Our mission at PLANWEL is to globally promote education and research to help assist the underserved communities in making the necessary socio-economic changes. Bringing Technology To The People Building Technology Based Communities Technology For the People and Run By the People Throughout the developed world, technology has reached an unprecedented level of advancement. However, one must not overlook the underserved communities scattered around the globe. These communities are in a continuous struggle to attain the very basic necessities of life, let alone own a computer. PLANWEL believes that in order for the developed world to attain the highest ethical standards of such technological advancement; technology must be used as a tool to improve the quality of life of underserved communities. Otherwise, the gap between the developed and the underdeveloped worlds will only widen. One step towards improving the conditions of the underserved masses is to provide them with quality education at an affordable cost. Today's emerging technologies can economize quality education for underserved masses which, in turn makes it possible to educate more and more people with minimum number of instructors incurring minimum cost. This has now become possible through the distance learning process conducted by the Virtual Universities using Internet2 Broadband technology. Objectives The objectives of PLANWEL are to promote education and research in the region such that quality education could reach underserved masses globally. Here, the Distance Education through the use of Internet is an opportunity for underserved countries to prepare themselves for the new millennium's technology based communities. This has now become possible through the concept of Virtual University. Coming to the question of virtual university, yes they have now become reality as we can refer to few; California Virtual Campus, Western Governors University , The African Virtual University (AVU) , and Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UNITAR) , but these are a reality only for the developed nations where individuals can afford computers and the infrastructure is in place; but unfortunately, in Developing Countries, the underserved 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 Virtual University a reality for globalization of education, it is essential - with the help of local private sector - to open up delivery PoP's (Point of Presence) for these Virtual Universities in each and every community of underdeveloped nation. These PoP's (Point of Presence) will act as catalyst for development, and diffusing disparity. While in reality, the Virtual Universities will host researchers and Professors from around the world; the PoP's (Point of Presence) will be their class rooms in the underserved communities all around the world. These researchers/professors will be on the Panel of the Mega University System from around the world leading to a true virtual forum, disseminating their knowledge through the PoP's (Point of Presence) around the GLOBE. One of our recent success stories is the establishment of The Virtual University of Pakistan (VU) , by Government of Pakistan based on PLANWEL’s model VU feasibility study. It will allow Government of Pakistan in bringing socio-economic changes to the region. "TAKING TECHNOLOGY TO THE PEOPLE" This eventually would launch research on the broadband Cyberinfrastructure in the underdeveloped regions. Once this delivery system is tested it will be replicated through out the region in health care and various other sectors. Which will, in turn, be quite affordable. 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 underserved region. This project is tailored to underserved regions of the world. This will prepare the communities for the new millennium’s Technology Based Communities. These PoP’s (Point of Presence) will be operated and maintained by local communities for various other Information Technology related services like telehealth, e-commerce, tele-banking etc., providing needed facilities and generating money. These centers will be the true reflection of PLANWEL’s vision for: "BUILDING TECHNOLOGY BASED COMMUNITIES" These PoP’s (Point of Presence) will be the new Community Centers of the millennium. Where at one end it will be the gateway to the world by providing opportunities including, affordable education, telehealth, e-commerce, e-governance, through addressing the digital devide particularly for gender equity, that promotes economic growth, education, health, environment and democracy; for the remote and desolate communities of the developing nations; while on the other end it will induce sense of community delivering a message: "TECHNOLOGY FOR THE PEOPLE AND RUN BY THE PEOPLE" This magnet of development the "PoP" itself will induce enough synergy to bring the needed changes for socio-economic improvements in developing countries.

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