Digital transformation is not just about technology—it’s about people. By building the skills of ICT professionals, the ITU Academy Training Centres (ATCs) programme ensures that intermediate and senior-level professionals—especially in developing countries—receive high-quality and relevant training to meet the digital challenges of today and tomorrow.
The ATC network brings together 14 internationally recognized institutions from around the globe. These institutions serve as ITU’s core capacity development partners, delivering courses that address the most important training topics identified by the ITU Development Sector’s Membership, such as policy and regulation, network infrastructure, spectrum management, cybersecurity, digital inclusion, and digital services.
But the programme doesn’t just deliver knowledge—it ensures that learning is transformative and actionable. The participating institutions have formed a close community in which exchanges of best practices and lessons learned are frequent and maximizing training quality, with collaborations within the network extending also to joint course delivery.
As of the end of August 2025, the ATCs have:
- Delivered more than 130 courses via the ITU Academy platform, including several face-to-face as well as blended trainings;
- Certified over 3,300 participants, a majority of whom are from developing countries.
Beyond the numbers, the ATC programme has fostered cross-institutional collaboration and strengthened ties with the Digital Transformation Centres Initiative (DTC), another capacity building initiative led by the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau which focuses on basic-level digital skills. This ensures a continuum of digital capacity development—from foundational skills to advanced professional expertise.
Looking ahead, the ATC programme is preparing for its next milestones:
- A 2026 course catalogue
- An impact evaluation analysis to measure the results of the first three-year cycle
- Renewal of cooperation agreements for the participating institutions
- Scouting for new partners eager to join the network
The first cycle of the ATC programme, launched in 2023, shows a clear story: capacity development works best when it’s global, collaborative, and forward-looking.
This is an ITU Development #DigitalImpactUnlocked story
About the ATC programme
The ATC programme was launched in 2023 following the outcomes of the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC) 2022.
