Goals and Objectives

Goals

WISTCIS project promotes Information Society Technologies (IST) Programme to the seven participating European CIS countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine) by dissemination actions and teleworking, basing on new methods of team work between EU and the CIS interested parties. WISTCIS develops further the system of Information Demonstration Centres deployed in seven CIS countries by EC DG XIII TAP project "Support for Telematics Application Cooperation with the Commonwealth of Independent States" (STACCIS) (1996-99). Using this system two conferences and four workshops devoted to IST will be held to introduce EU developed methods of team work to the CIS countries.

WISTCIS encourages submission of new proposals to IST. Certification service for IST proposals preparation and electronic submission will be adapted for EU-CIS team work. WISTCIS presents IST Programme results to the CIS telematics community, provides training on Fifth Framework Programme (FFP) and IST opportunities to the CIS audience, indicating the tendencies of the European telematics activities.

Objectives

To promote IST Programme to the seven participating European CIS countries by implementing fast dissemination and awareness actions targeted on European CIS countries, as outside of IST Programme audience;

To develop further the existing system of Information Demonstration Centres (IDCs), deployed by the EC DG XIII in the seven CIS countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine) in the framework of STACCIS project and operational since 1997. Basing on this system, to organize WISTCIS kick-off and outlook conferences and 4 workshops devoted to IST Programme objectives and opportunities for the CIS countries and provide in-depth demonstrations of relevant EU telematics products for 1000 telematics users, developers, vendors and service providers in the European CIS countries with participation of potential EU team work partners in order to demonstrate potential capacity and the first results of IST Programme to the CIS telematics community with the emphasis to the user-friendliness. The IDCs system will ensure the "physical base" for WISTCIS project, its smooth functioning in 2000-2003 and its continuity with STACCIS project, that was developed in the European CIS countries in 1996 - 1999;

To introduce new methods of team work (teleworking, etc.) into the seven participating CIS countries and to develop there focal points eligible to operate in IST Programme at the level compatible with EU partners;

To encourage submission of new project proposals to IST Programme with participation of the CIS countries and to contribute in this way to development of huge potential new market for EU supported Information Society Technologies products;

To do technology studies of the present situation with Information Society Technologies in the seven European CIS countries participating in the project. Basing on results of these studies, to provide (through WISTCIS Web-sites, Newsletters, conferences and workshops) corresponding information and formulate appropriate recommendations to EU research and marketing telematics communities with a view to take into account in the EU research activities social-economic and scientific/technological trends of the potential European CIS market;

To assess and evaluate, through continuous operations of IDCs, conferences, workshops, training courses, specific studies and other project activities, the level of the Information Society development in the seven participating CIS countries. For each of the participating CIS countries to formulate a specific plan of basic actions that will make the corresponding WISTCIS focal point capable to operate efficiently using new methods of working based on Information Society Technologies. Reaching this objective, to create pilot sites in the seven participating CIS countries capable to serve as a prototype for future scientific/technological centres, where EU supported IST products can be implemented;

To select, adapt to Russian language (the language of present international communication in the CIS countries) and to demonstrate in the seven WISTCIS IDCs selected telematics tools that will clearly show IST Programme objectives and opportunities to the CIS audience;

To provide training measures (distant, through WISTCIS Web-sites, and face-to-face) to promote dissemination of IST Programme to the European CIS community. To increase knowledge in the CIS community about the European Commission, Fifth Framework Programme, DGs, former and present EC programmes, with special attention to IST Programme and intellectual, technical and economical opportunities that IST opens for its participants;

To present the first results of IST programme to the CIS telematics community indicating the tendencies of the European telematics development.