Steven Clift
Tue, 17 Dec 2002 17:14:29 -0800
*** Democracies Online Newswire - http://e-democracy.org/do *** *** *** *** Up to seven posts a week. To join over 2500 subscribers, *** *** e-mail <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, in message: sub do-wire *** One of the major reasons Europe leads the world in e-democracy- related experiments is the support various partnerships receive under EU framework initiatives. An number of the fifth framework projects were brought together under an umbrella to facilitate the exchange of lessons and experience: http://www.eve.cnrs.fr/ - See e-democracy projects link My general sense is that much of the e-democracy technical knowledge being developed in Europe is not being actively shared due to the funding cycle disincentives ... then again, more total knowledge is being created and shared overall in Europe because in the rest of the world publicly-funded (even foundation funded) e-democracy experiments barely exist. The power of the multi- country/jurisdiction proposal approach must also not be underestimated. When I was in Poland recently someone who drove in two hours to my Warsaw session pulled out a print out of a small group e-mail I sent to people in Portugal on Do-Wire. She told me to say hello to their partners. I run into to these "partner pods" of sorts across Europe. If you and your "pod" are working on some e-democracy/e-government ideas for the 6th Framework let me know (in confidence of course) If I have time, I will offer some brief advice and relevant global contact. Ideally, we can figure out a way to connect some of these European projects to others in different parts of the world. Let no lesson remain unknown. More below. Steven Clift Democracies Online See: http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/fp6/index_en.html 225 Million Euros: http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/fp6/p7/index_en.html Introduction The return of human science Studying the environment, health, information technologies, biology and other fields, the human and social sciences are well placed to play a key role in creating or recreating communication between decision-makers, researchers and citizens. There is also increasing recognition of the new and valuable light they can shed on research projects which are becoming increasingly multidisciplinary. How can progress can be controlled 'Human resources are Europe's main strength,' stressed the Lisbon European Council in March 2000. A few months later, the Commission published Science, society and citizens in Europe, a document which was the basis for an exhaustive debate on the subject, broadcast live through an electronic forum. On 26 June 2001, the Commission presented its Science and Society action plan. OBJECTIVES To mobilise European research capacities in the economic, political, social and human sciences for an improved understanding of the emergence of the knowledge-based society. To draw on a wealth and diversity of reflection to imagine new forms of relationships between the people of Europe and these people and their institutions. To study and manage the issues facing society and to which science can provide some of the answers. SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH Community action will concentrate on two major fields: the knowledge-based society and social cohesion; and citizenship, democracy and new forms of governance. The advent of a knowledge-based society requires improved means of communicating and using knowledge and opportunities for lifelong learning. These developments will be within a socio-economic and demographic context which itself is being called into question. Citizenship and governance must evolve with a view to increasing globalisation, European integration and Union enlargement and the emergence of new forms of cultural identity and social dialogue. Specifically, the Union will support: transnational comparative studies and research and the coordinated development of statistics and qualitative and quantitative indicators; interdisciplinary research to support the policies of Member States; the creation and Europe-wide use of research infra-structures and data and knowledge bases. BUDGET € 225 million And 3.6 billion Euros: http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/fp6/p2/index_en.html Information Society Technologies Introduction The 'all-communicating' world In less than 20 years, the phenomenal progress in information technologies and telecommunications has immersed us in an all- communicating world. Computers, telephones, televisions, domestic appliances and cars are packed full of electronics for the exchange of data and information and providing 'intelligent' services designed for maximum efficiency and user comfort. Work, business, administration, health, culture, education… the 'e' prefix has been appended to just about every area of human activity. The information and knowledge society is changing our lifestyles and even our psychological and social behaviour. The age of ambient intelligence For maximum economic and social impact, research on information society technologies must concentrate on the future so-called convergence generation. This involves integrating network access and interfaces into the everyday environment by making available a multitude of services and applications through easy and 'natural' interactions. This vision of 'ambient intelligence' (interactive intelligent environment) places the user, i.e. the human being, at the centre of the future development of the knowledge-based society. OBJECTIVES To stimulate the development in Europe of hard-ware and software technologies and applications at the heart of the creation of the information society. To increase the competitiveness of European industry and give European citizens in all EU regions the chance to benefit fully from the development of the knowledge-based society. SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH The action undertaken will therefore focus on four technological priorities: Reintegrating research into technological areas of priority interest for citizens and businesses Research on technologies guaranteeing the security and confidentiality of computing systems and the privacy of citizens. The development of 'ambient intelligence' systems offering improved access to the information society for all (notably, elderly and disabled people), as well as interactive and intelligent systems for health, mobility, security, leisure, tourism, culture and the environment. The development of electronic and mobile commerce – in particular technologies for secure trans-actions and infrastructures – as well as new tools and new methods of working, technologies for learning and systems for knowledge capitalisation, integrated business management and on-line administration. Development of large-scale distributed systems and platforms, including global resource information database (GRID) systems, in areas such as the environment, energy, health, transport and industrial design. Communication and computing infrastructures Research on the new generation of wireless and mobile communications systems and networks; satellite communications systems; all optical and broad-band technologies, in particular for audio- visual applications, as well as the integration, management and interoperability of communication networks. These developments will be of particular use in preparing the next Internet generation. Development of software architecture technologies, distributed and embedded systems supporting the development of multifunctional and complex services involving many actors, engineering and the control of complex and large scale systems. Components and microsystems The design and production of nano-, micro- and optoelectronic and photonic components (including those for information storage), pushing back the limits of miniaturisation and minimising power consumption, costs and environmental impact. Multidisciplinary research on nano-electronics, microtechnologies, displays, microsystems, new materials, computing models and concepts of information processing. Information management and interfaces The development of knowledge representation and management systems based on context and semantics, including cognitive systems, as well as tools for creating, organising, navigating, retrieving, sharing, preserving and disseminating digital content. The development of multisensorial interfaces based on voice, gestures, touch, virtual environments and multilinguistic and multicultural items. BUDGET € 3 625 million ^ ^ ^ ^ Steven L. Clift - W: http://www.publicus.net Minneapolis - - - E: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Minnesota - - - - - T: +1.612.822.8667 USA - - - - - - - ICQ: 13789183 *** Past Messages, Discussion http://e-democracy.org/do *** *** To subscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** Message body: SUB DO-WIRE *** *** To UNSUBSCRIBE instead, write: UNSUB DO-WIRE *** *** Please forward this post to others and encourage *** *** them to subscribe to the free DO-WIRE service. *** *** Please send submissions to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ***