WISTCIS project programme envisages a number of work meetings and conferences devoted to various topics of telematics products and technology development and utilization. In accordance with currently adopted WISTCIS project workplan of thematic conferences and workshops organization, the Workshop "Telematics and Networking support in Environmental and Natural Hazard Research and Monitoring" was held in Chisinau, Moldova in June 21-22, 2001.

This event was funded by the Information Society Technologies (IST) Programme of European Union (EU). The main organizers of Chisinau Workshop were Earth Data Network for Education and Scientific Exchange (EDNES), the Academy of Sciences of Moldova (ASM) and Research and Educational Networking Association of Moldova (RENAM).

Many other organizations of Moldova were involved in the Workshop organization and running support. The significant contribution in the meeting organization of Alliance Francaise in Moldova, the Technical University of Moldova, Ministry of Ecology, Constructions and Territorial Development of Moldova, The Academy of Transport, Informatics and Communications and SNT Mold Firm have to be specially mentioned.

The Academy of Sciences of Moldova and RENAM Public Association were selected as the place for the Workshop. The Center of Information Technologies of ASM was active participant organization in STACCIS project, and RENAM Association hosts now Moldavian WISTCIS Information Demonstration Center (IDC). The Workshop preparation actions started after the contract concluded by Earth Data Network for Education and Scientific Exchange (EDNES) with the RENAM Public Association and The Center of Information Technologies of ASM was signed. This contract became the grounds for activation of the preparatory stage of organization of the Workshop in Moldova. The list of contracted tasks, as it formulated in the Contract, comprises the following:

"Carry out the duties of subcontractor to EDNES as defined in the project "New Methods of Working for Information Society Technologies Programme Promotion to Commonwealth of Independent States (WISTCIS)", executed by EDNES on behalf of the EC DG IST, including:

1. further development of functions, structure and contents of Moldovan WISTCIS Information Dissemination Centre (IDC) in RENAM Association / Center of Information Technologies, Academy of Sciences of Moldova;
2. development of the national WISTCIS IDC Web-site;
3. organisation and running of WISTCIS Workshop "Telematics and networking support in environmental and natural hazard research and monitoring " on 21-22 June 2001;
4. implementation of collaborative browsing toolkit CoBrow at the national WISTCIS IDC for EU-CIS team work;
5. implementation of the training courses on the EC, Fifth Framework and IST Programmes at the national WISTCIS IDC Web-site.

Specifically, the positions of contract include the following stages:

To perform the Workshop "Telematics and Networking support in Environmental and Natural Hazard Research and Monitoring" in Chisinau on 21-22 June 2001. To organize and financially support the travel and subsistence of national focal points and coordinators and invited EU lectors to the Workshop in Chisinau.

To prepare illustration materials, PowerPoint presentation with comments about the Workshop in Chisinau and submit it to EDNES (to be used in annual project review) not later than 15 November 2001.

To submit to EDNES in the form acceptable for further submission to EC the evaluation report in English on the Chisinau Workshop not later than 15 November 2001.

The call for application to the Workshop in Chisinau (Annex 1) containing information about venue, Programme Committee, Organizing Committee, themes of the meeting, EU and the CIS organizations and projects invited, audience, general schedule of the Workshop, submission of abstracts, registration procedure and registration form, deadlines, accommodations and the Workshop registration fee, as well as all current information about the Workshop, necessary addresses and references had been installed on the Moldavian WISTCIS IDC and WISTCIS major Web-sites, RENAM Association Web-site WISTCIS reference page and were visible in the Internet (Annexes 2a, 2b, 2c).

WISTCIS project work program in Moldova put special attention on informational support of project development actions, which are planned to be realized or are in progress in Moldova in accordance with the Contract conditions signed between EDNES and WISTCIS project Moldavian focal point. So the first stage of the project realization comprised regional WISTCIS IDC web-site deployment. In April-May 2001 WISTCIS IDC development plan was elaborated and began fulfilling in practice.

The IDC structure embraces databases previously designed and accumulated during STACCIS project realization and the main direction of new activity dealt with information support of forthcoming WISTCIS Workshop organization in Chisinau.

Full information about the Workshop was allocated at the IDC Web-site and its database contained constantly updated data on the Workshop topics, schedule, venue, Programme and Organizing Committees, contact information, preliminary and final program, registration procedure and form, abstracts presentation, references to the interesting Internet resources about Moldova, hotels in Chisinau, air flights timetable and some other useful information. Special IDC feature allowed potential Workshop participants to register on-line.

WISTCIS project workplan and signed contract forecast future development of the Moldavian IDC structure and databases. The IDC current implementation work program fixed that all IDC development works have to be finished by the end of year 2002.

The Workshop in Chisinau was aimed to present the available information on telematics applications and current tasks in the sphere of support of environmental and natural hazard research and monitoring, one of the principal directions of activity in the framework of WlSTCIS project funded by IST Programme of the European Commission and coordinated by EDNES. The goal of the Workshop was to spread information and knowledge about new telematics products and technologies worked out in the EC and the CIS countries and Information Society Technologies Programme potentialities. In more details, the main objectives of the Workshop were:

• To promote IST Programme to wide circle of interested people in participating European CIS countries, as outside of IST Programme audience;
• To provide in-depth demonstrations of relevant EU telematics products for 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;
• To promote 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 provide an information on the present situation with Information Society Technologies in the seven European CIS countries participating in the project 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 the level of the Information Society development in the seven participating CIS countries and specifically in Moldova, to formulate a specific plan of basic actions that will make Moldavian WISTCIS project focal point capable to operate efficiently using new methods of working based on Information Society Technologies achievements;
• To demonstrate selected telematics tools to be incorporated into seven WISTCIS IDCs that will clearly show IST Programme objectives and opportunities to the CIS audience;
• To provide face-to-face training measures 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 results of IST programme to the CIS telematics community in sphere of support of environmental and natural hazard research and monitoring, indicating the tendencies of the European telematics development in this field.

The venue of WISTCIS Workshop "Telematics and Networking support in Environmental and Natural Hazard Research and Monitoring" in Chisinau was the Academy of Sciences of Moldova. The Workshop was opened in the Academy Administrative Block, Large Conference Hall, on 22 of June 2001.

Opening of WISTCIS Chisinau Workshop at the Academy Large Conference Hall

All selected presentations were grouped in three thematic sections and one training courses session. The topics of thematic sessions were:

• "Computer networking and telematic applications in the CIS countries";
• "IST environmental applications";
• "Telematic applications in natural hazard and geophysical studies".

Training session was entitled "Training courses on the EC Fifth Framework and IST Programmes".

The opening session (9:30-10:00) started with the welcome speech of Prof. Acad. Andrei Anriesh, the President of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, RENAM Association Co-president, the Workshop Chairman, and Mr. Jacques Babot, WISTCIS project officer, EC IST Programme.

The speakers stressed the important role of WISTCIS Project and the Workshop in Chisinau for promotion of Information Society Technologies Programme to the CIS telematics community. The special attention was paid to the fact that telematics products implementation and utilization, as well as information and networking technologies were actively developed in Moldova. It was mentioned in opening notes that ICT achievements in application for environmental and natural hazard research and monitoring played an important role for European Countries including seven CIS countries participating in WISTCIS project. The speakers also pointed out the great role of IST - European Commission support in dissemination of the newest achievements in the field of telematics all over the world.

The first plenary session of the Chisinau Workshop (10:00-11:30) was focused on the European Commission Information Society Technologies Programme, its possibilities for the creation new EU-CIS projects for IST, WISTCIS project, including background, state of the art and prospective, telematics products and geoinformation technologies application in the system of space and land emergency situations monitoring, in providing conditions and perspectives of practical natural hazard data computerization.

Opening session (left to right): Prof. Acad. Andrei Andriesh, the Workshop Chairman, Mr. Jacques Babot, WISTCIS project officer, Prof. Acad. Ion Bostan, Rector of the Technical University of Moldova

The first thematic session "Computer networking and telematics application in Eastern European countries" (12:00-13:15 and 14:30-16:35) was devoted to computer networking, informational infrastructure and teleworking applications development in the CIS and Eastern European countries.

Then on the same day the second thematic session "IST environmental applications" started (17:05-19:00). The session presentations were devoted to the actual environmental problems, application telematics technology to environment monitoring and protection.

Next day (June 22) the Workshop started with Special Session - Invited Presentations. Two reports concerning topics essential for the project participants were rendered to the audience. The first one by Dr. Erich Peplow was devoted to prospective projects of information and networking infrastructure support in the CIS countries from NATO Science Committee. The second dealt with modern EU-CIS teleworking facilities and was presented by Dr. Alexander Beriozko from EDNES Russian branch.

It was followed by WISTCIS training course "European Union and the Opportunities for the CIS countries" (10:00-10:45) developed and presented by Edwin de Vries (PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the Netherlands). Two lectures were given.

The Workshop training course was followed by thematic session "Telematics applications in natural hazard and geophysical studies" (11:15-13:15). The third session was aimed at the discussion of results of telematics applications in natural hazard research and monitoring. Eight reports were presented at the session. After lunch break Edwin de Vries (Pricewaterhouse Coopers, the Netherlands) delivered WISTCIS training course "EC Fifth Framework Programme (FFP) Information Society Technologies (IST) Programme".

Work meeting at the Department of Information Technologies of Moldova. General director of the Department Mr. Vladimir Molojen (centre)

In continuation (15:15-16:10) a discussion section "New project opportunities for the CIS countries" took place, where participants expressed their ideas about new project elaboration and exchanged plans of future work within the project framework. After that the final plenary session with the decision-making took place.

Two additional meetings outside the official Workshop programme were organized on Thursday, June 21 and on Saturday, June 23, in which principal members of Programme Committee and some invited participants were involved. At the first work meeting at the Department of Information Technologies Development of Moldova the problems of telematics applications development and utilization prospects in Moldova were discussed.

The second meeting at the Workshop Chairman Prof. A. Andriesh office was devoted to the prospects of new joint projects elaboration in Moldova and neighboring South-Eastern European countries for submission to the EC IST. And finally a special reception by Prime Minister of Moldova Mr. Vaslie Tarlev took place at his office in the House of Government of Moldova.

At all the sessions and training courses the up-to-date facilities, such as multimedia and overhead projectors, computers with good Internet connection were at the disposal of lecturers and other participants of the conference. The simultaneous translation from English to Russian and from Russian to English also was provided.

The scientific programme of the Workshop was extremely intensive. The additional programme included the excursion to Milesti Mici National vine production enterprise (June 22), the welcome party (evening of June 20) and the official dinner (June 21).

WISTCIS Workshop was oriented first of all on CIS countries audience and therefor the organizations of all CIS countries, participating in WISTCIS project, were advertised about the Workshop in Chisinau. As the result, representatives of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Russia and the Ukraine took part in the Workshop. In the Workshop were widely represented different organizations of Moldova. The audience was formed as a combination of representatives of Moldavian governmental bodies, research and educational communities, including teachers, postgraduate, undergraduate and graduate students of Moldavian universities, business enterprises. Many international telematics projects that went on in collaboration of EU and CIS countries were presented at the Workshop. Representatives of IST projects as well as of other EU telematics initiatives were invited speakers at the Workshop. The list of participants is given in Annex 3.

In the Academy Large Conference Hall during the Workshop session

The audience of the Workshop also included some people who attended the plenary and thematic sessions of the Workshop but did not register as participants. The total number of individuals who attended the Workshop exceeded 100 persons. Professionally, the audience included:

• university professors and tutors, students and postgraduate students, especially those who were involved in ICT technology development, distance education and training;
• ecology specialists and environmental scientists, earth, seismic and geo science specialists;
• specialists in municipal and other technogenious hazards investigation and protection;
• scientists and engineers in applied mathematics, computer sciences, electronics and telecommunications;
• telecommunication service providers and database holders;
• telematics users, developers, and vendors of computer hardware and software.

Potential Chishinau Workshop participants submitted more than 70 applications and presentations abstracts. The Workshop programme was adjusted after intensive discussions of the Programme Committee members and a special discussion session of the Committee adopted and fixed the final variant of the Workshop Programme.

The decision to form three sections - "Computer networking and telematics application in Eastern European countries", "IST environmental application" and "Telematics applications in natural hazard and geophysical studies" was made by Programme Committee and all selected reports were subdivided in accordance with the sections thematic. As a result the Workshop general schedule and detailed programme were elaborated (Annex 4) and became available for observation at the Moldavian IDC Web-sites
http://www.idc.asm.md
http://www.renam.md/wistcis
and WISTCIS major Web-site http://www.ednes.org/wistcis.

All abstracts of the selected presentations were published as a brochure before opening of the Workshop (Annex 5).

Workshop was opened by Andrei Andriesh, the President of Academy of Sciences of Moldova, and Jacques Babot, WISTCIS project officer, in the Academic Conference Hall at 9:30.

The first plenary session of the Workshop began at 10:00. The first plenary presentation "Information Society Technologies Programme of the European Commission" was offered by Mr. J. Babot (EC IST). He introduced the programme objectives, structure and prospects of actions within the EC IST Programme to the workshop audience.

Then plenary presentations were given:

J. Bonnin (EDNES, France), A. Gvishiani (EDNES, Russia), T. Shuliakovskaya (EDNES, Russia), A. Beriozko (EDNES, Russia): "WISTCIS project: background, state of the art and prospective". This presentation was done by Prof. Alexei Gvishiani and contained general description of the project and all directions of activity planned in accordance with WISRCIS project working schedule.

Prof. A. Gvisiani, EDNES Vice- president, presents WISTCIS project

S. Zolotoy, E. Novikov (Belarus): "Geoinformation Technologies in the System of Space and Land Monitoring Emergency Situations in the Republic of Belarus". In the report the very actual problems of emergency situations operative detection, estimation of their possible consequences and provision with informational support for the administrative decisions in Belarus were outlined.

A. Drumea, V. Ginsari (Moldova): "The modern condition and perspectives of natural hazard data computerization in republic of Moldova". Prof. A. Drumea, Director of the Institute of Geophysics and Geology (IGG), introduced for the workshop audience the problem of the natural hazards risk evaluation and the possibility of its diminution that is vitally important for Moldova and some other fields of scientific interest of his team. The activity in the field of water resources quality and quantity evaluation (both surface and underground) is very actual now too in south-east part of Europe. Three scientific directions are presented in the IGG: seismology, geology and hydrogeology. The investigation of the different kind of natural hazard in these three fields is one of the main goals of institute specialists. The modern level of computerization of scientific researches permits to use know-how, firstly, GIS-technology. But using of GIS requires up-to-date computer hardware. Unfortunately, its acquisition is practically impossible for state institutions in Moldova, because the republic, as the other countries of the former SU, is now in state of deep economical crisis that is typical for transition period on the way to market type of economics. One of the ways for solving this problem is international grants or search of sponsors.

Director of the Institute of Geophysics and Geology of ASM Prof., Acad. A. Drumea during the plenary session presentation

The first thematic section of the Workshop took place at 12:00-16:30. The topic of the section was "Computer networking and telematics application in Eastern European countries" (Session Chairmen - E. Peplow (Germany), G. Secrieru (Moldova), E. Novikov (Belarus)).

The idea of this session presentations was to exhibit the basic goals of DG Information Society European Commission, its main programs, to give detailed information about WISTCIS project, and, on the other hand, to show the current state of development of information technologies in Moldova. The section proved the actuality of WISTCIS activities to Moldova - the country that faces now a great requirement in application of telematics to various spheres of life, especially, to environmental monitoring and protection, natural hazards investigation and it consequences diminishing, scientific research and education informational support. The section also outlined some topics of further activities in the framework of the project and special emphasize was done on international collaboration in the sphere of telematics applications, networking infrastructure and communication services development. Twelve lectures were selected for this section. The lectures given at this section were:

A. Andries, I. Bostan, P. Bogatencov, G. Secrieru (Moldova) "The national academic network - basic infrastructure for telematics applications development in Moldova"

E. Peplow, G. Secrieru, P. Bogatencov, V. Sidorenco, O. Rusu, V. Pascal (Germany, Moldova, Romania) "Communication bridge project between academic networks of Moldova and Romania"

M. Zgurovsky, N. Graivoronsky, A. Novikov (NTUU "KPI", Ukraine) "Development of the Ukrainian WISTCIS information dissemination centre in Kiev "

O. Rusu, F. Manolache, V. Vraciu (Romania) "Technical considerations about building a metropolitan area network"

Mudure Dinnija (Latvia) "European projects in Baltic States"

G. Saghyan (Armenia) "South Caucasian initiatives in IT sector"

Holger Christein (Germany) "Basics of virtual presence"

H. Christein (Germany) presents report on virtual presence

I. Bostan, V. Sontea, I. Balmus, V. Sidorenco, B. Varzari (Moldova) "Concept for the Moldovan youth's integration in the world market for science-intensive technologies"

M. Makhaniok (Belarus) "International connectivity and services to force telematics product development".

E. Chetraru (Moldova) "Advanced l2 packet switching technologies"

V. Sibirsky, G. Secrieru, P. Bogatencov, L. Kozlenco, À. Altuhov, G. K. Youngen (Moldova,USA) "Academic electronic publishing system implementation in Moldova"

D. Solomon (Moldova) "Computer support of courses on international automobile traffic"

The second section of the Workshop took place at 17:00-19:00. The topic of the section was "IST environmental application" (Session Chairmen - A. Novikov (Ukraine), T. Babayev (Azerbaijan), V. Sidorenco (Moldova))

The reports of this section reflected necessity of use of the Program IST and information technologies in the field of protection of an environment. The lectures presented at this section were:

M. Zgurovskii, A. Novikov (Ukraine) "Mathematical problems of the ecological analysis of the atmosphere state for industrial regions"

T. Babaev, I. Surovtsev, O.Babak, A. Gasanov (Azerbaijan) "Local monitoring system of soiling of the industrial megapolis atmospheric air"

T. Capatina (Moldova) "The fifteenth anniversary of Chernobyl catastrophe and how the rights of moldova citizens, suffered from the catastrophe, are protected"

I. Dediu, V. Zagaevschi, (Moldova) "Prut river tributaries GIS"

I. Artamonov, Î. Rejep, V. Ciumash. (Moldova) "Authority of city informatization in the monitoring of natural and technogen processes"

A. Zaicenco, V. Osadci (Moldova) "Urban planning and GIS applications in environmental visioning"

V. Sidorenco (Moldova) "Internet resources for near-real-time environment supervision"

V. Frunza, R. Puya (Moldova) "Information system of analysis and certification of medicaments"

Dr. T. Babaev (Azerbaijan) makes presentation at the Workshop session

The questions of environmental protection, ecological monitoring are of great importance for Moldova as well as other CIS countries. The situation is being redoubled by Chernobyl catastrophe, the consequences of which continue making their harmful influence on the ecology of Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Russia and some other countries. On the other hand, this situation intensifies the development of telematics applications, GIS-technologies, virtual reality simulation to overcome the inadequate state of ecology. The session showed the development of results, obtained earlier in STACCIS project.

Opening of the Workshop was attended by the representatives of the Moldavian press and was highlighted in current television and radio news.

The second working day began from the Special Session - Invited presentations (Session Chairmen - G. Saghyan (Armenia), P. Bogatencov (Moldova)). The session comprised two essential reports of experts in appropriate field, covering very important directions of the WISTCIS project main directions of activity.

E. Peplow (Germany) "The Networking Infrastructure Program of the NATO Science Committee - Skills and Challenges". Dr. Peplow gave a detailed description of new initiatives of NATO Science Programme Committee, which dealt with improving networking infrastructure and networking support of different telematics applications development in the CIS countries.

J-C. Marot (France), A. Beriozko (EDNES, Russia) "WISTCIS manual "EU-CIS Teleworking 2001". In his presentation Dr. Alexander Beriozko described various kinds of teleworking, gave a number of examples, discussed advantages and shortcomings of such kind of activity, and also pointed out some problems in implementing teleworking technologies.

Discussion during a session break: Dr. F. Peplow (Germany), NATO Science Programme consultant (left), and Mr. V. Fotenco, Department of Information Technologies of Moldova (right)

Mr. Edwin de Vries (PwC, The Netherlands) presented training course "European Union and the Opportunities for the CIS countries".

The third section "Telematics applications in natural hazard and geophysical studies" (Session Chairmen - A. Drumea (Moldova), J. Zlotnici (France), A. Beriozko (EDNES, Russia)) of the workshop was carried out after a break at 11:15-13:15 on June 22, 2001. For this session the following lectures were selected:

J. Zlotnici (France) "On Volcanomagnetic and tectonomagnetic effects"

F. Kloosterman (Germany), C. Moraru, E. Isicico (Moldova) "GIS-facilities for geoecology and hydrogeology: case study in the republic of Moldova"

A. Gvishiani, E. Kedrov, M. Kovalenko, S. Petrashin, T. Shulyakovskaya (Russia), H. Kroehl (USA), Y. Murakami (Japan) "Virtual laboratory on fundamental and applied problems of the elasticity theory"

M. Pascaru (Moldova) "Principles of the organization of an informational system for preventing the consequences of natural hazard"

V. Alkaz, E. Isiciko, A. Zaicenco (Moldova) "Development of instrumental and macroseismic database for seismic risk studies"

V. Sidorenco, P. Bogatencov, G. Secrieru, V. Sibirsky (Moldova) "Bases of safety of life: training course and information technologies".

In the consequence the training course by Edwin de Vries (PwC, The Netherlands) "EC 5th framework programe Information Socaity Technologies" took place.

Then the final discussion entitled "New projects opportunities for the CIS countries" followed (Chairman - A. Gvishiani (EDNES, Russia)), at which the evaluation of the results of training courses was given and prospects of practical application of obtained experience for new projects preparation were discussed.

In the afternoon the final plenary session finished the Workshop official programme (Chairmen - J. Bonnin (EDNES, France), A. Gvishiani (EDNES, Russia)). In their speeches the key persons of the Workshop Programme Committee emphasized that since the previous STACCIS Conferences and Workshops WISTCIS project participants made a significant step ahead in development of telematics products and telecommunication technology, in practical implementation of information technologies into various fields of life. Chisinau Workshop has provided an opportunity to outline the main problems, elaborate approaches and formulate perspectives of applied telematics products and teleworking technologies implementation in natural hazard research, monitoring and environment protection in the European CIS countries.

The organization of the WISTCIS Workshop in Chisinau has shown that the process of drastic development of information technologies, networking infrastructure and telecommunications has started in Moldova. In comparison to STACCIS project realization period, the situation with internal networking infrastructure, Internet connectivity, development of digital telephony and communication lines, telecommunications services provided has improved significantly. Yet the level of ICT development in Moldova is less than average European and therefore the country stays behind many other states in Europe on the way to information society.

The Workshop programme and training courses promoted the formation of professional communities of specialists in spheres of telematics products development and application for environmental and natural hazard research and monitoring, teleworking and distant education, attracted the interest of representatives of the European CIS countries to the latest EU achievements, showed European standards of implementation of information technologies. The achieved results and available products are only the first step on the way to formation of modern computerized media for support of real human necessities in many CIS countries. The main activities for the future must include contiguous development of this process, widening and deepening of collaboration within European community, formulation, preparation and realization of new joint projects. Systemized training curricula presented during the Workshop will evidently sustain and perfect skills of the CIS countries participants in this perspective field of activity. Importance of such a kind of meetings can be approved by the fact that many participants noted that in general the contacts between the CIS countries were insufficient and needed intensification.

The main objectives of training activities in the framework of WISTCIS project included design, testing and dissemination of training courses in English and Russian for the CIS audience on the history and existing structure of the European Commission with the emphasis to Fifth Framework (FFP) and Information Society Technologies (IST) Programmes. These courses were developed and delivered by representatives of PricewaterhouseCoopers, (PwC), The Netherlands.

The deliverable D4 "Training courses on the EC Fifth Framework and IST Programmes" was developed in the framework of WISTCIS project by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), The Netherlands. PwC is a world-known company, which specializes in technology and management consulting in the field of industrial innovation. The group has a thorough knowledge of innovative industries and of research institutes and universities. It has been involved in all stages of government policy-making and programmes in the fields of technology and innovation. PwC works extensively with the European Commission (DG I, DG III, DG XII, DG XIII and DG XVI). PwC Technology Consultants are distinguished in this sector by the combination of know-how in the fields of methodology and technology.

Each course contains 4 lectures. The training course "European Union: background, objectives & opportunities" covers the basic items of the European Union and includes the following lectures:

• "History of the European Union";
• "Introduction to the European Union";
• "Fifth Framework Programme (FFP)";
• "Opportunities for New Independent States (NIS) countries".

The training course "EC Fifth Framework and Information Society Technologies Programmes (IST)" consists of the following lectures:

• "Introduction to Information Society and Technologies";
• "How to submit a FFP proposal";
• "Preparation of a grant application";
• "The grant award and project implementation".

Each lecture is comprehensive and contains sufficiently detailed information on the topic. The lectures are very well illustrated and contain a lot of useful Web-links. The courses have been translated from English into Russian by Centre of Geophysical Data Studies and Telematics Applications (CGDS), Moscow, Russia, and are now available in both languages for free download on WISTCIS project main Web-site at http://www.ednes.org/wistcis.

The courses attracted great attention of the audience and caused active discussion. The discussion resulted in positive evaluation of the courses. The courses were highly recommended for wide dissemination among educational, scientific and business communities and further development of courses was considered of great importance to the CIS audience.

WISTCIS Workshop "Telematics and Networking support in Environmental and Natural Hazard Research and Monitoring" was held on 21-22 June, 2001, in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. The Workshop was organized in the framework of WlSTCIS project funded by DG IST European Commission and coordinated by EDNES (France). The Workshop had shown for wide audience recent results of telematics products application in the sphere of environmental monitoring and protection against natural hazards, which is very important for many CIS, Western and Eastern European countries, as well as spread information and knowledge about new telematics products and technologies worked out in the EC and the CIS countries and IST Programme possibilities.

As a whole, the results achieved by WISTCIS Workshop "Telematics and Networking support in Environmental and Natural Hazard Research and Monitoring" may be estimated as successful.

Annex 1. Call for Applications Form (.doc)
Annex 2. Screen-shots of Web-sites
Annex 3. List of participants of the Workshop
Annex 4. Programme of the Workshop (.doc)
Annex 5. Abstracts of the presentations of the Workshop (.doc)
Annex 6. The Workshop video information