The Italian state television and radio network, RAI, and Nettuno, a consortium of universities throughout the Mediterranean peninsula, have joined forces to offer one of most comprehensive multimedia study programs in Europe.
“There is no longer a problem with space or time,” explained a
representative of Nettuno. “Students can now ‘attend’ the Italian university of their choice, with televised classes and interaction with professors by telephone, fax, and Internet.”
“Nettuno uses interactive telemetric resources
for its operation: satellite TV, public television networks, Internet,
interactive databases, videoconferencing through ISDN, computer
conferencing, e-mail, and telephone.”
Currently 26 universities, three technical colleges, and three schools of higher education outside of Italy are participating in the Nettuno project. While most of the degrees offered are in the technical fields – i.e., mechanical engineering, information systems, etc. – there are also offerings in the area of economics and business.
Sanctioned by the Minister of Universities for the study of Research,
Science and Technology, classes are transmitted 24 hours a day on the RAI Nettuno Sat station, via the Hot-Bird2/EUTELSAT satellite. Lessons can then be reviewed, and professors questioned, through the Internet.
Students are also invited to participate in virtual classroom discussions and communicate with fellow students. According to a RAI spokesman, there are no other media beyond Internet and
television that can capture mass audiences.
By combining these into a comprehensive program of learning whereby one can view classes simply by turning on their television set, then discuss, review, and study the lessons via Internet, and you have brought education into the home.