(apologies for crossposting)
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FOSS@Work, November 12-15, 2006
Manila, Philippines
CALL FOR PARTICIPATION
http://www.iosn.net/asean-3/countries/philippines/events/foss-at-work/
The International Open Source Network, InWEnt-Capacity Building International,
Germany, and the
University of the Philippines Manila are hosting a conference-workshop on Free
and Open Source
Software (FOSS) for Small-to-Medium Enterprises in the IT industry.
ASEAN+3 region covers Brunei, China, Hong Kong [China], Cambodia, Lao PDR,
Indonesia, Japan,
Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Philippines, Taiwan,
Thailand,
Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
Who should attend: Developers, senior IT-staff, IT-decision makers within
ASEAN+3 small-to-medium
enterprises in the IT industry (using proprietary and non-proprietary systems)
interested in
learning more about Free/Open Source Software (FOSS)
Applications from women are highly encouraged by the event organisers.
Topics
Overview of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS), Business models for FOSS, FOSS
collaboration and
project management tools, Content management systems, Productivity (OpenOffice +
localization),
IP-based voice services, Developing multimedia with FOSS, SMS programming with
FOSS, and more --
see Programme at
http://www.iosn.net/asean-3/countries/philippines/events/foss-at-work/fossatwork
programme
Background
The International Open Source Network, InWEnt-Capacity Building International,
Germany, and UP
Manila are jointly hosting a conference-workshop on Free and Open Source
Software for
Small-to-Medium Enterprises in the IT industry. Called FOSS@Work ('FOSS at
work'), the event will
be held at Heritage Hotel, Manila, Philippines from November 12th to 15th, 2006
and brings
together interested SMEs from all over the ASEAN+3 region.
Rationale
In order to promote FOSS development in the growing SME for IT sector, there is
a need to network
existing SMEs within the ASEAN+3 region. While there are many SMEs working with
and on FOSS
solutions, many others in the region are still unfamiliar with FOSS. This
conference aims to
assist in the acceleration of FOSS adoption by networking both categories of
SMEs.
To this end, IOSN ASEAN+3 is organizing a conference-workshop for developers
senior IT staff and
IT-decision makers to provide orientation and technical trainings on FOSS
architecture and
community management skills, targeting national and regional FOSS developers as
well as SMEs not
yet working with FOSS. The goal is to increase the developer base for FOSS.
The workshop shall:
- be an opportunity to network experienced FOSS developers with potential
FOSS developers;
- be an opportunity share experiences, best practices, and create
opportunities for
collaboration;
- establish IOSN ASEAN+3 as focal point for further networking activities;
- enhance the technical skills of developers through power training
Conference/participation fee is Php 5500.00 (or USD$100.00)
Registration
Please use our online form.
http://www.iosn.net/asean-3/countries/philippines/events/foss-at-work/registrati
on-form
Qualified SMEs may apply for sponsorship, if they fall in the target group and
cannot bear the
conference fee.
There are a limited number of participation fee subsidies available to cover
this US$ 100 for
those who are not able to raise the funds. Travel subsidies (out-of-country) are
also available
for participants who would not otherwise be able to attend the meeting. Please
apply as soon as
possible for subsidies as their availability is limited.
Organizers:
The [International Open Source Network (IOSN) http://www.iosn.net] is a Centre
of Excellence for
Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) in the Asia-Pacific region. It shapes its
activities around
FOSS technologies and applications. Through a virtual secretariat - and now a
network of
sub-regional centres, IOSN South Asia, IOSN PIC (Pacific Islands Countries), and
IOSN ASEAN+3 -
IOSN is tasked specifically to facilitate and network FOSS advocates, experts,
and developers in
the region to foster the adoption of FOSS. The vision is to have developing
countries in the
Asia-Pacific Region achieve rapid and sustained economic and social development
with the
utilization of affordable yet effective FOSS ICT solutions to bridge the digital
divide.
[InWEnt http://www.inwent.org and http://www.it-foss.org] - InWEnt-Capacity
Building
International, Germany gGmbH is synonymous with human resources and
organisational development in
international cooperation. Its education, exchange and dialogue programmes that
offer places for
about 55,000 individuals every year make InWEnt a very large-scale joint
undertaking of the German
Federal Government, the federal state (LçÏder) governments and industry. The
courses offered by
InWEnt address specialists, executives and decision-makers in industry,
politics, administration
and civil society. InWEnt works with partners in developing countries,
transition states and
industrialised nations. Through its it@inwent programmes, InWEnt helps
multiplying partners in
Africa, Asia and the Middle East to provide advanced knowledge in Information
and Communication
Technologies (ICTs). The key objectives of the programmes are to strengthen IT
sectors in various
regions of the world, foster key innovations in ICTs for development and use
ICTs as enabling
tools for poverty reduction. Within the it@foss project, InWEnt supports the
development and
application of local innovative software solutions and business models based on
Free and Open
Source Software (FOSS) in the ASEAN region. For more information on it@foss, see
http://www.it-foss.org .
[The UP Manila National Telehealth Center http://www.upm.edu.ph] was created in
1999 to promote
the integration of information technology into health. This year the NThC was
named UNDP Center of
Excellence in Free and Open Source Software in the ASEAN+3 sub-region. The UP
Manila-NThC hosts
several FOSS projects foremost of which is the [Community Health Information
Tracking System
http://www.chits.info].