Developing capacity in countries engaged with Giga is the central tenet underpinning work of our four pillars (map, model, finance and contract).
To support this, in 2025, we launched- and ramped up- activities at the Giga Learning Hub at our Geneva Connectivity Centre.
Established in response to the growing demand from countries for support in developing local capacity and knowledge transfer to effectively deliver school connectivity, the Giga Learning Hub serves as the umbrella for Giga’s capacity development and knowledge sharing activities.
Through structured training courses (delivered through the ITU Academy), workshops, networking and other learning formats, the Giga Learning Hub equips policymakers, regulators and other practitioners with actionable tools and insights across the full school connectivity journey.
“This training is very relevant and very useful for both the Ministry of Education as well as the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission to use public money very efficiently and effectively.”
Muditha Gunasinghe, Director/ Policy & International Relations Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka
Kick starting the learning journey for school connectivity
During the first year of its existence, the Giga Learning Hub conducted 5 different courses, enabling 128 delegates from 52 countries to share knowledge and strengthen capacity.
The inaugural training course took place in February 2025, focusing on infrastructure mapping and modelling for school connectivity. It equipped participants with practical skills to identify underserved areas, apply GIS tools and use connectivity models to test and compare connectivity scenarios- using real life case studies related to school connectivity.
“Applied Geospatial Tools for School Connectivity” was the theme of the second Learning Hub training, which focused on identifying underserved areas, modeling internet demand and developing evidence-based connectivity business plans- equipping participants with the skills to address school connectivity challenges using geospatial data.
Hear how this training will support on the ground:
Online delivery
Two instructor-led courses were delivered online during 2025, providing policymakers, regulators and government officials with practical tools, methodologies and actionable understanding in financing school connectivity as well as ICT business planning for school connectivity
Sustainable procurement for school connectivity
The final Learning Hub course of 2025 focused on sustainable procurement for school connectivity. Targeted at procurement officials from Ministries of ICT and Education and other decision-makers, this training provided participants with the skills to design and manage sustainable, large-scale school connectivity projects, a key element for strengthening national capacity.
Watch the highlight here:
Up next in 2026
In 2026, at least 13 new Giga Learning Hub trainings will be delivered either online or as face-to-face training, covering areas such as collaborative regulation for school connectivity, developing cybersecurity infrastructure for school connectivity and digital governance for school connectivity. Find out more here.
Beyond training, the Giga Learning Hub will continue to expand its learning ecosystem, including partnerships with external institutions to co-develop new courses around school connectivity and adjacent topics, including workshops, masterclasses, and hackathons.
Together, these activities will boost the capacity of countries to scale capacity development and embed practical skills across the full school connectivity lifecycle. A dedicated digital repository, a comprehensive source for information on school connectivity is now online too. Organized around key stages of the connectivity journey, this curated repository gives stakeholders access to the essential tools, reports, data platforms, and guidance materials to support their efforts.
The Giga Learning Hub’s first-year results underscore Giga’s sustained commitment to capacity development as a key enabler of effective, scalable, and sustainable school connectivity.
