1. Our lustrum: adopting the strategy
Exactly five years ago, on 12 December 2007, the Free Knowledge Institute was officially founded. It has been a joyous and fruitful journey and after the first 5 years of the FKI the time came to open up as an organisation. Therefore, this summer we have introduced several opportunities in the areas of learning, activism, and economic sustainability. We have redesigned our strategy and sought discussions with and inputs from the community. The result (ever under construction and discussion) can be found here. Now is the time to put it into practise!
2. Please help keep our servers running!
While we have a nice deal with our service provider and maintenance work is done voluntarily by our sweet core people, the servers for the Free Technology Academy do cost some real money. Please help us keeping them running and donate to the FKI with reference ‘server’.
PayPal: paypal@freeknowledge.eu
Wire Transfer:
- Bank: ING Bank
- BIC Code: INGBNL2A
- Account number: 3848762
- IBAN Code: NL66 INGB 0003 8487 62
- Name: Free Knowledge Institute
3. Enhanced Peer Learning model – update
This summer, we created a survey on the Enhanced Peer Learning (EPL) model, a model for peer learning with learning assistance, to offer courses that are more accessible and at much lower costs. We have received over 60 responses. The general tendency is that learners are indeed interested in the EPL model, although some participants find the model a bit too vague and others need official accreditation or are looking for a full (and accredited) master programme. A full report on the results is being worked on and can be requested, once finished, by sending an email.
We are developing the idea further and hope to be able to release a first EPL-course soon.
4. Vacancy: a volunteer dynamising and attracting course participants
The Free Technology Academy organises its courses on demand and in the new model, most work is done voluntarily, in the so-called Enhanced Peer Learning (EPL) model. The work comprises to keep lists of interest, what courses people would like to take and coordinate between the interested participants and when would be the best possible time to start any one course. If you’re interested in this role, please let us know about yourself, your motivation and how much time you think you can dedicate.
5. New Year’s event
Meanwhile it is an established tradition: nearly twenty Dutch and international internet organisations invite you to a joint Internet New Year’s event which will be held on Thursday, 10 January 2013 at Het Sieraad in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. As in previous years, there will be a buffet dinner, a range of “lightning talks” and the traditional Chairman’s debate. For those that care more about catching up with old friends and acquaintances, as well as meeting new people working in various areas of the internet, we have a separate room reserved for drinks, food and conversation only. The Internet New Year’s event is the perfect way to kick off a great 2013!
You can register, find programme details and the latest updates here. Registration will close when maximum capacity is reached. Registration is free of charge.
Participating organisations are:
- Accessibility.nl – accessibility of ICT for people with disabilities
- AMS-ix – the biggest internet exchange on the planet
- Bits of Freedom – foundation that stands for digital civil rights
- DEN – Netherlands Knowledge center for Digital Heritage
- Drempelvrij – hands out accessibility certification Waarmerk Drempelvrij
- EGI – the European Grid Initiative
- eth0 – organises events for computer geeks and hackers
- European Grid Initiative – coordinates European grid infrastructure
- Free Knowledge Institute – fosters the free exchange of knowledge
- Fronteers – association of front end developers
- Gridforum.nl – association for grid and cloud professionals
- IFCAT – organises hacker events
- ISPconnect – association of Internet Service Providers
- Internet Society Nederland – the internet is for everyone
- NLnet – charity fund for improvements to the internet
- NLnet Labs – R&D in the area of internet technology
- Open Domein – public space on the internet
- OpenDoc Society – knowledge platform around office best practices
- Open State Foundation – makes democracy and politics more transparent
- OWASP Nederland – NL chapter of Open Web Application Security Project
- RIPE NCC – Regional Internet Registry (RIR)
- SIDN – the organisation behind .nl and ENUM in the Nederlands
- SURFnet – national research network for higher education and research
- Terena – Trans-European Research and Education Networking Association
- Vereniging Open Domein – the public domain on the internet
- Vereniging van Registrars – association of registrars
- Vrijschrift – information freedom and protection of privacy
- W3C Benelux – the Benelux office of the web standards organisation