Editorial

Adapting and Deepening the Dissemination of Knowledge

In an environment where technological progress is transforming the patterns of international competition by boosting services, and information in particular, we felt it would be appropriate to devote a feature of the Lettre to the information systems, scope of activity and policies of ISTED (Institut des Sciences et des Techniques de l'Équipement et de l'Environnement pour le Développement) for the dissemination of scientific and technical information.
There is an urgent need to transfer knowledge from industrialised countries to developing countries. The problem is to tailor information and techniques to the needs and management methods of the recipient countries. In the North, the accepted idea is that what is right for Europe, North America or even the developed countries of Asia, is right for the South if the pace and methods are adapted to the context. In the South, the models offered are often felt to be imposed and are not always understood. And the demand is tending to turn towards old experience models which, although they were successful in the past, are now no longer relevant to industrialised countries.
The institutions and people whose activities are devoted to North-South exchanges are constantly being made aware of this discrepancy. Their aim is therefore to propose an approach based on a better understanding of the context in recipient countries (levels of knowledge, management capacities, etc.), which will not only optimise the benefits of reciprocal contributions but also encourage interchange between the developing countries. What matters in the long run is the quality and availability of information and how it is presented, with each partner striving in his own field to ensure that this information is properly used and relevant to the specific context.

Xavier Crépin,
ISTED General Manager

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