About Us

Background

Asia Pacific School on Internet Governance (APSIG) is a regional School of Internet Governance working towards raising awareness and capacity building within the Asia Pacific region. It's a yearly event that brings in Internet Leaders from the Asia Pacific region for a Training of Trainers program. School on Internet Governance (SIG) started in Europe first in 2007, followed by Latin America, Africa, and Middle East and Adjoining Countries in 2010s. A similar but shorter program called Asia Pacific Internet Leadership Program (APILP) was initiated in 2011 with a two-day program, which became a one-day program in 2014. Meantime, SIGs in other regions have been expanded to four to six days. Brazil is the first country with its national SIG in 2014.  Middle East and Adjoining Countries – School on Internet Governance (MEAC-SIG) had its first annual school in Kuwait in 2014, followed by Tunis in 2015, and Beirut in 2016. Pakistan is the first country in Asia to have its national SIG in 2015 with the support of MEAC-SIG.

Realizing the similar week-long schools on Internet governance in Asia; regionally as well as nationally, the initial proposal was developed in September 2015 to hold the first week-long school on Internet governance in 2016 by a team of enthusiast led by the Professor Kilnam Chon, considered as the "Father of Internet in Asia Pacific". The website, APSIG.asia was launched in September 2015 and considered as APSIG's inception. 

Asia Pacific School on Internet Governance (APSIG) was founded as second tier initiative to build capacity on Internet Governance among the Asia Pacific IG practitioners. The initial preparation on APSIG started in September 2015 to target the first APSIG course in 2016 (Q3). The initial fundraising started in 2015 (Q4), and contributions were made by five organizations; Google, APTLD, Internet Society, ICANN and Silicon Valley Community Foundation. APSIG Facilitator Group was established and its first chair, Jungbae An was elected in January 2016 to handle the 2016 APSIG administration. Asia Institute of Technology (AIT) in Bangkok was selected as the 2016 APSIG venue in March 2016. 

Objectives

• Organize the APSIG Conference annually or more frequently if required, within the Asia-Pacific region, by bringing together eminent speakers and experts on all topics of relevance to Internet Governance, and emerging technology topics in particular
• Promote and support Schools on Internet Governance (SIGs) in the Asia-Pacific Region
• Provide training services to organizers and speakers at national and local SIGs
• Discuss and address issues common to national SIGs including pedagogy, post-program follow-up, faculty & speakers, session formats, quality control, funding and certificationRaise funds as grants, sponsorships or other forms in order to maintain the activities of APSIG at a high level of quality
• Ensure overall accountability processes within APSIG including but not limited to financial prudence in managing operations.