Internet-based service designed to foster technical cooperation among developing countries, initiated by UNDP Special Unit for Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (SU/TCDC) and is hosted by CESAR (Centro de Estudos e Sistemas Avancados de Recife) in Brazil.
WIDE Initiative consists of:
- The Cooperation South Journal
- WIDE OnLine: An Internet-based public access database containing user-maintained data on experts, institutions and “best” practices in the South
- WIDE InterLink: A network of stakeholders sharing the WIDE electronic venue to build capacity for technical cooperation among developing countries
System available on web site currently consists of three searchable catalogues
- Experts – professionals can register in WIDE by entering their curricula vitae
- Institutions – contains information on institutions’ projects, products and services. WIDE Institutions include scientific and research institutions, governmental and non-governmental organizations and public and private companies
- Innovative experiences – database contains details of experiences and projects demonstrating innovative development activities or technical cooperation carried out by institutions or groups of professionals. Its aim is to catalogue experiences that can potentially be replicated in other developing countries
WIDE Experts Off Line and the WIDE Institutions Off Line (this includes innovative experiences) are available to download for later use without a permanent Internet connection.
WIDE InterLink represents TCDC’s proactive strategy of service, partnership and collaboration for using the electronic venue to strengthen the capacity of TCDC stakeholder communities. The InterLink strategy supports national and organizational efforts to create expertise databases as part of overall capacity building efforts .
In the short term, WIDE would be the primary repository of data on expertise (for example) for a given country, agency or subject area. Over time, the national, agency or organizational initiative would repatriate that subset of information on expertise and assume full responsibility for its maintenance.
Initiative runs two discussion forums
- WIDEForum-L: Announcements and public dialogue on WIDE Initiative and related activities
- GoodWIDE-L: Commentaries and Case Studies on innovative experiences in technical cooperation
Messages can be viewed on the web site.