13^th International ITA Workshop

The International Telework Academy Board includes:

• Dr. Wendy Spinks (Tokyo University of Science, Japan), Chair
• Ms. Lefkada Papacharalambous (TEI of Halkida, Greece), Vice-Chair
• Dr. Reima Suomi (Turku School of Economics, Finland), Vice-Chair
• Dr. Andrew Gaudes (University of New Brunswick, Canada)
• Ms. Beverley Leeds (University of Central Lancashire, UK)
• Dr. Diana Limburg (Brooks University, UK)
• Mr. Alvaro Mello (SOBRATT Brazilian Society of Telework and Teleactivities, Brazil)
• Dr. Geoffrey Dick (University of New South Wales, Australia)
• Dr. Pascale Peters (Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherland)
• Mr. Svein Bergum (Eastern Norway Research Institute, Norway).

A key ITA's activity is its annual international conference. Previous conferences have assembled participants from around the world and across a range of disciplines and have taken place in:

• Lillehammer, Norway, 2007:  "Innovations and e-collaboration in distributed organizations"
• Fredericton, Canada, 2006: “E-Networks in an Increasingly Volatile World”
• Preston, UK 2005: "Living, Learning and Working in Virtual Environments"
• Crete, Greece, 2004: "Telework and Future Forms of Organizing"
• Sao Paulo, Brazil 2003: "E-Work and Socio-Economic Development"
• Badajoz, Spain 2002: “Designing a New Work Space: Sustainability and Ethical Dimensions"
• Amsterdam, Netherlands 2001: "Working in the New Economy"
• Stockholm, Sweden 2000: "2000 and Beyond: Telework and the Future of Work"
• Tokyo, Japan 1999: “Telework Strategies for the New Workforce"
• Turku, Finland 1998: “Telework Environments"
• Amsterdam, Netherlands 1997: "Building Actions on Ideas"
• London, UK 1996: "New International Perspectives on Telework: From Telecommuting to the Virtual Organization"

Association for Regional Development and Entrepreneurship (Polish: Stowarzyszenie Rozwoju Regionalnego i Przedsiębiorczości, SRRP) is a non-profit organisation that aims at supporting the competitiveness of the Polish regions through stimulating entrepreneurship and collaboration between public administration, business, research and citizens. Its objectives encompass also creation of an inclusive Information Society, increasing the role of local communities, and making the employment market and economy more flexible. Association’s activities in these fields include among others: dissemination of relevant knowledge and good practices, awareness raising, competence building, and demonstration of possibilities that wide application of information and communications technologies in all areas of life, education, business and governance may bring to regions. These actions are being undertaken on all levels: local, regional, national and international.

SRRP is also a social partner of a number of on-going EQUAL projects including: EfEZ.eu, adaptus.pl, ElaStan and ENTER, and a founding member of the European Federation of Flexible Employment.  

Adam Mickiewicz University (UAM or Poznań University), established in 1919, is one of the largest institutions of higher education in Poland. It currently employs over 4,500 employees, including more than 360 full professors.

The Department of Applied Informatics (DAI), responsible for UAM’s involvement in organisation of ITW’08, focuses on research and teaching in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) – with a special focus on their practical applicability. Owing to co-operation with Poznań Science and Technology Park it promotes also the knowledge on modern IT and telecommunications solutions and research among the public administration and industry (including small and medium enterprises). DAI operates on a principle of applying informatics to various practical implementations.

The researchers of DAI have taken part in numerous research projects (incl. IST 5PR, IST 6PR, Leonardo da Vinci), as well as advisory and development undertakings in the area of IT and telecommunications, flexible employment market, e-learning and e-business. These projects focused not only on the development of new technical solutions, but also on the dissemination of the acquired knowledge and experience among the industrial partners, governmental institutions, as well as small and medium enterprises in Poland and other CEE countries.

The Department of Applied Informatics is headed by prof. Witold Holubowicz, who since 1996 has merged his academic activities with commercial work, and is also one the co-founding members of the Polish chapter of the Computer Measurements Group, non-profit worldwide organisation promoting the exchange of technical information among IT professionals through regional networking, technical publications, and an annual conference.