Overview

The Institute for Computer Sciences, Social-Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering (ICST), a non-profit society, headquartered in Brussels, with over 55,000 members, is initiating a new program directed at improving the way science is turned into innovation in Europe. A key part of this program is the launching of a series of web portals. It is envisioned that the web portals will be a grassroots undertaking by all the members of the ICST society.

In particular, ICST has set up a series of Science for Innovation and Business/Technology (SIB) councils that will bring together leading players in the science, business, and political arenas.  Each ICST SIB Council is a meeting place for people from research institutions, companies, VCs and other financial institutions and government bodies, both online and in person, to share ideas and open doors to innovation. The overall scope of the SIB councils is Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) in the following specific focus areas: Future Networks & Communications, Future Information Systems, e-Security & Safety, Pervasive Media, e-Nano Technology, e-Business & Knowledge, e-Health, Sustainable Energy, Environment & Transport, e-Society, Emerging IT Paradigms and e-Agriculture.

Through these SIBs, ICST will encourage innovation in ICT using the latest web technology, such as an online conference repository, online meeting and collaboration environments, online publications and journals, comprehensive search engines, and other innovative technologies. In addition, ICST is building a series of web portals, one for each SIB. The aim of all these technologies is to bring science, business, and government together to share information collaboratively, thus encouraging innovation.

This effort is supported by the European Commission, and will be inaugurated at the EU Commission's ICT 2008 event, which will be held November 24^th - 27^th, 2008, in Lyon, France.

It is envisioned that the web portals will be a grassroots undertaking by all the members of the ICST society. We would like to invite you to participate as well in this worthwhile activity, and believe that the ICST SIBs, via the portals, will be an important way, and perhaps over time, the principal way that innovation will be fostered in Europe. As a result, your participation will be an important means for you to help direct the effort from the beginning, and provide you with visibility and influence over this exciting and significant activity.