Infrastructure and Connectivity in the ASEAN 2015 Integration : Issues and Challenges for Libraries and ICT Services

Abstract

Infrastructure, connectivity, and ICT are components of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) blueprint. The ASEAN Master Plan on connectivity addresses three major components of people-to-people, physical, and institutional. The ASEAN ICT Master Plan 2015 has three pillars of economic transformation, people empowerment and engagement, innovation, and the foundations of infrastructure, human capital, and bridging the digital divide towards an empowering and transformational ICT by creating an inclusive, vibrant and integrated ASEAN. Challenges of the ICT are extent of digital divide, insufficient national information infrastructure (NII), and the need to nurture technological innovation. Challenges in the people-to-people connectivity are academic cycles, recognition of qualifications, and quality of education. To address ICT challenges seven (7) key actions are required. With the ASEAN 2015 integration, libraries, librarians, and other information professionals are faced with a number of big issues and challenges.