Distance learning: The new era of the university

The swiftness with which technology evolves, the access to the Internet and data broadcasting via satellite will soon allow even the poorest countries of the world to access the Web. In 2016, according to estimates provided by Cisco Systems, there will be 10 billions mobile equipments connected to the Internet for a world population of 7.3 billions of people. This means that, on average, each inhabitant of the world will have more than one equipment to connect to the Web. Building schools and universities to take education and training to the poorest countries of the world is important, but not essential. In the present historical era, what is really important is to create quality contents that could contribute to improve the life of each single person. In this background it will be ever more crucial to create new international alliances to build shared networks of knowledge among the various universities of the world and to support the convergence among institutions.