Introduction

On 20 November, the first day of WTSA, an academic event will take place from 13:00 to 14:00 to provide an overview of ITU-T initiatives to engage universities and research institutions in the development of international ICT standards.

The first session is designed to highlight the importance of standards and encourage the participation of academia in ITU’s standardization work. In particular, it will provide insights into the new academia membership category as well as other initiatives targeting academia, including the ITU Kaleidoscope academic conferences, international events bringing together researchers, professors and students from all over the world.

The second session is dedicated to ITU-T Academia. They will share their experience as ITU-T academic members and will provide case studies showing how ITU membership has benefited their institutions. ITU’s membership of 193 member states and over 700 private-sector entities represents an extraordinary opportunity for academics to bring their ideas to life through standardization, raise the profiles of their institutions and uncover potential sources of future funding. By participating academia can gain global recognition and play a formative role in determining how their innovations are reflected in standards and public policy.

Closing remarks will be preceded by an interactive session - Q&A Session – that will offer the opportunity to exchange ideas with the audience. The aim is to draft proposals on how to better engage academia in the work of ITU-T, as well as identify additional benefits for ITU academic members.