- From the Chair
- News from the Board
- ICA 38th Conference - Programme
- Accompanied Persons Programme
- ICA Future Conferences
- Study Group Activity
- ICA Membership
- ICA Strategic Plan
- Preparation of the ICA NR's and Council Meetings
- Assignment of ICA Deputy NR's
- Revision of the ICA Web Site
- Administration and Logistics
From the Chair
Dear Members of ICA
This is the fourth opportunity to send you the "Communiqué from the Chair", as an informative bulletin on what is happening in ICA.
A Joint ICA Board and Programme Committee meeting took place in Salzburg, Austria, on the 5&6 of May 2005. It was decided to continue to issue a Communiqué to members, to keep you updated on the activities of ICA all year around.
I hope the information below will be useful to you. For any additional information please do not hesitate to contact me, or any ICA Board Member.
Best Regards
Dr. Nachman Oron
ICA Chair
oron-n@013.net
News from the Board
The main objectives of the ICA Board and Programme Committee Spring meeting in Salzburg were to complete the Agenda of the 39th Conference and to agree on the 2005 ICA Work-plan. The meeting was very interesting and productive; here are some of the issues discussed:
ICA 39th CONFERENCE - Arrangements
We had the chance to visit the venue for the ICA 39th Conference at the Sheraton Hotel in Salzburg and the adjacent, very modern, Congress Center (opened - 2001). Access to the congress centre is via a tunnel from the hotel.
The city of Salzburg is an architectural gem. Its most noteworthy buildings are a late 7th-century Benedictine abbey, which was for many years the centre of missionary activities; the Franciscan church, consecrated in 1223; the early 17th-century cathedral, modelled after St. Peter's in Rome; the Residenz (16th-18th cent.), formerly the archiepiscopal palace; and Mirabell castle - Schloss Mirabelle (early 18th cent.), situated in a beautiful garden.
The Sheraton Hotel and the Congress Center are situated opposite the Mirabelle Schloss gardens.
The weather in mid September is supposed to be good and I am sure now that we are going to have both an interesting and a good time.
For more information, may I recommend the Web Site: www2.salzburg.info.
Where you can get the right impression, sound and visual, in photo and video of the wonderful Salzburg.
The provisional 39th Conference Agenda includes a meeting of National Representatives (NR) & Deputy NRs on Monday morning (11 September), followed by the ICA Council annual meeting on Monday afternoon. That evening a welcome reception will be held at the "Congress Center". The Mayor of Salzburg will host this reception.
On Tuesday morning, the opening session will greet our host, the Bundesministerin Ms. Elisabeth Gehrer, Minister of Education, Science & Culture, followed by an interesting keynote speech presented by Christian Rupp, Federal Executive Secretary" of the Austrian Government.
Two full sessions & one hour of the Round Table session are planned for the rest of the day. Lunch will be provided for all delegates every day.
Tuesday is a free evening; a list of many interesting cultural events will be offered by our host. Wednesday will start with another Keynote speaker, followed by the Study Group Report-back, after which we will split into three Affinity Groups. On Wednesday afternoon we plan a special Technology Vignettes session including short presentations & short video demos. This will be followed by a Round Table Session. A social event is planned for Wednesday evening, including a two-hour bus tour of Salzburg and its surroundings, and a reception hosted by the Governor of the State. Thursday morning will start with another plenary session; we will then hear the reports of Affinity Groups followed by a Round Table session. In the afternoon there will be a debate on a controversial topic (see below) and the Closing session, with an interesting Keynote Speaker.
As usual we conclude our Conference with a Gala Dinner, including an Awards Ceremony and an invitation to next year's Conference in Guadalajara, Mexico. The Gala Dinner will take place in a beautiful building some 15 minutes drive from the hotel.
ICA 39th CONFERENCE - Programme
My thanks to the members of the Program Committee, and the members of ICA, for your responses and intensive work. This helped us to almost finalize an interesting agenda for the Salzburg Conference. This year Conference Theme:
"Anticipating the Citizen's Needs in the 21st Century"
Hence all session titles will be related:
| Session 1 Chair: Olov Ostberg, Sweden |
Wireless and Beyond - Towards Ubiquitous Government |
| Session 2 Chair: Hans Werner Ksica, Austria |
National Strategies for Managing Identities |
| Session 3 Chair: Wu Choy Peng, Singapore |
Technology Vignettes |
| Session 4 Chair: Christianne Poirier, Canada |
Impact of Technology on the Business of Government |
| Affinity Groups Chair: Jacob Navot, Israel |
|
| Affinity Group 1: Chair: Edwin Bruce New Zealand |
Identity Management (beyond the session) |
| Affinity Group 2: Chair: Dave Molchony, USA |
Citizen's Needs of Tomorrow |
| Affinity Group 3: Chair: Tomas Orozco Mexico |
Efficiency and Effectiveness through Consolidation |
| Debate: Chair: Nachman Oron, Israel Action: Pro: Des Vincent, UK Con: Marty Wagner, USA |
Government Should always be at the Leading Edge of Emerging Technology ! |
One of the ICA objectives is to allow as many countries as possible to participate in presentations. So far we have 13 countries taking part. In the open slots we aim to allow more countries to contribute. If you have any suggestions or wish to nominate a speaker for any of the sessions, please advise Martha Dorris, the Chair of the Programme Committee as soon as possible at: martha.dorris@gsa.gov.
Agenda and an on-line Registration Form will be published before the end of June. Final cut-off date for registration - 11 August.
Accompanied Persons Programme
The Accompanied Persons Programme will include two half-day excursions with lunch, and entry to all official functions, including the Gala dinner.
The cost will be €180, which will be collected by the hotel on registration. There will be no part payment process.
There will be an optional special excursion, at cost, for all, on the day following the Conference.
ICA Future Conferences
2006: The 40th ICA Conference is now confirmed. It is to take place in Guadalajara, Mexico, 10-14 September, 2006.
2007: The 41st ICA Conference is to take place in Dublin, Ireland, 7-11 October, 2007.
2008: The 42nd ICA Conference: discussions are still to take place with Korea and Sweden and any new ICA members on the possibility of future conferences.
Study Group Activity
Enterprise Architecture: This Study led by Denmark held its initial meeting in the USA in November 2003. Further meetings took place during 2004; Stockholm in April, Copenhagen in June and Limassol in October.
The Study Group presented preliminary findings to the Cyprus Conference.
The Final report is to be submitted by September 2005 to the Salzburg Conference. For more details please contact John Gøtze at JGZ@itst.dk.
ICT Portfolio Management (ITPM): Study Group conducted by Singapore, which will deliver the final report to the Salzburg Conference. For clarification on the survey, you are most encouraged to contact Tay So Leng at her email: tay_so_leng@ida.gov.sg.
Video Conferencing Technology: Rick Schremp, USA is expected to start a study on the use of this facility in September. rick.schremp@ssa.gov.
Mobile Government: this study is now expected to be led by Olov Ostberg, Sweden. Olov.Ostberg@statskontoret.se.
Creativity Management: Mexico presented a short paper on this topic. Approval was given to Mexico to see how much interest there might be.
For more information on Study Groups , please contact the ICA Vice Chair - Choy Peng Wu. WU_Choy_Peng@IDA.gov.sg.
ICA Membership
China, Italy India, Latvia, Brazil, Chile and Greece were identified as potential targets for future membership. France and Slovakia were to be considered to be lapsed members. France, Greece, Italy, Belgium and Luxemburg will be invited to join our next Conference in Salzburg. A positive reply was already received from Belgium.
ICA Strategic Plan
The current ICA Strategic Plan was adopted by the Council in October 1999 and is now in need of revision and update.
Jacob Navot, Israel, and Christianne Poirier, Canada, have agreed to consider a revised plan for adoption at the 2005 Council Meeting.
A draft paper was presented to the Board before the Spring meeting.
Jacob Navot presented the ICA Strategy Plan. He stressed that at this stage it was an update of the plan adopted in 1999. The Meeting was asked if it wanted a redefinition of the previous plan or a more definitive strategy.
Christianne Poirier pointed out that the plan, as drafted, lacked any firm strategic objectives that could be measured. The meeting agreed that it was difficult to evaluate the cost of some benefits, such as the working links established between countries through ICA, but the plan was in need of some measurable objectives. Among future activities needing to be highlighted was the need to set up an ICA Administrative support unit, and a relationship programme for similar groups, e.g., GOL; CAIBI etc.
In summary it was agreed that the Conference would remain the major ICA activity. Results from the work done by John Riddle on "Membership Models" and National Representatives responses to this document will be incorporated in the revised Strategic Plan as well.
A revised document will be distributed to National Representatives before the next Council meeting in Salzburg, September 2005.
Preparation of the ICA NR's and Council Meetings
Learning from the experience of last year, and accepting comments and suggestions from delegates, the Board decided to introduce some improvements to the National Representatives Meeting by earlier preparations, dispatch of papers, including Agenda and a notice of issues to be discussed.
Paul Waller agreed to Chair the National Representatives Meeting and will be involved in preparations.
In order to reach this objective, we would like to ask you to start preparation of your Country Reports. In the reports would you please indicate the top three IT issues facing your Government in the next year.
Due to the early Conference dates, submission of the Country Reports will be due before end of July 2005.
Assignment of ICA Deputy NR's
Two years ago the ICA Board decided that in order to have a wider membership base, each Country was asked to assign a Deputy National Representative (DNR), who will join the Council meeting with no voting power.
At this time nine Countries have assigned DNR's. Their names and details are published on this web site. Other Countries are requested to send their nominations as soon as possible.
Revision of the ICA Web Site
Mexico presented their thoughts on updating the current website.
They proposed that the current site is too vertical in structure and that improvements could be made taking the target audience more fully into account. Proposals included introducing a new Information Infrastructure Model with improved links to access of information.
Mexico was asked to build a prototype of their proposed new system for consideration at the next meeting.
Administration and Logistics
In order to ensure proper backup to the ICA Archives, it was decided to apply a Virtual Office system. At this stage the Treasurer has given a full copy of all ICA Files, including financial files up to 30 April 2005, to the Chair.
These files will be updated at every Board Meeting
Next issue of the Communiqué From the Chair - November 2005