Josef Noll is Professor at the University of Oslo (UiO) and Secretary General at the Basic Internet Foundation. He is Research Leader at the department of Technology Systems, with main focus on the digital transition of the energy sector, communications, IoT-security, and Societal Security. He also leads the cross-cutting theme “Digital Global Health” at the Centre for Global Health at UiO, having the focus on Health Equity. Besides his academic background, he has worked in SIEMENS (DE), European Space Agency (NL) and Telenor (NO).
Through the Basic Internet Foundation, he focusses on “Connecting the Unconnected” through addressing access, skills, regulation and inclusion. He advocates for “free access to information on the Internet is a Human Right”.

The Foundation is working with communities in 14 countries in Africa establishing information spots and connecting schools. School/community/health facility connectivity is the prime focus, providing adequate content for education, digital health and societal empowerment. The access to information on the Internet addresses directly the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 9.C and 16.10 of the Agenda 2030, and is catalyst for the majority of the SDGs, especially Health (SDG 3), Education (SDG 4), empowerment (SDG 5) and decent work (SDG 8).