About ITU

ITU is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies – ICTs. They allocate global radio spectrum and satellite orbits, develop the technical standards that ensure networks and technologies seamlessly interconnect, and strive to improve access to ICTs to underserved communities worldwide.

ITU activity is divided according expertise in three sectors: radio communication - ITU-R, telecommunications standardization - ITU-T, and the development of telecommunications - ITU-D.

ITU's mission

  • foster international cooperation and standardization in the telecommunications sector,
  • promote the development of telecommunications infrastructure,
  • ensure effective distribution of the frequency spectrum and coordination of its use,
  • provide technical assistance in the field of telecommunications to developing countries.

Since 1997, ITU establishes around the world Centres of Excellence, whose mission is to offer continuing education in the field of information and communication technologies. Centres serve as a regional focal points for professional development, research and knowledge sharing as well as providing educational services to external clients.

For the period 2015 - 2018 - 32 centres of excellence spread around the world acquired that status. Centres were selected on the basis of their quality in certain areas. Each of the centres is focused on one or two priority areas of telecommunications. Altogether eleven defined priorities:

  1. Policy and regulation
  2. Broadband
  3. Cyber Security
  4. Conformance and Interoperability
  5. Spectrum management
  6. Digital broadcasting
  7. ICT applications and services
  8. Emergency telecommunications
  9. ICT and mitigation of and adaptation to climate change
  10. e-Waste
  11. Capacity building in Internet governance

Centre operating at CTU is focused on cyber security as well as 6 other centres worldwide. Specifically, on the issue of cyber security focused centres in Argentina, Malaysia, Germany, Ivory Coast, Russia and Rwanda. For more information see ITU main page ITU.