Steven Clift
Tue, 17 Dec 2002 17:14:29 -0800
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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
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