At EsLaRed we are delighted to share our progress in a project we are developing for the Association for Progressive Communications (APC): a virtual campus that we have called ORBIS – from the Latin word for world and circle, because of its holistic and universal nature – and which is set to become the network’s training hub.
ORBIS will not merely be a course platform, but a complete digital ecosystem, visually unified and designed to be accessible and immersive. It will feature a centralised informational website outlining the project’s specifications and its vision, as well as intuitive virtual classrooms clearly arranged by strategic line of work. This development will also include resources – such as libraries and observatories – to support research and study efforts, thus cementing ORBIS as an advanced knowledge centre, providing a direct connection to the virtual spaces of the member organisations towards strengthening the network’s collective intelligence, with language options available from the outset to ensure maximum global accessibility.
Planting the seeds of collective intelligence
Our first mission in implementing the initial phase of the project was critical: we wanted to take the network’s pulse and gauge its unwavering commitment. To do that, we set about compiling a “Portfolio of courses and workshops offered by APC members in their strategic lines of work in 2025”. Following a comprehensive and in-depth examination of each website and the outcome of a survey, the truth that emerged was quite simply striking.
What we found not only underscores the network's commitment, it also celebrates its vibrant energy: of the 73 organisations that make up APC, we were pleasantly surprised to discover that 78% are already actively involved in the crucial task of training, sharing and building knowledge. Only 16 organisations were not currently imparting any courses.
This finding is more than just a number. It is tangible proof of the collective dedication that runs through APC, demonstrating that training is one of the vital forces that drive the network. This not only justifies the urgency of centralising this wealth of knowledge in ORBIS, it also gives us something invaluable: a robust foundation, full of experience and passion, ready to be amplified by our new virtual campus.
Having sized up the energy of the network’s collective commitment, we took a critical step to ensure the relevance and impact of the virtual campus: we created an “APC curriculum and training plan”. This structure is not simply a list; it is a roadmap that connects training directly with the heart of APC’s mission. The plan is firmly grounded in the five strategic lines of work that will guide APC during the 2024-2027 period, ensuring that each course develops critical capacities in the following thematic areas: human rights, feminist internet, internet governance, digital inclusion and environmental justice. By incorporating all of these thematic areas, ORBIS becomes the engine that drives APC’s agenda, guaranteeing that learning is translated directly into action and transformation in the areas that are most critical for advancing communications and social justice.
Self-managed learning
One of the pillars of the ORBIS virtual campus is its teaching methodology. We focus on instructional design as an essential tool, striving for a self-managed and flexible learning model, which is perfectly in line with APC’s identity. A self-managed approach allows participants to take responsibility for their own learning process. This not only fosters autonomy, it also reinforces the culture of shared responsibility and collective intelligence that APC seeks to cultivate. The training plan is designed to strengthen and promote the organisation's foundational values, building capacities from the ground up. This methodology includes efficient processes for evaluating and monitoring each participant.
With these elements, ORBIS is taking shape not only as a campus, but also as the digital home for APC’s knowledge, the essential tool for driving and promoting its strategic lines of work across the world.
We wrap up this first phase of the project firmly convinced that ORBIS will be the catalyst for a new era of learning and collaboration among APC members. This virtual campus, holistic and universal as its name suggests, is designed to be a space where knowledge flows without borders. We have laid down solid foundations – from the strategic curriculum to the uniform visual identity – that will allow the APC network not only to share its knowledge, but also to grow and act collectively with renewed strength. ORBIS is poised to become the epicentre of training and collective intelligence, bringing APC’s mission to every corner of the world. In 2026 we will be offering two courses – entirely in English and Spanish – in lines of work chosen from among the five that APC focuses on, as well as an instructional design tutorial. This is also a way of learning about the procedure followed in this development. ORBIS will be available for APC members only, at least in the first stage.
Edmundo Vitale is general manager at Fundación Escuela Latinoamericana de Redes (EsLaRed), a member of the APC network.