Africa has arrived at a turning point. Across the continent, national economies are growing at some of the fastest rates in the world. Foreign investment is flooding in, funding roads, communication networks and power grids.

Yet another type of infrastructure remains in critically short supply: the scientific and technical skills that will give Africans the opportunity to innovate in the information economy. Creating a large pool of highly skilled knowledge workers is absolutely vital for Africa to fulfill its dreams of long-lasting economic success.

To help bridge the knowledge gap, IBM is seeking partners in government, academia and business to join in launching an initiative aimed at improving education, skills and creativity related to information and communication technologies.

The Skills Development and Research Institutes program, which is just now taking shape, aims to help transform dozens of African universities into engines for innovation and rapid economic growth. The goal is to double the number of bachelor-degree graduates in computer science, information technology and related engineering disciplines; double the output of Ph.D.s in those fields and double the quality of the skills of those graduates.

Here's the plan: IBM and its partners will establish institutes in five African regions. We'll work with a cluster of universities in each region, developing curricula and learning materials and conducting research into areas that are particularly relevant to the needs of that African region. We foresee that in each region one university will become a hub for SDRI activities, while intellectual know-how, educational programs, scientific materials and computing resources will be shared with other universities in the cluster.

This initiative is an example of what Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter calls "shared value" -- his term for activities that provide value for businesses and society at the same time.

The tech industry needs employees who understand Africa -- a continent of distinct countries -- and can provide innovative technology solutions for African clients. African companies of all kinds need strong skills so they can use technology to significantly improve their operating efficiencies and innovation processes. African countries need skilled citizens to boost economic activity. Universities need help in creating educational and research programs that drive innovation and create entrepreneurs.

This skills upgrade is crucially important for Africa's future. Today, most of its wealth is based on the extraction of natural resources. Oil, gas, coal, precious metals, agricultural produce and minerals are the continent's chief exports. Very little in the way of value-added products and services is produced there. Instead, Africa imports much of its finished goods and services. That must change so the African people can capture more of the value that's created using their resources.

IBM has years of experience in the activities that will drive the institutes forward. We engage in joint, long-term research projects, which we call "collaboratories," where we sync our skills and resources with those of universities and government agencies around the world. We have conducted joint research ventures with other corporations that have the potential to transform whole industries. For instance, we assisted chocolate maker Mars Inc. and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in an effort to sequence the cacao genome. When the task was finished, the partners made the information available in the public domain so African farmers who raise much of the cocoa in the world could benefit from it as well.

IBM has a long history of working with universities to create academic curricula. Recently, we helped the Jordan University of Science and Technology establish an academic program in service science, a new discipline that is being adopted by universities around the world.

For me, this project is personal. A veteran of IBM, I have enjoyed numerous opportunities to contribute to society over the years. For instance, I was a member of the engineering team that developed the first IBM PC, which gave rise to a massive industry. Now I'm the chief technology officer for IBM's Middle East and Africa business unit.

Though I have African ancestry, I paid scant attention to the continent until 2004, when I married my wife, Denise, who is also African-American and has a passion for Africa. That was also the year I got involved in an IBM project aimed at exploring and explaining the potential of Africa as the next major emerging market.

I now believe that the work we do in Africa has the potential to help transform life on the continent and affect society globally -- creating over the coming decades an even greater global impact than the PC revolution.

Information technology skills and innovation "in Africa by Africans for Africa" are vital first steps in that transformation, so please join IBM in helping to improve Africa's knowledge infrastructure.

(Mark Dean, one of the inventors of the IBM PC computer, is an IBM fellow and chief technology officer for the Middle East and Africa. He was among participants on a plenary panel on the emerging Africa market at the U.S.-Africa Business Summit this week in Washington.)

(United Press International's "Outside View" commentaries are written by outside contributors who specialize in a variety of important issues. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of United Press International. In the interests of creating an open forum, original submissions are invited.)