Innovative ICT – Networking in the Baltic region
Welcome to IVA’s Royal Technology Forum, 28 October 2010, 13.15–16.30
Date: 28 October 2010, 13.15–16.30
Venue: IVA’s Conference Center, Grev Turegatan 16, Stockholm
More information: Contact Staffan Eriksson, Tel +46(8)-791 29 53, staffan.eriksson(a)iva.se
Read more about the programme
If you will attend the seminar please contact Kirsti Häcki, kh@iva.se or phone 08-7912956.
Programme
13:15 Welcome/Introduction
Prof. Lena Treschow Torell, Chairman IVA
Ms. Annika Rembe, Director general Si
Prof. Björn O. Nilsson, President IVA
ICT and democracy, legislation and regulations
Prof. Ene Ergma, PhD, DSc in Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Professor in Astrophysics, Member of Estonian Academy of Sciences, President of Estonian Parliament and Foreign Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences
Prof. Cecilia Magnusson Sjöberg, Professor, LL.D. Director of the Swedish Law & Informatics Research Institute (IRI) Faculty of Law, Stockholm University
ICT and innovations
Prof. James A Weyhenmeyer, Senior Vice President and Senior Vice Provost at Research Foundation of State University of New York
PhD, Erwin Laure, Director, Center for High Performance Computing
at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)
ICT and new Media
Mr. Per Axbom, Web Strategist and User Experience Designer
The seminar also includes short presentations by experts and researchers from the Swedish Institute’s Baltic Programme
16:30 Summary and end of forum
ICT and the Internet is playing an ever more important role in our lives. Today, private individuals, businesses and organisations are dependent on the Internet for numerous functions in both business and private life. The need for infrastructure and Internet services is rapidly growing. Among other things, the Internet offers a multitude of opportunities for companies and government agencies to expand and improve their offerings. A determined effort towards integrating information technology in society is also helping to reduce the impact on the climate by reducing the need for travel and rendering transportation more efficient.
Why is it important to be a successful ICT nation? In the same way as the industrial revolution helped increase prosperity in the 20th century, information technology and the Internet are helping to improve competitiveness in the 21st century. For every indicator for the prospects for industrialisation in the 1900s, there are similar indicators for positive development of the Internet in this century.
Constructive use of the Internet throughout a society will naturally support economic, democratic and climate-improving development. The Internet can be seen as a tool to get what we want, not a technology that sets limitations on our actions.
The seminar will include participants and presentations from among others Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Russia. The Royal Technology Forum will also strengthen the contact network between not only institutions of higher education and research, NGOs and the business sector, but also with governmental agencies and public decision makers. Primary topics are ICT and new media, ICT and democracy, legislation and regulations, and ICT and innovations.
ICT and new media
ICT has changed the media field radically in the last 10 years. Newspapers reach their readers not only through printed media, but much information also distributes via the Internet and mobile devises. An example of how ICT has changed the media landscape is that the revenue from ads now is higher from the Internet than from newspapers and television (for the Swedish market). Most TV channels co-produce material for traditional TV broadcasts, but increasingly offers a wide range of supplements via the Internet. Some of the public debate has moved from traditional political forums like meetings and debates to the electronic world. Readers can nowadays usually comment on articles directly on webb sites. Many politicians are active on social media like blogs and Facebook. This trend will continue.
ICT and democracy, legislation and regulations
ICT offers potential for multi-channel spread public service announcements and political messages. But laws and regulations for the physical world has developed over 100 years do not reflect the rapid development of ICT. How will society deal with the negative consequences of access to public information, but still protect the individual citizen's privacy? And will we continue to see more direct democracy, for examples via local referendums on the Internet?
ICT and innovations
ICT enables simplification and efficiency. With ICT, new products and services can be launched at international markets without huge initial costs. Similarly, consumers can more easily find information to contact suppliers and get ideas from outside. Will we see a booming service market on the internet in the future? By using innovative ICT services, we also have a lower environmental impact by reducing travel and physical meetings.
In cooperation with Swedish Institute
