The International Forum "Baltic IT&T 2007: eBaltics"

Building effective partnership networks

Riga, April 18�20, 2007

Brief summary

FORUM ORGANISERS AND GOALS

The event was organised by the Latvian Information and Communications Technology Association (LIKTA) and Data Media Group. The Honorary chairman for the event was the Prime Minister of Latvia Aigars Kalv�tis. The motto of the forum was �Building Effective Partnership Networks�.

Among major objectives of the forum were to discuss important Information Society aspects, such as modern public services, ICT infrastructure development and innovative skills, to foster sharing of experience and best practices on how ICT is used in eParticipation, eHealth and other sectors, to initiate and develop valuable contacts and co-operation among leading industry companies and projects in the region.

COOPERATION PARTNERS AND SPONSORS

The Forum has been supported by the European Union (European Commission, IST Programme, IST4Balt Project) and Francijas Pavasaris Latvija, Un Printemps français en Lettonie. Session partners: FMS, Hansabanka, IBM Latvija, Lattelecom Technology, Microsoft, TEKLA. Technology partner: Komerccentrs DATI grupa. Official Internet provider: Telia Latvija. Media partners: Baltic IT&T Review, Digital Times, LETA, Kapit�ls, portals www.eparvalde.lv, www.medicine.lv, www.nozare.lv, www.evesel�ba.lv.

Cooperation partners and supporters: Ministry of Health of Latvia, Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government of Latvia, Ministry of Transport of Latvia, Secretariat of Special Assignments Minister for Electronic Government Affairs of Latvia, State Agency �Culture Information Systems� of Latvia, Information Society Development Committee under the Government of Lithuania, Department of State Information Systems of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications of Estonia, Estonian Association of Information Technology and Telecommunications (ITL), Association INFOBALT (Lithuania).

FORUM PARTICIPANTS

The forum has brought together senior government representatives from the Baltic Sea region and other countries, high level officials and experts from European Commission and international organisations, information society leaders and chief researchers, as well as CEO�s and top level executives from ICT companies and other high-ranking delegates. Altogether 645 delegates participated at different Forum events (including IST4Balt Workshop �Towards an Information Society in the Baltic States�). They represented 24 countries � Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, UK, Ukraine, and United States.

FORUM EVENTS

The 11th international conference "Information Technologies and Telecommunications in the Baltic Sea, Central and Eastern European Region"

At the annual conference Baltic IT&T 2007 − one of the most important IT&T forums in the Baltic Sea region − following major subjects were highlighted: eParticipation, eHealth, Innovative skills and Innovations. The opening speech of the forum and conference was given by Ain�rs �lesers, Minister of Transport of Latvia. Keynote speeches were delivered by Ina Gudele, Special Assignments Minister for Electronic Government Affairs of Latvia, Catherine Espaignet, Head of the economic sector "service for the development of e-government", Directorate general for the modernization of the state, Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry of French Republic, Neil Holloway, President of Microsoft EMEA, Dr. Jason Weisser, Vice President, CTO SOA Advanced technology of IBM Corporation. The plenary session �Modern Public services and ICT  infrastructure development in the Region� featured presentations from Julian Seymour, Manager of Business Operations, European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL), Edv�ns Karn�tis, Commissioner, Public Utilities Commission of Latvia, Jonas Bitinas, Chief Specialist, Electronic Services and Innovations Division, Information Society Development Committee under the Government of Lithuania, J�nis Bergs, Chairman of the Board of FMS, Latvia and J�rn W.Phigalt, ITM Europe, Chairman of TASBI − the TransAtlantic Small Business Initiative, Denmark. Session was chaired by Juris Binde, President, Latvijas Mobilais Telefons, Latvia.

eParticipation session with a focus on security and identity management featured presentations from Dr. Panagiotis Trimintzios, Expert in Relations with Industry and International Organisations, European Network Information security agency (ENISA), Anatolijs Zaba�ta, Director of eGovernment Department, Secretariat of Special Assignments Minister for Electronic Government Affairs of Latvia, Valdis Janovs, Sales Director, SIA Lattelecom Technology, Latvia, Martin Rintanen, Region Director � Europe, Valimo Wireless, Dr. Arvo Ott, Member of the Management Board, e-Governance Academy, Estonia, Jan Peter Stromsheim, Senior Adviser, The Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research, Andres Aarma, Certification Centre Ltd, Estonia, Rytis Rainys, Head of Network and Information Security Division, Communication Regulatory Authority, Lithuania, Karl Wessbrandt, Strategic Development Officer, The Swedish administrative development agency, VERVA, Normunds �aumanis, IT architect, IBM Latvia, Egils St�rmanis, VITA-CSIRT Manager, State Information Network Agency, Latvia and Baiba Ka�kina, LATNET CERT project manager, Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Latvia. Session partner was Lattelecom Technology. Session was chaired by Edv�ns Karn�tis, Commissioner, Public Utilities Commission, Latvia and Katr�na Sataki, Deputy head of Network Solutions Department, Institute of Mathematics and Computer science, University of Latvia.

eParticipation session with a focus on the role of libraries in eParticipation featured presentations by Jessica Dorr, Global Libraries, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, United States, L�ga Kurs�te, Project Coordinator and Manager�s Assistant of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Library Public Access Computing Program in Latvia, Dr. Kestutis Juskevicius, Project Manager, Project �Libraries for Innovation�, Martynas Mazvydas National Library of Lithuania, Kr��t Kaljusto-Munck, Deputy Director, Tartu Public Library, Estonia, Dzidra �mita, Director of Riga Central Library, Latvia, Silvija Tretjakova, Head of the Training Centre, National Library of Latvia and Uldis Straujums, lecturer, University of Latvia, information system designer, National Library of Latvia. Session partner was State agency �Culture Information Systems� of Latvia. Session was chaired by Kaspars R�klis, Project Advocacy Manager of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Library Public Access Computing Program in Latvia.

eParticipation session with a focus on eSolutions for local governments featured presentations from Guntis Pils�tnieks, Director of the Local authorities IT department, Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government of Latvia, Neils Balgalis, Managing Director, Project management and planning consulting company �Grupa 93� Ltd., Latvia, J�nis Bergs, chairman of management Board, FMS Ltd., Latvia, Tomas Ray, Sales manager, Infra & Energy, Tekla Corporation, Finland, J�nis Graudi��, Senior Adviser of General and International Issues Division, Communications Department, Ministry of Transport of Latvia, Tapio Ahom�ki, Software manager, Infra & Energy, Tekla Corporation, Finland, as well as presentations of FMS specialists and Ventspils City Council from Latvia. Session partners were FMS and TEKLA. Session has been officially supported by the Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government of Latvia.

Innovative Skills for SMEs and Citizens session focused on eLearning, new methods and PPP for skills development. Session partner was IBM Latvija. Among key speakers were: Gareth Greenwood, e-Learning Evangelist, IBM Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Arnis Voitk�ns, Head of E-learning Group, E-university project and Inta Jaunzeme, Deputy Director of Student Services, University of Latvia, Dr. Eugenijus Telesius, CEO, ECDL Lithuania, Dr. Atis Kapenieks, Director of Riga Technical University Distance Education Study Centre, Latvia, Dr. Irina Arhipova, Dean of the Faculty of Information technologies, University of Agriculture, Latvia, Dr. Imants Freibergs, President, Latvian Information and Communications Technology Association (LIKTA), Valdis Stokenbergs Chairman of the Board, itSMF Latvia, Rita Laukaityt�, Project Manager, Alliance �Window to the Future�, Lithuania and Ilze Bu��e, Head of the Department of Lifelong Education, Ventspils University College, Latvia. Session was chaired by Dr. Jason Weisser, Vice President, CTO SOA Advanced technology IBM Corporation and Dr. Juris Borzovs, Director, Riga Information Technology Institute (RITI), Latvia.

A two-day session of eHealth focused on policies and implementation progress in the Baltic Sea region and Europe, pilot projects and best practice. Session partner was Microsoft. Session has been officially supported by the Ministry of Health of Latvia. Session was opened by �anete Vasaraudze Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Health of Latvia. Among key speakers were:  Rinalds Muci��, Deputy State secretary, Ministry of Health, Latvia, Oliver Lillepruun, Project Manager, Estonian eHealth Foundation, Dr. Teemupekka Virtanen, Special Adviser in eHealth projects, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland, Martin Bech, Deputy Director, UNI-C, Denmark, Dr. Torfi Magnusson, Chief  Executive Advisor, Landspitali University Hospital, Iceland, Dr. Valdis Zatlers, Chairman of the board, Hospital of Traumotology and Orthopaedics of Latvia, Erkki Leego, CIO of the Estonian Genome Foundation, Dr. Viesturs V�ndedzis, Tukums Regional Hospital, Latvia, Andrus Aavik, Head of Biomedical Department, Tartu University Hospital, Member of the Board, Foundation of Estonian PACS and Uldis Jaspers, Director of Medical Technologies, Stradini Hospital, Latvia. Among session chairpersons was Ivars Solovjovs, Senior Manager, Ernst & Young Baltic, Risk Advisory Services, Latvia.

Session devoted to various healthcare industry and information systems solutions featured presentations about applications starting from e-Signature and patient management systems  to PACS systems and eLearning in healthcare including keynote presentation from Tanya Znamenskaya, Microsoft Senior Developer, Central and Eastern Europe.

Session on how to acquire funds in healthcare featured referents from the Ministry of Health of Latvia, Secretariat of Special Assignments Minister for Electronic Government Affairs of Latvia and Ministry of Economics of Latvia to discuss EU funds and other financial instruments for healthcare. Best practise of successful projects in healthcare and project preparation was shared from Ventspils Hospital, Pauls Stradi�� Clinical University Hospital and NK Consulting from Latvia. Session was chaired by M�rti�� Sils, Board Member, Meditec, Latvia.

Innovations and Competitiveness in the ICTE sector in the Baltic Sea region session featured presentation from Valdis Peisenieks, Head of Service Management Department, Hansabanka, Latvia, Andr� Richier, Principal Administrator, Innovation Policy Directorate, Technology for Innovation, ICT Industries and e-Business, DG Enterprise and Industry, European Commission, J�rn W.Phigalt,  Chairman of TASBI − the TransAtlantic Small Business Initiative, Denmark, Valdis Avoti��, Director of Knowledge and Innovation Systems Department, Latvian Investment and Development Agency, Indrek Ruiso, CEO, ELIKO Competence Center in Electronics-, Info- and Communication Technologies, Estonia, Andrejs Vasi�jevs, Director, Products and Services, Tilde, Latvia, Dr. Jon Thorhallsson, ECP International, Iceland and Vilma Misiukoniene, Infobalt association, Lithuania. Session partner was Hansabanka. Session was chaired by Valdis Lokenbahs, Senior ICT Industry Expert, Latvia.

Showroom �Electronic Signatures Laboratory� organised together with Microsoft Latvia, in co-operation with its partners, explained the meaning of these terms and offer a practical look at what the people of Latvia will gain through the use of E-signatures.  It allowed participants to learn about the very latest trends in areas such as electronic security and identity and the application of the E-signature in practice. Keynote presentation was delivered by Ronny Bjones, Security Strategist, Microsoft EMEA (Europe, Middle-East, Africa). The �Electronic Signatures Laboratory� has been created on the basis of solutions that are being developed at this time in Latvia.

Showroom �Information Technologies of France� demonstrated French Information Technology sector and some examples of French developments in the IT sector: Technology clusters, Innovact, Axon cables, e-medicine, etc. Showroom was organised in cooperation with Francijas Pavasaris Latvija, Un Printemps français en Lettonie.

SON Meeting

The SON (Senior Officials of the information society Network) meeting was organised to follow-up the Northern eDimension Action Plan. State officials and information society leaders from 5 countries (Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Norway and Sweden) around the Baltic Sea participated. Among topics discussed were: final report on Northern eDimession Action Plan , tour-the-table regarding ICT developments  in the Baltic Sea region  countries (developments/events/burning issues) and the future of the SON-network.

IST4Balt Workshop �Towards an Information Society in the Baltic States� was organised in the framework of the project IST4Balt funded by Information Society Programme of the European Commission. It aimed at strengthening the scientific and technological cooperation and collaboration among the European Union countries in the field of IT applications and services for the mobile users and workers, open development platforms for software and services, eLearning, eLogistics, eInclusion, intelligent ICT and cross-media content for leisure and entertainment. One of the main goals of the workshop was to increase awareness about the 7th Framework Programme of the European Commission (FP7), by discussing lessons learned from the participation of Baltic States in previous IST programmes, and thus stimulating wider participation of Baltic States in FP7. Among key speakers at the workshop were: Prof. Leonid Novitskis, Riga Technical University Professor, RTU, Latvia, Prof. Uldis Sukovskis, Dean, Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, Riga Technical University, Latvia, Prof. Jean Bonnin, IST4Balt project co-ordinator, president of EDNES, France, Dr. Alexander Beriozko, IST4Balt Project Manager, EDNES, France, Dr. Michael Boronowsky, Center for Computing Technologies (TZI) of University of Bremen, Germany, Dr. Christoph Hornung, Fraunhofer IGD, Germany, Dr. Jean-Claude Marot, JC Consultants, French Polynesia (France), Prof. Alexei Gvishiani, Geophysical Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia and Mr. Adam Turowiec, Director of Institute of Communication and Information Technologies Ltd. (ITTI), Poland.