The potential of Open Source in European Public Administrations Conference

2nd EU-wide conference organised in the context of the OSEPA project

The 2nd OSEPA conference explores the strategic impact of FOSS adoption and relates it to the environment and potential of European Public Administrations. It focuses on the potential of FOSS uptake by EPAs (presenting results of OSEPA surveys, guidelines on technical and economic efficiency, policy recommendations, best practices etc).

I. Conference Focus: FOSS in European Public Administrations

This theme will provide a chance to present the results of the OSEPA survey, good practices and case studies identified in the OSEPA project.

Topics:

• Best practices and case studies
• FOSS uptake by European Public Administrations - Results of the OSEPA survey
• FOSS drivers and inhibitors for public administrations
• Moving forward - public administrations and the open source community

II. FOSS legal and economic aspects in the EU context

Software licensing schemes, overall cost assessment of FOSS migration or adoption projects, legal and economic aspects of open source software will receive great attention.
 

Topics:

• Licence types, IPR and use rights: the legal aspects of FOSS in the public sector
• Costs, benefits and opportunities: the economic properties of open source
• FOSS licensing scenarios
• The potential of the European Union Public Licence

III. Collaborating towards shared FOSS solutions for trusted and innovative public services

This theme embraces the need to create new software environment. With the advent of new software provision models and emergent technologies (e.g. cloud computing) new challenges and opportunities for public organisation arise.

Topics:

• FOSS and cloud computing
• Interoperability & compatibility issues
• Data access and security
• FOSS for mobility
• E-government services
• FOSS networking tools

Speakers

Speakers from public and private institutions will present views and evidence on the topics. Representatives from the OSS Aliance, the European Initiative ‘Joinup’ will participate with presentations. From the public institutions representatives stem from the Czech Ministry of Interior and from local and regional authorities, i.e. Vysocina Region (CZ), Emilia-Romagna Region (IT), Town of Schoten (BE), Town of Schwäbisch Hall (DE), Town of Valmiera (LV), etc. Academics from: University of Leeds (UK), University of Linköpings (SE), University of Sheffield (UK), College of Polytechnics Jihlava (CZ) and technological institutes, i.e. CTI: Computer Technology Institute & Press "DIOPHANTUS" (GR), Spanish Centre of Reference in Open Source (ES), Centre for Public Administration Research (AT), Estates General of Innovation (IT) will also provide their scientific approach upon the topics. Last, private institutions will be represented by companies such as Microsoft, SUSE Linux, ELOS Technologies, AutoCont CZ a.s., Red Hat, ICZ a.s., K2 atmitec s.r.o., Ubuntu, Red Turtle Technology.

Registration and more information on the conference: http://osepa.kr-vysocina.cz.


About OSEPA

OSEPA project (www.osepa.eu) is a three-year INTERREG IVC (www.i4c.eu) co-financed project, run by twelve partners from eleven European countries. The OSEPA project aims to trigger a systematic debate among European public administrations supported by analysis and exchange of experience on the issue of Free and/or Open Source Software (FOSS). OSEPA promotes knowledge and fosters awareness on the main benefits and disadvantages, cost evidence and effectiveness resulting from FOSS adoption and use by the public administrations.