Sustainability aspects of ICT related programmes with R&D www.ihm.hu Sustainability aspects of ICT related programmes with R&D elements Mr. Sándor Ferge Ministry of Informatics and Communications Hungary

Introduction ICT related programs = Developing Information Society The goal is to achieve a sustainable system in societal and economic terms, is in harmony with the natural, man-made and cultural environment. The role of technology The role of science and research The role of cooperation The role of development and innovation

What is Information Society? Information society is a stage in the evolution of human society and economy in which information and communication technologies become crucially important. Immaterialisation New products New services Knowledge based economy Fundamental and radical change is happening in producing and consuming goods and services. New information, new skills and new knowledge acquire both by producers and consumers

Sustainability and economics models Immaterial goods and services are ‘non-depleting’ and “inexhaustible”, practically endlessly available. The principle of universal and free access is in contradictory to the market principle. Community models are becoming increasingly important

Information Society The market model is increasingly in conflict with nature and with human society. It is leading to an unsustainable situation. Information society may be the answer.

Hungarian programs of IT Strong Hungarian commitment to promote information society: NIS – 1995 ITB - 1996 Magyar Válasz – 1999 Tézisek – 2000 Charta - 2000 NITS - 2001 MITS - 2003 ITKTB - 2003 BUT NO BREAKTHROUGH

New emphasis on technological development. New objectives Currently: Updating the strategy, New emphasis on technological development. Review of Lisbon Strategy I2010 new goals More complex approach

Technological development is understood in a wide sense: The role of technology Technological development is understood in a wide sense: not narrowed down to the physical devices (hardware); equal focus is given to software tools

The role of technology Technological forecast Push Pull Digital delivery Cognitive systems Linguistic systems Ambient intelligence Augmented reality Services-based systems Network society eWork eLearning eGovernment eBusiness public services

The role of science and research Second topic: role of science and research, Basic, but usually reduced to research on information-related topics We propose research on both terms: information and society. The role of social science research should increase.

The role of cooperation Third topic: cooperation All-important but difficult because of opposed interests. Attempts are made, though. The overall strategy was created by integrating the specific information society strategies of various sectors. The development of information society is too complex to be considered a single program in the traditional sense. Cooperation

The role of cooperation New forms of cooperation had to be found to handle complexity and diversity Recently: serious efforts, large resources to promote regional and micro-regional cooperation. For instance: new development criterion of strategy: it should include vertical and horizontal cooperation between the various levels. Cooperation

The role of cooperation Cooperation described in terms of the Wilson diamond model: Four main actors : private sector, public sector, civil society, science. Collaboration occurs between each pair of these fields (all between three or all four of them) Cooperation

The role of cooperation Share of knowledge Community models are a priority in the upgraded version of MITS. Examples: extinction of intellectual patents (copyrights) and collectively produced knowledge repositories (…wikis) These are “spiritual public goods”. Important new public function: the provision of conditions required for such cooperation with civil society.

The role of development and innovation Fourth topic: Development and Innovation Innovation is one of the key issues of our days. A special kind of innovation, the ICT-based modernisation of business flows.

The role of development and innovation Research & Development – Innovation Business Process Reengineering Conventional working process Prevalence intellectual working processes Use of informatics in working processes Immaterialize working processes Electronic services Use of ICT technologies

The role of development and innovation The difference between information technology and information society should be made clear, and should be widely understood. The development of new, innovative business flows, enabled exclusively by the application of info-communication technology is essentially different from the application of computers in the currently established business flows. ICT-based modernisation may serve simultaneously economic competitiveness and strengthening the cohesion of society.

Thank you for your attention! www.ihm.hu Thank you for your attention! Budapest, 2006. March Mr. Sándor Ferge Ministry of Informatics and Communications sandor.ferge@ihm.gov.hu