Knowledge and Technology for a Free Knowledge Society

The Free Knowledge Institute (FKI) is a non-profit organisation that fosters equal access to tools for production and exchange of knowledge in all areas of society. Inspired by the Free Software movement, the FKI promotes freedom of use, modification, copying and distribution of knowledge in several different but closely related fields. Accordingly, it promotes the commons economy.

Top-level goal

The FKI aims to create a hub connecting networks and communities, facilitating and enabling study, sharing and collaborative development of a fair and sustainable society based on free knowledge.

Since its creation in 2007 the FKI has coordinated several international projects in the areas of Free Software, Open Standards, Open Educational Resources and Access to Knowledge. Through these activities the FKI core team has gained experience, acquired specialised skills and has built a considerable international network of partners and peers from research and educational institutions, industry and third sector organisations. These assets allow us to assist organisations which want to explore alternative business models or tackle specific issues in the multiple fields where knowledge plays an important part.

FKI participates in and contributes to the collective construction of many initiatives. We are working on a wide range of projects, big and small, globally and locally and we give talks and courses promoting change in FKI domains.

The FKI domains originally consisted of free software, free/open standards, free/open education, free technology and free culture. In the last few years the FKI work has expanded to other areas, such as science, free/open hardware design, renewable energy and other economies. (see FKI Strategy).

Values

The Free Knowledge Institute values freedom and sustainability through collaboration and empowerment.

A set of founding principles reflects FKI’s thoughts and ideas as a basis for the free knowledge society. This helps to guide and articulate the institute’s priorities and work.

The current Free Knowledge Institute Board consists of: Wouter Tebbens (president), Hinde ten Berge (treasurer), David Jacovkis (secretary) and Marco Fioretti.

Please contribute to the FKI! Here are a few ways to do it. They are just suggestions. And do please give us your ideas about specific contributions and activities. The general FKI discussion list or the wiki might be good spaces for your proposals, but you can also reach us on Twitter. Read our Strategy and use the Induction Manual.

You can also contribute with analysis, case studies, news items, project proposals or specific actions in the FKI domains as described above.

If you want to give financial support, donations are always welcome!

More information at FKI Strategy (wiki)