited the whole world to show their finest information technology projects in the Global Bangemann Challenge. This international IT Award Program started in early 1997 and ended in June 1999. It is a privilege for PLANWEL, since it was selected as runners up under the category "IT in all Forms of Education" which itself was an honor that a university from a third world country was able to compete and finally stand along all the developed countries, in its endeavor for achieving quality education.

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3. Problems:

Information technology has brought a revolution not only in the computer technology but, in all aspects of life. The concept of disseminating information can become an asset for underdeveloped regions of the world including rural communities. Globalization will be a demanding factor for both developed and underdeveloped regions; if proper infrastructure is not in place. Therefore, it is essential that developed countries play their role for this massive development. Though it is not an easy task but think of the opportunity when companies from developed regions will be able to deliver their goods without any hindrance and will be able to reach the masses one on one. New markets will open up, health care could be delivered and similarly education could be provided to all at an affordable cost.

Relating this vision into practical terms seems like a dream, since it requires access of technology to the underdeveloped masses where living day to day is an effort, where monthly wages for a family is lower than a day’s wage of an individual in the developed regions, and where the per capita income of a family is lower than yearly gas bill of a family in the developed region.

The developed nations are spending trillions dollars to improve their communication systems so that they can reach new markets and be able to deliver more at a less cost and time, but it is a dilemma that the new markets they want to reach are devoid of any resources, the masses have no means to accept this new technology since they have to think more about sustaining their families.and that they do not have enough means to use this technology.
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4. Opportunities:

This gloomy scenario can be diffused with careful planning and coordination among the private sectors of the developed and developing nations. This will not be an easy task, since most of the developing nations use top down planning, and the private sector is not invited into any development activity. Here the international agencies come need to foster productive bonds between these private sector groups, and educational institutions to increase literacy and eventually eradicate poverty.

Education can, indeed, be used as a tool for developing countries to improve quality of life of underprivileged communities; and in turn help the globalization process for the entire world. For this purpose, it is necessary to have an unified educational system which can cater for the entire underdeveloped population and disseminated globally.

To make all this work there has to be an educational system that could address issue in realistic terms. Thus the objectives of PLANWEL are to promote education and research in the region such that quality education could reach underprivileged masses globally. Here the role of distance education through the use of Internet is an opportunity for underdeveloped countries to prepare themselves for the next millennium’s technology based communities. This has now become possible through the concept of Virtual University.

The virtual university has now become reality as we can refer to few; e.g., California Virtual University, Governors University and the Virtual University of Malaysia, but these are reality only for the developed nations where individuals can afford computers and the infrastructure is in place; but unfortunately, in Pakistan the underprivileged masses are still living under miserable conditions. Even if the structure is put in place still individuals will not be able to afford computers or the line rents.

PLANWEL believes that in order to make the PLANWEL Virtual University a reality for globalization of education, it is essential to open up delivery POPs (Point of Presence) in each and every community of underdeveloped nations with the help of local private sector. These virtual POPs will act as catalyst for development and diffusing disparity. In reality the PLANWEL Virtual Universities will host researchers and professors from around the world and coordinate the transmission of instructional materials and academic resources to POPs throughout the developing world. The POPs will be their class rooms all over the developing world. These researchers/professors can be part of the panel from around the world so it will be a true virtual forum, disseminating their knowledge through the POPs around the Globe. PLANWEL’s goal is "taking technology to the people.”

POPs will be established as places for teaching, community centers, health care and social and economic improvement. These sites will require highly trained personnel and funds including for high speed broad band connectivity for receiving courseware and connectivity with all the POPs and with the International Center for Education (ICE).

PLANWEL is establishing POP sites on franchise basis and PLANWEL is assisting technically and financially to establish these POPs and if necessary even to assist the owners to run them and will take the investment back only when the POPs are self sufficient and the money so recovered will be channeled back for further development.
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5. Mission:

The missions of the PLANWEL Virtual University are;

• to set up specialized training institutions in the region, with the purpose of importing quality manpower training and skill enhancement in various disciplines in accordance to the needs and requirements of the local and international market in targeted developed countries.
  
  
• to promote education and research in such a way that quality education could reach underprivileged masses globally. Education can indeed be used as a tool for developing countries to improve quality of life of underprivileged communities, and in turn help the globalization process for the entire world.

PLANWEL will firstly train trainers of international quality in all disciplines, both at Karachi, and at Mehran University of Engineering and Technology in Jamshoro, Pakistan. These trained personnel will enter the market equipped with skills and engineering theory, basic management concepts, business communications, knowledge of the internet, a brush of English as well as plenty of experience in their own areas of expertise. These graduates will be formidable candidates for employment in the most challenging environment possible. The PLANWEL program has the power and the flexibility to make all this happen.

In order to provide quality education to the masses, PLANWEL is desirous to take assistance from institutions and members of the international community, particularly those who are using the most advanced technology which could economize quality education for underprivileged masses and make it possible to educate more and more people with minimum number of instructors at minimum cost. This has now become possible through the distance learning process - conducted by the PLANWEL Virtual University using electronic media.
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6. Specific Activities:

• Manpower training,
  
• research and development,
  
• overall improved business through scientific community development,
  
• mass education,
  
• equitable distribution of activities and amenities and thus reducing poverty.

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7. Developmental Phases of PLANWEL Virtual University:

Phase 1:	PLANWEL wishes to collaborate with organizations, initially for R&D; to prepare, plan, design, implement and run the international educational center with the help of partners in Pakistan. This would include conducting such graduate courses, which are ready for delivery in areas such as computer science, engineering, management, environmental town planning, health care, and library sciences, etc.
Phase 2:	It is entailed setting up distance learning centers (POP) based on the results of R&D conducted in Phase 1 of the project following the concepts of Internet; and broadband delivery, making it possible to truly act as The Virtual University POP site. The concept will be to deliver collaborating university courses through different medias to this center which on the other hand will be equipped with receiving equipment and state of the art Information technology.
Phase 3:	Opening of POP sites in the region extending from the Middle Eastern countries to the Central Asia.

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8. Anticipated Outcome:

• By the end of year 2001, PLANWEL will have 3000 highly trained professionals in different disciplines, available for further socio-economic development of the country and the region.
  
  
• Over-all Improvement of communities.

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9. Sustainability:

The PLANWEL Virtual University project eventually would cater for research on the Internet program in the underdeveloped region. Once this system has been tested then this could be replicated in the region in healthcare and various other sectors. Which in turn could be quite affordable at that point; since just as an example a panel of top surgeons from around the world can provide life saving operating instructions to a local surgeon in some remote health center in a third world county.

This project is tailored to underprivileged regions of the world. This will prepare the communities for the next millennium’s technology based communities. These POPs could be maintained and operated by local communities while at the same time can be used for various other Information technology related services like telemedicine, e-commerce, telebanking, etc., in return providing needed facilities and generating money. These centers will be the true reflection of PLANWEL’S vision for "building technology based communities.” These POPs will be the new community centers of the next millennium. Where at one end it will be the gateway to the world by providing choices and opportunities to the remote and desolate communities; on the other it will induce sense of community delivering a message "for the people and run by the people” (Prime Minister’s program year 2010 managed by the Kachi Chapter through the Champion of Reform).

This magnet of development "The POPs" itself will induce enough movement to bring the needed changes for socio-economic improvements.
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10. Expected Benefits:

In projects like these where long term planning is involved, immediate results are not reflected; though the projected implications will be vast. Now just by taking higher education as an example, if a student leaves Pakistan for higher education she/he spends USD $20,000 at least for a year for the education outside Pakistan, but if the same education is provided through the PLANWEL Virtual University POPs, it could be easily imagined how much money could be saved by these families. Further this concept will provide a student enrolled in the program a more wider spectrum on the subject being taught, since the student will have access to resources and professors from around the world. Thus it will not just benefit the student itself but it will have long term impact on the community and at the same time these POPs will stimulate research and development and provide a local research base for the developed world.
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11. Telemedicine and Telemedics:

PLANWEL has an arrangement with international videoconferencing organization and is in the process of establishing an international medical network linking key international cities. The concept is to provide similarly equipped sites with interactive connections. The sites would be used for medical conferences and consultations and medical education programs. We expect that the main users would be patients and families, their physicians experiencing medical situations, occurring outside the home country. In each city in the network, PLANWEL is setting up a public videoconferencing room and a major hospital to participate. The public rooms would handle medical education programs and the more simple consultations and telemedicine procedures.
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