Press Release: Poul Nielson signs co-financing agreement between European Commission and World Bank for the African Virtual University (AVU)

Following discussions in Washington and Brussels, the European Commissioner for Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Aid, Mr Poul Nielson, has announced that the Commission had given its green light to part-fund the World Bank's Higher Education IT initiative known as the African Virtual University (AVU). The AVU uses modern information technologies to provide a 'university without walls', giving some of the neediest countries of sub-Saharan Africa direct access to some of the highest quality faculty and learning resources around the world. With its contribution of €1m Euro to the funding (about 15% of the total project), the EU share is on a par with the World Bank and Japan. Mr Nielson declared that 'improved access to education is essential for the development of African society. I am satisfied to be involved in a meaningful initiative which makes a concrete contribution to this."