ABOUT US

About the National Computer Board www.ncb.mu

Preamble
The National Computer Board (NCB) was set up in 1988 by the National Board Act (Act No.43) to promote the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Mauritius. It is a para-statal body administered by a Board of Directors and operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology.

The NCB has recently redefined its strategies to respond more effectively to new national aspirations in view of multi-facetted challenges emerging in the wake of globalization and threatening the very resilience of the country's economy. Its core mission is now to accelerate the transition of Mauritius into a regional ICT hub and ensure the swift realization of government's objective to make of the ICT sector a fifth pillar of the economy.

Our Vision

To be the key enabler in transforming Mauritius into a Cyber island and the regional ICT hub.

Our Mission

To e-power people, businesses and the public sector by developing and promoting ICT and ICT related services in Mauritius.

Core Values

We are committed to quality and excellence
We believe in teamwork and partnership
We are determined to provide professional services to our stakeholders, customers and partners
We aim at continuous improvement
We invest in our people

Charter Objectives

This Charter gives an overview of the services and activities of the different divisions of the NCB.

Organisation Chart

The organization structure comprises 8 divisions

The Planning Research and Development division was set up to study the use of ICT in Mauritius, make policy and legal recommendations, analyse the trend in ICT technologies, promote the use of state-of-the-art technologies and carry out R&D in ICT.

The Mauritian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-MU) was officially launched on 16 May 2008 as the main national body for co-ordination of information security incidents at the national level. It is a division of the National Computer Board. The mission of CERT-MU is to provide information and assistance to its constituents in implementing proactive measures to reduce the risks of information security incidents as well as responding to such incidents as and when they occur.

The Business Development and Promotion Division was put in place to develop an integrated approach for the promotion of Mauritius as a cyber island at regional and international levels in coordination with other public and private organizations of the ICT sector. It has also to assess the competitiveness of the Mauritian ICT industry and make relevant recommendations.

The ICT Incubator Centre was set up to promote entrepreneurship development and boost job creation through the provision of logistical and business support to start ups in the ICT sector.

The ICT Culture Promotion Division aims at bridging the digital divide in Mauritius and developing an ICT literate nation.

The Government Online Centre (GOC) is a centralized data centre which supports e-Government initiatives. Equipped with state-of-the-art ICT Infrastructure, the GOC hosts the Government Web Portal which is one-stop-shop providing comprehensive information on Government Services and enabling online applications on a 24x7 basis.

Strategies and Objectives

E- Powering people through the promotion of ICT Culture
E- Powering businesses by promoting and developing the ICT industry
E- Powering the public sector by participating in e-Government initiatives

E-Powering People

The NCB spreads ICT literacy and creates awareness on applications and uses of ICT and in so doing contributes to build information society capable to drive the national objective of making of ICT a fifth pillar of the Mauritian economy.

Activities to create an Information Society include:

In this context the NCB has launched a Cyber Caravan project to disseminate ICT culture all over the island through its two caravans. IT Empowerment Programmes for Unemployed HSC holders are also organized to enhance their employability.

Activities targeting secondary and tertiary level students are organized on a regular basis with a view to promote the usage and opportunities of ICT and instill interest in the new technologies.

The NCB has also set up a Resource Centre to provide ICT facilities to researchers, students, professionals and the public at large. It is equipped with PCs, ICT textbooks, reports, magazines, press articles on ICT, education software and offers free Internet access.

E-Powering Business

The NCB strives to foster the growth of the ICT industry by organising a host of activities focused on:

The NCB has been operating an ICT Incubator Centre in Port Louis since January 2003. Some 18 startups have benefited from the services of this facility. The NCB now plans to expand its Incubator Centre to accommodate at least 40 startups in the near future.

The Incubator Centre also runs regular training programmes for startups operating in and outside its perimeters and for Small and Medium Enterprises with focus on the legal, marketing, accounting, management and production aspects as part of their capacity building process for business enhancement. The Center is located at Jade Court in Port Louis.

The Center offers the following facilities

The NCB regularly participates in international fairs such as SeCA (Salon Européen des Centres de Contacts et Gestion de la Relation Client) in Paris and the Birmingham Call Centre Expo. The objective is to promote Mauritius as a competing outsourcing destination and provide information to potential outsourcers and investors on developments and achievements in the ICT sector in Mauritius.

Infotech has become the most important NCB driven event for ICT stakeholders in the country. The objectives of this event are among others to showcase and spread emerging technologies and offer a meeting platform for local ICT operators to develop collaboration and deals with potential partners and customers. Over 30 000 people usually visit Infotech.

E-Powering the Public Sector

The NCB provides free hosting facilities and technical assistance for the development of websites and portals of Ministries and Government Departments. These websites are available on the Government Web Portal.

The NCB manages the Government Online Centre a key component of the e-Government initiative that is the main infrastructure enabling e-Government and ensuring the provision of secure government online services to citizens, businessmen and government bodies.

The GOC also provides Internet access and email facilities to employees of Ministries and Departments, offers web site publishing and hosting services and will host common and back-office applications of Ministries and Departments such as Registry, Stores, Personnel Systems, Labour Market Information System, Environment Information System, Central Population Database amongst others.

Activities of the National Computer Board

E - Powering Business

E - Powering People

E - Powering the Public sector
Government Online Centre (GOC)

About CyberLearning

Since 1994, CyberLearning has trained over a million students and adults in the USA, India, Mauritius, Jordan, Egypt and other countries.

Cyberlearning Mission

• To make high-quality online education and training affordable for everyone, especially the disadvantaged students and adults

• To help bridge the digital and academic divides by training a million disadvantaged students and adults in IT, math and business skills.

• To provide high-quality low-fee college education, credits and degrees to everyone, especially the disadvantaged

• To provide high-quality low-cost customized online training to orginizations, especially those serving the disadvantaged

Our Advisory Group

Dr. Appu Kuttan (chairman) — International management and education systems expert, 2006 Global Digital Literacy Champion Award Winner and CyberLearning founder. Message from the Chairman

Justice V.R. Krishnaiyer, Retired Supreme Court Justice of India

Shri V. Krishnamurthy, IAS former Kerala State Chief Secretary

Pankaj Rai - COO, National Education Foundation
CEO, www.cyberlearningindia.com

Hon, Clarence Cooper
US Federal Judge

Hon. Nicholas A. Veliotes
US Ambassadors and
President Emeritus, AAP

Dr. Laurence Peters
VP, National Education Foundation
Ex - U.S. Education Dept. Senior Official

Alan Weinberger
ASCII Group CEO

Dr. Jack Farrell
VP and Dean
Union County College

Pam Shriver
Tennis Hall of Famer

Monica Seles
Tennis Star