Who is Orbicom?
Orbicom is a nonprofit network of university-based UNESCO chairs in communication that conducts research, training, and policy analysis on communication systems and information and communication technologies, and their social and economic implications.
- Research on communication systems and information and communication technologies
- Academic training and capacity building for researchers and practitioners
- Policy analysis covering media, telecommunications, and digital infrastructure
- Collaborative research networks linking universities across regions
- Publications and knowledge exchange for institutional and policy stakeholders
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More About Orbicom
Orbicom operates as a network of university-based UNESCO chairs in communication, with its coordinating base in Montreal. Its member chairs coordinate research programs, graduate training, and public studies on how communication systems and digital technologies shape organizations, markets, and public policy. In practice, its outputs are used by policy teams, public agencies, media organizations, and technology planners that need evidence on connectivity, information flows, and access.
The network's work draws on established frameworks from communication studies, media economics, and information policy. Its technical subject matter includes the infrastructure layers that carry content, such as broadband access, mobile networks, and internet governance mechanisms, with attention to how standards and protocols affect access and interoperability. Research methods typically combine comparative case analysis, survey data, and statistical review of national indicators.
Comparisons to other organizations are best framed at the category level. Its activities resemble those of other academic research networks and policy research institutes. Its emphasis rests on communication and information policy rather than on commercial product development, so organizations seeking vendor-neutral analysis of digital infrastructure may find its research relevant to planning and regulatory discussions.
The significance of this work lies in capacity building. Training programs and collaborative research help universities, particularly in developing regions, contribute to communication policy debates. Published studies provide reference material for regulators, researchers, and industry analysts. The directory positioning reflects its current focus areas of communication research, digital policy, and academic knowledge exchange rather than hardware, software, or cloud product families.
Our description of Orbicom. Updated October 2026.
