Our activity
Launched in June of 1998, the Internet Access and Training
Program (IATP) in Moldova provides Internet access and
training for all citizens of the Republic of Moldova
to ensure their professional and academic growth. While
we are open to everybody, alumni of ECA exchange programs
form our main target group as we seek to encourage them
to share the experience they accumulated overseas with
the local population.
The citizens of the Republic of Moldova can participate
in a series of training
courses that IATP offers free of charge. We provide
our audiences the opportunity to learn about the Internet
and how it can serve as a valuable informational resource
in professional and academic settings. For example,
our training courses show Moldovan lawyers how they
can find information about Moldovan legislation on the
Internet. We show journalists how to find information
on the Internet that they can use in writing news stories.
Staff members of NGOs can benefit from our courses by
finding out about the activities of other local and
international NGOs that have the same mission.
Trainings
Training courses generally begin on Mondays and end
on Fridays. Our training schedule typically contains
two courses per week. Our audiences can come to IATP's
training centers to access the Internet whenever courses
are not being conducted.
IATP was originally administered by the Public Affairs
Section of the U.S. Embassy in Chisinau and funded by
the United States Information Agency (USIA). Since then
USIA has become a part of the US State Department and
is now known as the Bureau
of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). Today
IATP is funded by ECA and administered by the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX).
Web hosting
In addition to providing Internet access and training,
we also strive to promote the development of resources
on the Internet about Moldova and in local languages.
To do that, we offer training courses that show our
participants how to create various websites. IATP also
provides space on its server to host the websites once
completed. Click Web hosting to find out more and to
see the list of the sites that we currently host.
We also work with other international and local organizations
to provide specialized
Internet related training sessions. These organizations
include ACTR-ACCELS Moldova, the US Embassy Alumni
Resource Center (ARC), the Association of Independent Press, Dynamic Network Technologies, the Independent Journalism Center (IJC), and the Soros Foundation in Moldova.
IATP in Moldova
IATP staff in Moldova consists of 20 employees in 8
different centers throughout Moldova: Balti, Cahul,
Causeni, Chisinau, Comrat, Orhei, Soroca, and Ungheni.
IATP Moldova team also includes Mobile Trainers who
conduct Internet-related courses and seminars outside
the IATP public access sites. Eleven computers at the
US Embassy Alumni Resource Center in Chisinau receive
Internet connectivity from IATP to provide alumni of
ECA exchange programs the opportunity to continue their
professional and academic development through information
sharing, network building, and collaboration among their
former colleagues in the US and other alumni. Alumni
also receive IATP e-mail accounts and are provided with
Internet access from home during specified hours of
the day. Four computers at the Independent Journalism
Center premises are connected to the Internet via IATP,
serving as an Internet access site for Moldovan journalists.
This access site provides journalists, who frequently
do not have access to the Internet, with the opportunity
to take advantage of the informational resources it
offers.
Facilities
IATP also operates in the other countries of the CIS.
These programs have established Internet training centers
and Internet access sites in much the same way that
IATP has done in Moldova.
