[ossig] Forwarded: Uzbekistan FOSS Study Tour
Ditesh Kumar
ditesh at gathani.org
Tue Aug 15 11:27:25 MYT 2006
Forwarded from the FOSS-PDI mailing list (Malaysian companies Bytecraft
and QubeConnect get a mention too).
---
Dear Colleagues,
Thanks to Damir Amirov, National Consultant on e-Governance, Government
of Uzbekistan for this study tour report. Please write to him at
<damir.amirov at ictp.uz> for more information.
Regards,
Sunil
==
Study tour on FOSS experience in Asia-Pacific countries
http://en.ictp.uz/content/view/67/3/
During July 18-26, 2006 ICTP project organized a study tour of
government officials on FOSS (Free/Open Source Software) experience in
Asia-Pacific countries (Thailand and Malaysia) as part of a continued
commitment to the promotion of FOSS in Uzbekistan including the recently
published Research paper on “Prospective use of free and open source
software for development of Uzbekistan”.
The overall objective of the study tour was to learn from FOSS
experience of Asia-Pacific countries so to apply them in future
activities in Uzbekistan. The study tour was organized in close
cooperation with The International Open Source Network (IOSN) based in
Bangkok, Thailand. The IOSN is tasked specifically to facilitate and
network FOSS advocates and human resources in the region. The vision is
that developing countries in the Asia-Pacific Region can achieve rapid
and sustained economic and social development by using affordable yet
effective FOSS ICT solutions to bridge the digital divide.
During the study tour the delegation from Uzbekistan comprised of
representatives of Communication and Information Agency of Uzbekistan
(UzACI), “UzInfoCom” Computerization and Information Technology
Development Center and ICTP project visited key organizations and
institutions involved in FOSS development, adoption and dissemination of
FOSS solutions in the region. Within the framework of the study tour
special attention was paid to two main issues: FOSS national strategies
and results of case studies. Discussion topics included issues related
to FOSS policies, public knowledge, research data, solutions, and
trends. The focus was also made on identifying strengths and weaknesses
of open source initiatives. In addition to issues related to
introduction of open source solutions, the issues of working out of
“open standards” for information systems, data storage and systems
interaction were also discussed.
As a result of the study tour the following main outputs were achieved:
* FOSS national strategies, government regulations towards the
FOSS development were examined;
* case studies of FOSS deployment in government, education, and
SME sectors were studied in order to learn from their successes
and failures and properly plan the FOSS pilot initiatives in
Uzbekistan;
* ideas for further development of FOSS Resource Center in
Uzbekistan were collected with the purpose to create a
centralized repository of knowledge that will increase the
awareness and adoption of open source technology in Uzbekistan;
* network of contacts with people working in this area in
Asia-Pacific region was established and potential areas of
further cooperation in the field were explored;
* potential international contributors for National Summit on ICT
to be held in September in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, were identified
and invited.
FOSS Study tour enabled to launch direct contacts with regional experts
in open source software field, in particular, and in ICT field, in
general, and to get acquainted with the current status and challenges of
open source industry in Thailand and Malaysia. Although it’s was noted
that every country has to work out its own model of open source
introduction within government agencies, the extensive experience of
Asia-Pacific countries can be used to avoid possible risks and
challenges.
During the study tour the delegation met a large number of experts and
professionals working in open source field representing the following
key organizations, educational establishments and companies:
THAILAND
UNDP-APDIP International Open Source Network (IOSN)
The International Open Source Network (IOSN) is a Center of Excellence
for FOSS in the Asia-Pacific Region. It shapes its activities around
Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) technologies and applications. The IOSN
is tasked specifically to facilitate and network FOSS advocates and
human resources in the region. The vision is that developing countries
in the Asia-Pacific Region can achieve rapid and sustained economic and
social development by using affordable yet effective FOSS ICT solutions
to bridge the digital divide.
National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC)
A research and development organization in electronic, computing,
telecommunication and information technologies for strengthening the
sustainable economy and knowledge-based society. Promotes the
development of e-government applications using open standards.
Software Industry Promotion Agency (SIPA)
SIPA is the government agency that was founded in the period of great
changes of software technology. SIPA also promotes the use and
development of Open Source applications. SIPA promotes the use of Open
Source software to provide basic ICT studies to students and general
people. SIPA also encourages SMEs to use Open Source applications in
their initial period of adopting ICT for their operations. SIPA believes
all of these measures will usher Thai people to join the knowledge-based
society. Moreover, SIPA also promotes the use of Open Source software as
developing tools for creating advanced applications.
Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)
The Asian Institute of Technology promotes technological change and
sustainable development in the Asian-Pacific region through higher
education, research and outreach. Established in Bangkok in 1959, AIT
has become a leading regional postgraduate institution and is actively
working with public and private sector partners throughout the region
and with some of the top universities in the world. Provides courses in
open source technologies.
MALAYSIA
Malaysian Administration Modernisation and Management Planning Unit
(MAMPU)
The Government of Malaysia has decided to encourage the use of Open
Source Software(OSS) in the Malaysian Public Sector. The Malaysian
Administration Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) of the
Prime Minister Department is given the responsibility to implement this
OSS Initiative.
Open Source Competency Centre (OSCC)
Open Source Competency Centre (OSCC) is a reference centre between
public sector user community and a Smart Partnership developer
community. It operates as a facilitator to ease OSS implementation in
the public sector and serves as as the public sector reference point on
OSS which can be utilized by the public sector, education institutions
and the industry at large.
Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC)
The Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC Malaysia) is Malaysia’s most exciting
initiative for the global information and communication technology (ICT)
industry. Conceptualized in 1996, the MSC Malaysia has since grown into
a thriving dynamic ICT hub, hosting more than 900 multinationals,
foreign-owned and home-grown Malaysian companies focused on multimedia
and communications products, solutions, services and; research and
development.
Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC)
Gateway to the MSC Malaysia is the Multimedia Development Corporation
(MDeC), a high-powered ‘one-stop agency’, focusing on ensuring the
success of the MSC Malaysia and the companies operating in it.
Byte Craft company
Byte Craft Sdn Bhd is a leading consulting and IT services company,
providing a whole spectrum of solutions customized for a range of
technologies.
QubeConnect company
Development & commercialization of a suite of Internet Protocol (IP)
telephony communication & network solutions.Provision of consultancy,
implementation, training, maintenance and technical support services.
Open University Malaysia (OUM)
OUM’s strengths span a wide range of disciplines, from IT and
Engineering to the Arts and Social Sciences, Business and Science.
Employing the latest approaches in the teaching-learning process, it
offers academic programmes that cater to the demands of industry and the
marketplace in general.
--
Sunil Abraham Manager sunil at apdip.net www.iosn.net
International Open Source Network - Software Freedom for All
Asia-Pacific Development Information Programme www.apdip.net
Thailand:UNDP Regional Centre, United Nations Service Building
3rd Floor, Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Tel: (66-2) 288-1234 Fax: (66-2) 288-3032
India :3rd Floor, 314/1, 7th Cross, Domlur Bangalore - 560 071
Karnataka, India. Mob: (91) 9342201521
Tel: (91-80) 51150580 Fax: (91-80) 51150583.
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