Universal Acceptance Adoption in Academia Through the Coalition for Digital Africa

The New Generic Top-Level Domains Program, which includes Internationalized Domain Name TLDs in local languages or scripts, launched in 2012 to foster a more inclusive Internet. While this program expanded Internet access, technical constraints in current software and applications have limited adoption. Universal Acceptance (UA) aims to address this by ensuring all Internet users can access domain names and email addresses in their native languages and scripts.

This blog looks at the recent developments within academia, specifically through the collaboration between ICANN and the Association of African Universities (AAU), as part of an initiative under the Coalition for Digital Africa.

Progress in UA Compliance Among African Universities

Figure 1. UA Compliance Progress Over Time for (a) Websites and (b) Email Systems  

In April 2023, ICANN conducted a baseline assessment of UA support for over 400 websites and email systems across AAU member institutions. The results are shown in Figure 1.  Initial tests showed 88 websites were UA-ready, with contact forms able to receive non-ASCII email addresses, and 227 email systems were compliant, using mail services which supported Email Address Internationalization. 

Website Compliance Changes in Website Readiness
The project team is still investigating the drop from the initial number of 54 in Figure 1 (a), but notes slow progress in UA support of contact forms on websites since October 2023. This gradual increase likely reflects ongoing improvements, as many of the easier to fix sites have been addressed, leaving more complex updates ahead.

Email System Compliance
The initial assessment of 227 compliant email systems rose significantly to 282 by October 2023, as shown in Figure 1 (b), indicating adoption of updated tools or services. The skills acquired from technical workshops likely contributed to this change. By August 2024, compliance had increased to 305 systems, though the growth rate slowed, suggesting that the remaining uptakes may require more advanced adjustments.

These improvements reflect the impact of ongoing engagement and technical training initiatives led by the Coalition for Digital Africa's project team, underscoring the importance of capacity building in advancing UA adoption across the region.

Capacity-Development Efforts for UA Readiness

Workshops and Webinars
Three technical workshops to develop capacity among African universities were held for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) directors in: Accra, Ghana (April 2023), Windhoek, Namibia (July 2023), and Rabat, Morocco (April 2024).

In total, 95 individuals from 50 universities, two governmental organizations, and three civil society organizations participated, gaining practical knowledge of UA concepts and implementation strategies.
In February 2024, two webinars on integrating UA concepts into computer science curricula drew 249 participants for the English session and 34 for the French session. Following this, 20 institutions expressed interest in piloting the UA curriculum, with three shortlisted for piloting the work.

Technical Pilot Exercises and Collaboration with WordPress
The project team tested UA compatibility on WordPress-based university websites, assisting 23 institutions in one-on-one sessions to implement recommended updates. ICANN has since shared guidelines for universities to make their WordPress sites UA-ready. The project team is also using this testing to submit updates to WordPress code to support UA. It is important to note that WordPress updates supporting UA, as tested in this project, could benefit many WordPress users globally. As of 2024, there are about 835 million websites using WordPress out of the 1.98 billion websites on the Internet.

Feedback from Universities and Key Benefits
In October 2024, a focus group discussion with ICT Directors and system administrators from AAU members participating universities revealed valuable insights into the UA project’s impact on email and website systems. The technical configurations involved updates to WordPress files and Postfix SMTP settings for the support of Unicode characters. These steps align with the broader goal of sustaining UA compliance.

Benefits Realized
Institutions like the University of Abomey-Calavi in Benin, reported enhanced email compatibility, facilitating cross-institutional communication, while Solusi University in Zimbabwe noted improved international traffic, particularly from regions like China.

• Improved Compatibility: UA compliance has enabled seamless communication between UA-compliant email servers, facilitating inter-institutional collaboration.
• Enhanced Global Reach: UA-ready websites have seen increased visibility and accessibility, broadening their reach and attracting diverse audiences.
  
  

Future Compliance Measures
The project team met with a focus group of university technical staff who successfully implemented changes following the technical workshops. Focus group participants outlined plans to maintain compliance by migrating to UA-compatible clients such as Thunderbird and Outlook, as well as raising awareness among system administrators. Some institutions are exploring Google Workspace and Learning Management Systems for UA compatibility.

The focus group concluded that sustaining compliance requires ongoing system upgrades, administrator training, and potentially new infrastructure investments. One identified  action point was further support on UA issues in other mail tools, with follow-up collaboration among team members.
This focus group illustrates the impact of UA on institutional digital communication, showcasing the importance of continued commitment to UA compliance for digital inclusion.

Future Steps
As ICANN and AAU continue their collaboration as part of the Coalition for Digital Africa’s initiative, the project’s impact on academic institutions across Africa is becoming increasingly evident. Going forward, the team will focus on facilitating further updates, supporting WordPress configuration, and integrating UA topics into university curricula. Continued commitment to UA readiness will enable academia to foster a more inclusive digital landscape, connecting institutions across linguistic and cultural boundaries.