The Development of New Components on the ISS Website

Press Release: the Development of New Components on the ISS Website

The ISS website (www.issafrica.org) is one of the largest of its kind with an average of more than two million hits per month. During April 2007 it recorded the highest number of visits ever – 2 442 117 hits or 834 222 page impressions! The site has grown ten-fold over the past four years in terms of the number of visits and consistently ranks amongst the top ten on search engines such as Google. Some 4500 users are currently subscribed to the free email alert service on new additions to the website.

During 2006, the website was completely redeveloped into a dynamic, database driven website with full content management system.  This project was funded through a grant by the Conflict and Governance Facility (CAGE), which is funded by the European Union under the European Programme for Reconstruction and Development.

The ISS is pleased to announce that CAGE has provided a further grant to enable the Institute to enhance its website further through the development of additional components during 2007.

The enhancement of existing web components, as well as the development of new modules on the website will improve web users` online experience of the ISS website.  This five-month project is currently under way and development is to be completed by the end of July 2007.

The project includes the development of an RSS/XML feed for new items that are added to the website.  This will enable web users to receive updated content on the ISS website directly to their computers via RSS news readers. 

An online editing component (similar to the Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia concept) is being developed to enable ISS staff members and all users of the website to contribute content to the website`s African Fact Files component. Through this system you, as a user of the website, will be able to edit and update text directly to the website. This is the beginning of a collaborative project whereby the ISS wishes to enable its web users to contribute to the updating and maintenance of profiles of African countries and organisations, as well as the index of acronyms on African multilateral institutions.

The project also entails the development of an online map creation system that will be used by ISS staff members to create maps of African regions or countries for use in presentations and publications.  The system will be used to create maps on the ISS website, such as those depicting the member states of the African Regional Economic Communities.

Web users can look forward to the development of an integrated section for registration for attendance of seminars at the various ISS offices.  You will be able to register for seminars online instead of by telephone, fax or email as is presently the case.  The development of an online profile manager for the management and synchronisation of subscriptions to ISS publications and the email alert system is also under way.  This system will make it easier for users to receive ISS publications and to manage their subscription details.

We look forward to launching these new components to enable you to use our website more effectively and welcome your comments and suggestions!

Issued by the Institute for Security Studies

Pretoria

20 June 2007