Theme: Caribbean digital sovereignty in the age of AI: strengthening digital public infrastructure, the Internet ecosystem, and meaningful connectivity 

1. About the School of Digital Transformation and Innovation

The School of Digital Transformation and Innovation is a capacity-building programme that provides relevant content to policymakers in Latin America and the Caribbean through lectures, short courses, case studies, peer learning, and discussions.  Over its eleven years of implementation, the School has become a recognized platform for learning and cooperation. It fosters intersectoral and multistakeholder dialogue, bringing together policymakers, international experts, and professionals from diverse sectors to address the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation and innovation in the region.

Following the success of its first and second Caribbean editions of the School, the third edition in 2026 aims to deepen engagement with regional policymakers, industry experts, and international organizations. 

The Caribbean faces distinct challenges and opportunities in digital transformation. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the region grapple with issues such as:

• Limited telecommunications infrastructure
• Exposure to natural disasters
• Financial constraints
• Data governance and security concerns

To address these challenges, the 2026 School will emphasize infrastructure resilience, meaningful connectivity, the Internet ecosystem, artificial intelligence (AI), digital sovereignty, and digital public infrastructure (DPI). By focusing on these topics, the program aims to build capacities to face local challenges and enhance the Caribbean’s digital economy and regulatory landscape.

2. Organizers and partners 

The Caribbean leg of the School is co-organized by prominent institutions, including:

• ECLAC: The United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
• CAF: Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean
• Cetic.br | NIC.br: Regional Centre for Studies for the Development of the Information Society, a department of NIC.br
• Internet Technical Community: LACNIC, ICANN, Internet Society, LACTLD, LAC-IX, LACNOG, Red CLARA
• CTU: The Caribbean Telecommunications Union
• UWI: The University of the West Indies

3. Objectives

The 2026 edition of the school seeks to:

• Advance policy development: Foster discussions on regulatory and policy frameworks for the Caribbean.
• Promote digital inclusion: Ensure that digital transformation efforts are equitable and inclusive, bridging the digital divide in underserved communities.
• Support development of resilient and sovereign digital infrastructure: Address the region’s vulnerabilities by promoting robust and sustainable digital infrastructure solutions.
• Build capacity to develop AI ecosystems and governance frameworks: Advance productive and social development.
• Strengthen regional cooperation: Promote cross-sectoral and regional collaboration to drive digital transformation.
• Build technical and strategic capacities: Equip policymakers and stakeholders with tools and capacities to navigate the evolving digital landscape, including the multistakeholder governance model of the Internet.

4. Thematic pillars  

The program is structured around five key thematic pillars, each addressing critical aspects of digital transformation:

1. Resilient, secure and sustainable digital infrastructure
2. Internet governance, architecture and the evolving digital ecosystem
3. Meaningful connectivity: measuring for public policy design
4. Data governance, AI and digital innovation ecosystems
5. Digital transformation for development: public services, economy and inclusion 

Methodology

The school will provide a dedicated space for regional dialogue, capacity building, and collaboration, using an interactive and practical approach to learning, which combines:

• Lectures and workshops: Expert-led sessions on key thematic areas.
• Panel discussions and debates: Dialogues featuring policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers.
• Case studies presentation from participants: Showcasing existing digital initiatives.

6. Target Audience

The School is designed for mid-to-senior level policymakers (with at least seven years of experience) from ministries related to digital/ICT, finance, trade, planning & economy, and legal affairs. Additional participants will include regulators, industry representatives, chambers of commerce, academics, and international organizations engaged in digital transformation policy development in the Caribbean.

7. Event Details

• Date: June 29 – July 3, 2026
• Time: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM (UTC -4)
• Venue: The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Kingston, Jamaica
• Mode: In-person participation. Scholarships will be awarded to selected candidates
• Registration: By invitation only; expressions of interest are encouraged
• Language: English (no interpretation services available)
• Certificates: Awarded to participants who complete at least two-thirds of the sessions
• Website: https://ctu.int/event/3rd-school-of-digital-transformation-and-innovation-for-the-caribbean/