8. CTSC - started in the Nordic countries

The first fully equipped CTSC was established in September 1985. Since then this "social invention" using information technology has been tested and modified all over the Nordic countries.

The dominating problems of rural society in the Nordic countries are those created by economic centralisation. Consequently, the future of rural society very much depends on the diversification of rural economies. Small and medium-sized enterprises have to be attracted to the rural communities and to offer training and re-training opportunities, private and public services, and good access to information and communication facilities. This is exactly what the CTSCs do.

Based on the above mentioned facilities, the CTSCs bring new services (information and communication services, library services, tele-medicin, access to data bases and to electronic networks, access to public services, etc.) and new competence (provision of distance training courses in the classroom environment of the CTSCs, provision of consultancy services for small enterprises, farmers, fisheries, etc.) to the rural communities, whether they are financed by the public authorities or run as private enterprises.