In this issue

We announce CEPIS’ commitment in support of Nellie Kroes’ recent action call for a Grand Coalition to boost the supply of ICT practitioners in Europe. We bring you news of a new project in which CEPIS will study the international dimension of ICT professionalism. We also invite you to join the CEPIS Computing in School Special Interest Network. If you have any feedback or you would like to send contributions from your society for the next update to be published in March 2012, please email Michel Krmek.

CEPIS Supports EC Pledge for Digital Jobs Creation

CEPIS supports the pledge for action to bridge the digital skills gap made by Nellie Kroes, Commissioner for the Digital Agenda, at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The European Commission invites all stakeholders to join their efforts in order to increase the number of ICT practitioners in Europe by 2015. CEPIS is among the first actors committed to act in support of the Grand Coalition for Digital Skills and ensure that young Europeans are equipped with the right skills to enter digital careers. The Grand Coalition is a multi-stakeholder partnership to address the skills shortages, mismatches and vacancies of ICT practitioners in Europe today. More on the Grand Coalition for Digital Skills and Jobs

The International Dimension of e-Skills and the Impact of Globalisation

Following the success of our work on e-Skills and ICT Professionalism to create a vision for a European Framework for ICT Professionalism, CEPIS is taking part in a new project to study the international dimension of ICT professionalism and to assess the impact of globalisation on high-level e-skills requirements. Policy initiatives relating to ICT professionalism and best practices across the world will also be analysed. CEPIS will collaborate on this project with empirica, the Innovation Value Institute (IVI) and the International Data Corporation (IDC). More information will be forthcoming and every member will have the opportunity to participate in this project.

CEPIS at European Conference on Quality Labels for ICT Industry Certifications

CEPIS Secretary General, Fiona Fanning, was recently invited to participate in a panel discussion at the conference ‘Towards a European Quality label for ICT industry training and certifications’ in Brussels. The discussion focussed on how industry-based training and certification (IBCT) can reduce ICT skills shortages and mismatches in Europe. A European e-skills quality label together with its criteria, processes and structures for IBCT was presented at the conference, as well as the latest evidence on e-skills demand and supply developments and forecasts. More information on the project’s final results will be shared once published.

Join the CEPIS Computing in Schools SIN Meeting

Following the 49th Council decision to create a new Special Interest Network (SIN), the CEPIS Computing in Schools SIN, would like to convene its first meeting in Brussels. This new SIN will work on creating advocacy materials for members of the group with a view to influencing curricula and teachers at the national level. The SIN will also analyse current initiatives in place in Europe to take examples of good practice so as to influence governments. If you wish to join this new SIN, please contact Michel Krmek.

Share Your Society’s 2013 Priorities

As agreed at the 48^th Council meetings Members are invited to provide a short summary of priorities and actions for 2013. This will enable Members to understand the main priorities, projects and planning activities of other Members and provide a means to identify interests and synergies of Member Societies. Please send your contribution for 2013 by 28 February to Michel Krmek. .

Give Your Feedback on the European e-Competence Framework

Provide your feedback and suggestions for further improvement of the European e-Competence Framework (e-CF) through this new online survey. Version 3.0 of the e-CF is planned to be published by the end of 2013. The e-CF is a reference framework of 36 ICT competences that can be used and understood by ICT user and supply companies, the public sector, educational and social partners across Europe. The survey will be open until 24 February 2013. Your knowledge and experience will help enhance the latest version of the e-CF. Access the e-CF Online Survey

Digital Agenda for Europe Priorities for 2013-14

The European Commission (EC) recently revealed its priorities for the delivery of the Digital Agenda for Europe (DAE) over the next two years. Creating a stable regulatory environment for broadband is top priority. A Grand Coalition on Digital Skills and Jobs will be launched to better coordinate public and private sectors actions to avoid 700,000 ICT jobs going unfilled by 2015 because of lack of skilled personnel. The EC will also work on the development of digital public service infrastructures such as eIDs and e-procurement will be encouraged. The EC estimates that the full implementation of this updated Digital Agenda could increase European GDP by 5% by 2020. More on all DAE priorities

EU Skills Panorama to Prevent Skills Mismatches

The EU Skills Panorama is a new initiative launched by the European Commission to better address the needs of the job market. The EU Skills Panorama website will act as a central access point to provide information on skills trends in occupations and sectors at the national and EU level. A report on the ICT sector is already available on the website highlighting the growing demand for specialist and soft skills in the sector. With a forecasted employment growth of 7.6%, the ICT sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in Europe. More on the EU Skills Panorama

German Informatics Fostering Dialogue between Internet and Society

CEPIS Member German Informatics (GI) recently launched a new expert group on Internet and Society in order to better understand the social, political and cultural impacts of the Internet on society. Over the past decades the Internet evolved from being a closed network with a military background to becoming an essential part of the economy and of our daily life. The expert group will focus on analyzing the interaction between the users and Internet at different levels including the workplace and justice. More on GI’s Internet and Society Working Group

ICS Launches 2013 Scratch Competition

The Irish Computer Society (ICS) recently launched the 2013 Scratch Competition with the support of the Irish Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn. Scratch is a programming language that makes it easy for students to develop small pieces of software such as games or animations. The Scratch competition aims to raise students’ interest in software development, and related career opportunities, by providing a better understanding of how software is built and works. Scratch is currently taught in over 700 classrooms across Ireland at primary and secondary level. More on ICS Scratch 2013

HEPIS Empowering Youth with GetBusy

CEPIS Greek Member, the Hellenic Professionals Informatics Society (HePIS), launched a new online platform, in partnership with PEOPLECERT and Microsoft, with a view to highlight the career opportunities offered by ICT and to provide youth with the skills they need to find a job. The GetBusy website provides free educational materials as well as information related to entrepreneurship, the development of new digital skills, and green entrepreneurship. Find out More on GetBusy

Privacy Principles for Social Networks

German Informatics (GI) working group on Privacy and IT Security is warning about the risks associated with the use of social media on private data protection. Indeed many social networks aim to collect the most comprehensive set of personal data for commercial purposes. GI’s working group calls on for the adoption of key principles by social media platforms to improve protection of personal data. These principles include the right to portability, i.e. the ability to move data to another social media platform, and the right to be forgotten, i.e. the ability to delete personal data permanently. More on Social Media Privacy Concerns

GI: Teaching the Societal Effects of Computer Science

German Informatics (GI) recently called on for the inclusion of a course on the societal impacts of computer science in the university curriculum. This course would enable future computer scientists to grasp the ethical, social, legal and political consequences of their actions, hence encouraging them to act responsibly. Computer science is no longer a purely technical and mathematically oriented science, instead it is an interdisciplinary field that impacts on many aspects of everyday life. Consequently computer scientists should have an encompassing vision of their discipline instead of only focusing on its technical dimension. More on the Societal Effects of Computer Science

What is ’Best Practice’?

Declan Brady, CEPIS Honorary Secretary and Chair of the Professionalism Task Force, would like to gauge Members understanding of the concept of best practice. The concept is almost fundamental to many aspects of professionnalisation; Bodies of Knowledge (BOKs), which are one of the four building blocks of any profession, contain both academic elements and industry best practice. Professionals are expected, to be using - and contributing to the development of best practice. However, the question of what is a best practice, or how a practice becomes or ceases to be a best practice, does not appear to be understood. Similarly, the best ways to implement a best practice is very subjective. And, of course, what level of capability should professionals have in order to get the best out of a best practice? This has direct relevance to the work that we are doing in the Professionalism Task Force. Can you help me to start to find answers to this question? Are you familiar with studies that have been done in this area? Do you know of evaluation methods? Please contribute, by contacting me at declan.brady@cepis.org.

1 Out of 4 Europeans Never Uses the Internet

Almost one quarter of individuals aged 16-74 in the EU had never uses the Internet, according to a recently published Eurostat report. However the percentage of European households with access to the Internet is progressing steadily, jumping from 60% in 2008 to 76% in 2012. What’s more, mobile Internet is used by about one third of Europeans, and it is particularly popular among young Europeans (aged 16-24 years) with 58% of them using it regularly. Disparities between European countries still persist, in particular Southern and Eastern countries have a smaller rate of Internet access per household. More on Internet Access and Use in 2012

Diskobolos Awards 2012

The Diskobolos Awards was held on 20 December in Belgrade, Serbia. This annual awards ceremony, organised by the Serbian Information Technology Association (JISA), brought together many national and regional representatives who have applied high-quality ICT solutions within their organisations. The jury was comprised of CEPIS President, Nello Scarabottolo, as well as other CEPIS Member Society representatives. Over 120 entries were registered for this 18th edition of the competition and the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs achieved the best results by winning two awards. More on the Diskobolos Awards

Discover the Code of EU Online Rights

The Code of EU online rights compiles the rights and principles existing in EU legislation that are related to the digital environment. This initiative aims to raise awareness and understanding of European citizens about important digital rights. Citizens are indeed not always fully aware of their existing rights in the digital environment, such as the protection of personal data privacy or requirements for functional Internet services, because they are scattered across various EU legal instruments. The Code of EU Online Rights is one action of the Digital Agenda for Europe (DAE) to help sustain Europe’s growth and competitiveness. More on Your Online Rights

European Cybercrime Centre Opens

The European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) opened its doors on 11 January 2013 in The Hague, Netherlands. Established at the European Police Office (Europol), the EC3 will help protect European citizens and businesses from cybercrime by adopting a more forward-thinking and inclusive approach. The Centre aims to provide support to national cybercrime units given that cybercrime often involves victims and suspects from different countries. The EC3 will focus on illegal online activities carried out by organised crime groups, online child sexual exploitation, and crimes affecting the critical infrastructure and information systems in the EU. More about the European Cybersecurity Centre

Important Upcoming Events

9 - 10 April 2013 European Data Forum 2013 Dublin, Ireland. Organised by: European Commission

20 April 2013 50(13) CEPIS Council Meeting Dubrovnik, Croatia. Organised by: CEPIS. There will be an evening reception on Friday, 19 April, the evening prior to Council.