Report from the "First CEENet Workshop on Network Policy" Site and sponsors Programme Accomodation and Workshop Facilities The Participants Results The Site and Sponsors The First CEENet Workshop on Network Policy was held from May 29 until May 31, 1997, in Tartu, Estonia . It was organized by the CEENet in cooperation with the Estonian Educational and Research Network (EENet) and the Computing Centre of the Tartu University (CCTU). It took place in the main building of the Tartu University (TU). A suitable computer infrastructure for the communication of the participants was organized at the CCTU. An Editorial Committee found excellent working conditions at the EENet headquarter. At the opening ceremony, short speeches were given by the Prorector of the TU prof. Toivo Maimets, the Head of the Department of Research and Universities from the Ministry of Education of Estonia Prof. Ain Heinaru, Professor Tomasz Hofmokl the Chairman of the CEENet, Dr. Jacek Gajewski in the name of the Organizing Committee and Professor Oliver B. Popov for the Programme Committee and the lecturers. The realization of the Workshop was sponsored by the NATO OSI (Soros Foundation) grants. Local arrangments were done perfectly by a Local Organizing Committee, a combined team of EENet and CCTU employees, efficiently coordinated by Ms Anne Mardimae. The Programme of the Workshop In the short history since its foundation, the Central and Eastern European Networking Association (CEENet) has become a fertile ground for promoting the technical and organization co-operation between national networks in the region, an agora for exchange of ideas and information pertinent to the activities of each member network and the long term planning of their future, and as a affirmative vehicle in representing the organization and its constituents on the international scene. The necessity to address and possibly resolve problems beyond the technology level (organization, administration, funding, co-operation), was the primary insipration of the CEENet members to organize the Policy Workshop. The draft of the programme was devised in early November of 1996. Initially, two types of sessions were planned plenary and parallel sessions. Due to the large interest and the number of presentations, all of the sessions were declared to be plenary. Some consultations on the content and t he format of the event were made with a number of networking experts (including members of ISOC, ITU, and UNESCO). The objectives ahad been to address topics, and it was done successfully, from the follwoing three areas. 1. Network organization and administration - infrastructure - administrative entities - fundamental activities and department - public relations - subject of and a tool for education - subject of and a tool for research 2. Financing and funding - funding models - major sources - supplementary resources - international membership fees - traffic: academic vs. commercial (pros and cons) - charging - non-profit Vs profit orientation 3. The Network in National and International Context - relations with other operators and providers - relations with PNO's and Telecoms - peering agreements - national co-operating institutions - international co-operations (bilateral and multilateral) - joint projects - network as a fiber for the growth of democracy - the role of the Network in building "Information Society" The papers and the lectures, provided a sound and a rich semantic basis for shaping up and producing the CEENet Tartu Declaration. Bellow is a list of the papers presented in Tartu: Tomasz Hofmokl "Truths and Half-truths in the Internet" Oliver B. Popov "National Networking Effort: Issues and Considerations" Wolfgang Kleinwächter "EU and CEEC Relationship in the area of Telematics" Howard Davies "International Networking for the Research and Education Community in the CEEC: Strategy and Funding" Hans-Peter Axmann "European Research Networking: Policies and Funding" Borys Czerniejewski "IT Infrastructure for Science: Organizational Framework and Financing" Maja Cetineo "How to Build an Information Network" Janet Perry "Developing Community Networks and Tools for Cooperation" Zoran Bekich "Organizing Information Services and User Support at the National Level" Anne Villems, Mihkel Kraav "Tiger Leap Project: Why" Jacek Gajewski "Internet for Schools Project" Peter Rastl "The Vienna Internet eXchange (VIX)" Guntis Barzdins "Emerging New Satellite Technologies for Cost-effective Internet Delivery" Jan Gruntorad "Ten-34 CZ Project" Oleg Smertin "Academic versus OSI-based public network operators - Lithuanian model of positive co-operation" Martin Bankov "The Role of Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in the Development of the National Academic Network: Perspectives and Problems" Peter Druga "Telecommunications Policies in Building Information Society in Slovakia" Oleg Siountiourenko "Current Status and Future Development of Information Resources in RFBR: Policy and Experience" Oleksander Tokar "State Support of the Development of Research Network in Ukraina" Jaan Penjam "Internet in Estonia - First Experiences and Perspectives" Sergey Kritsky, Nikolay Listopad, Igor Tavgen "Internet for Education and Research for Belarus" Andrey Mendkovich "Current tendencies in Russian academic and research network development on regional, national, and international level" Alexander Saban "UARNet Project: 3 years of experience"" Marko Bonac ARNES - The Organization, the Structure and Plans for the Future Vadim Navotny "A Condition of the Scientific Computer Network in Uzbekistan" Radmila Kiprijanova "The Academic Information Infrastructure in Macedonia" Eugenie Staicut "R & D Networking in Romania - relations to Romtelcom and other ISP's" Kiril Boyanov "Bulgarian Academic Network - development and trends" Alexandre Rusakov "Russian Regional Networks: Integration vs. Monopolism" Jan Gruntorad "Funding Strategies of Academic Networks: CESNET Experience" Wojtek Bogusz "Batory Foundation "Internet Program"" Predrag Pale "The Future of Croatian National Network" Rastislav Kardalev "Government Information Infrastructure in Macedonia" Heinar Tammet "Telecommunication Networks in Estonia" Pavol Horvath "The Internet Market in Slovak Republic and the Role of the R&D Network" Evaldas Zidonis "Network Development Policy in Building Lithuanian State Information Infrastructure" Oliver B. Popov "MARNet - Arrogance, Ignorance, Accomplishment and Hope" Volodymyr Kovtunec "Legislative Support of Network and the Role of the State in Network Development" Laimutis Telksnys "Lithuanian Academic and Research Computer Network-LITNET for New Applications" Bucur B. Ionescu "Romanian Higher Education Network - RoEduNet - Present Situation and Next Steps" There were 2 1/2 working days in total. Most of the presentations were done during first 1 1/2 days. During the afternoon and until the late night hours of the second day an Editorial Committee have drafted several versions of the "CEENet Tartu Declaration". On the third day, this draft have been discussed and modified by the all participants. The final text have then later been translated to many languages of the CEENet countries, [see appended text of the declaration]. Two excursions have been organized: a sight seeing and the visit to the nature park in Taevasko and the skansen at Karilatsi. The workshop ended with a Gala dinner. Accomodation and Workshop Facilities The accomodation was organized by the Local Organizing Commitee in two hotels and one pension, all in walking distance from the conference site. Meals were served in the nearby restaurant. Travel arrangments were done in the cooperation with the efficient, e-mail communicable, Hermann Travel Agency Travel costs reimbursement was organised by Ms Riina Reinumagi from CCTU. All lectures have been held in the Main Meeting Hall of the TU, which was equipped with a PC, a projector and the microphone system operated by Mr Heno Ivanov. Participants could use a computer class at CCTU with Internet connected 16 PC's, set up by the team of Dr Anne Villems. An Editorial Committee, during its long night work, had several PC's, a printer and the copying machine (as well as the invaluable professional help from Ms Mardimae) at their disposal. The Participants There were 56 attendees at the Workshop from 19 countries. Typically from each of the country there were 3 participants: a director of the national academic network, a governmental official (usually state secretary or vice- minister) and a networking expert [either from OSI or from PNO]. Additionally there were several representatives of international organisations and funding bodies. The Results The Programme and the Organizing Committee were overwhelmed with the interest aroused both by the event itself and its major result the CEENet Tartu Declaration. While the influx of papers, as expected, in the very beginning was rather slow, during the actual Workshop the Programme Committee had to limit each presentation to a 15 minute slot, in order to accommodate the desires of the participants to convey their ideas and concepts to the auditorium. The papers and the Declaration will be published in a book, as a part of the NATO Advanced Networking series of publications and it is expected to be out the press in the late February of 1998. The response of the CEENet member countries, the international organizations and the results accomplished clearly posited the idea that a Policy Workshop/Symposium is a much need forum for the exchange of the ideas and possible solutions to the similar problems in the countries in planning and implementing networking endeavors on a national basis. One of the recommendations accepted unanimously by the participants was that the Policy Workshop become a biannual event, as well as to broaden the pool of participants by inviting representatives of PNOs and Telecoms.