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RSS SubscribeMonday 27th April 2009
Mission Accomplished
by COST
December 2008 saw the successful outcome of 6 shortterm scientific missions involving participants in COST Action 298 Participation in the Broadband Society. By bringing together European and Australian researchers working in the same field, COST helped to exploit research in new media and cultural studies.
Broadband technology is increasingly part of our lives, we use it to work, socialise, pay bills and book our holidays. To understand how we can use it to its full potential, participants in this COST Action sought inspiration from researchers in Australia.
Taking Example from Down Under
For the European Research Area (ERA), Australia represents a country that has always seen strong development in ICT technologies. The cultural diversity of its population and the mixture of rural and urban landscapes also present a unique model when analysing the role of technology. And, specifically, what it means to participate in a broadband society.
“In the future of broadband societies, Australia demonstrates a unique mixture for e-actors. Both continents can learn from each other’s divergent and yet parallel models of what it means to participate in a broadband society,” explains Dr Bartolomeo Sapio, Chair of COST Action 298.
“We must investigate different forms of e-actors and the role of location in filtering broadband society experiences. By collating these experiences, we can chart the future of what participation in a broadband society means.” Dr Sapio believes that more than 50 Australian researchers from a dozen Australian universities were contacted through this Action. It organised two workshops in Sydney and Melbourne and disseminated information about COST.
The first concrete result of this work will be a booklet containing key results of the workshops and full profiles of all participants. Copies will be distributed to participants attending the final conference taking place in Copenhagen in May 2009. Meanwhile, participants will continue to boost Australian researchers‘ participation in future COST Actions.
Opening Doors
For Australia, collaboration with international scholars is vital given the geographical distance from European hubs. While research ties with the United Kingdom have always been strong because of a common language and history, connections with Europe have not always been well developed.
This experience is yet another example of the efficiency of COST’s Reciprocal Agreement with Australia. This scheme, launched on 1 July 2007, will run for an initial twoyear pilot period and is likely to be extended. It provides travel grants to facilitate scientific exchange.
To date, most research in Australia has been national and involvement in COST provides a framework to broaden the agenda and reflect the global perspective of corporation in the science and technology sectors. This is critical for Australia as the companies that provide mobile phone hardware and services are mainly European-owned and its research and development centres are also based in Europe.
Further information
www.cost.esf.org/domains_actions/ict/Actions/Broadband_Society
