Cyber surfers: Head of IS, Prof Jean-Paul van Belle, and alumnus Sam Paddock, creator of the UCT Internet Super-User course, which will enable people who have limited experience of the internet to catapult themselves across the digital divide.

When Sam Paddock was a UCT information systems (IS) honours student he envisioned a "virtual campus" where prospective students could complete short courses without needing to set foot in a classroom.

This dream will become a reality for the IS graduate when he launches the first online course for the Faculty of Commerce next month.

The UCT Internet Super-User course will enable people who have limited experience with the internet to catapult themselves across the digital divide.

"If you use email and surf the web, but want to use tools like Google, Skype, Wikipedia, Google Earth, Facebook, Twitter, PayPal, uStream, or to blog like the professionals, then this course is for you," says Paddock.

Students on the course will become familiar with the wealth of benefits the internet offers.

For Paddock, managing director of GetSmarter, a specialist online training company, the logical partner for this course was the UCT IS department with its "reputation for innovation and excellence".

Head of Information Systems Professor Jean-Paul van Belle said: "It's important for us to consider our options in making expertise and intellectual resources available to a wider community. E-learning has the potential to deliver optimised learning resources more efficiently than face-to-face teaching, thus enhancing quality while lowering cost."

This short course is not a replacement for existing courses, but complements by broadening the student base to students who can't - or don't want to - become full-time residential students.

(For information, email Deborah)