IT-Blekinge – Development PROJECT TOTAL EU POPULATION REGION COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY ACRONYM BUDGET FUNDING (%) COVERED

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IT-BLEKIT-Blekinge – Development PROJECT TOTAL EU POPULATION REGION COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY ACRONYM BUDGET FUNDING (%) COVERED

IT-Blekinge Blekinge Sweden ECU 500,000 50 Objective 2 160,000

PROJECT OVERVIEW & KEY OBJECTIVES Steering Committee

The projects’ main objective is to produce an Infor- • Association of IT-Blekinge; mation Society strategy with an overall action plan • University of Karlskrona/Ronneby; which is supported by society as a whole and to create the necessary conditions for carrying out full- • University of Luleå; scale demonstrations. The strategy is based on six • Blekinge County Council; subprograms which will shape various aspects of Information Technology (IT) use within the region. • Municipal Authority of Olofström; The results of these subprograms will be co-ordi- • Municipal Authority of Lyckeby; nated as part of the framework of the overall strategy for Objective 2 activities. • Sydsvenska Handelskammaren.

Establishing full-scale demonstration projects will The “full-scale ICT laboratory” approach has pro- make it possible to study IT issues on a large scale duced new partnerships with commercial interests. and to find ways of raising the skill level of enter- This distinctive image offers significant potential for The aim isprises, that organisations andthe citizens. The aim is that further partnerships with national and international the concept ‘full-scale laboratory’ will be realised in participants. During the project the following part- concept ‘full-scaleway that is an example to other European regions. nerships were formed with commercial interests: the project BIT-Houses (SUN Microsystems,Telia); the The measures used to achieve the objectives con- project Electronic commerce for SME (Postnet); the laboratorsisty’ of the will development andbe application of IT in a project ISES (Sydkraft); the project Technical Net- wide range of activities, represented by the follow- work (Telecom Finland) realiseding subpr ogramesin : way The regional IT fair/exhibition BIT96 has been an 1. IT, Research Development and Technology and important point in partnership building. BIT96 was that is an Regionalexample Development; a success with 7% of inhabitants participating. Last to other 2.EurIT and Infrastropeanucture; year’s fair/exhibition BIT97 enjoyed the same good result. These two events have been the most impor- 3. IT and Rural Development; tant initiative in showing the general public the 4. IT andr SMEsegions; region’s ICT developments and for developing co- operative activities among the key actors as well as 5. IT and Public Health other organisations and individuals. 6. IT and Society (including the supplementary pro- grammes: School education, Libraries, Culture, PILOT PROJECTS The Small Town of the Future – Sölvesborg 600, A large number of projects, ranging from feasibility Democracy and Social Services). studies to implementation projects, have been REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP launched/completed in the framework of RISI project. Feasibility studies: A mapping of the region’s ICT- A partnership of the region’s main parties was infrastructure and a specification of requirements; formed in 1996 to work on regional ICT issues as Sölvesborg – small town of the future; BIT-Houses part of formulation of the Objective 2 Single Pro- – a new platform for accessibility; IT-education for gramming Document. This partnership established everybody; Distance education; Social distance the work programme for IT-Blekinge and the non- learning; Educational model for the work related profit Association of IT-Blekinge was then founded handicapped; IT and disability; IT for the active by the key actors in the region as a common plat- retired in SPF; IT from a gender perspective; form for stimulating regional Information and Com- Telemedicine; IT and culture; The virtual Blekinge munication Technology (ICT) development in accor- museum; Rural development – 14 analyses; Univer- dance with the work programme. sity Research results on the net.

52 programme for Information INGETechnology in Blekinge

Implementation projects: BIT-Net-data- and tele- Other projects considered as best practice during com infrastructure; ISES – 9 subprojects on data the RISI period are: (i) BRUK – the library ICT access communication using the main power net; public platform full scale project; (ii) electronic commerce service via IT-Sölvesborg; the Blekinge-PC; BIT- for SMEs pilot project; (iii) unbroken health care Houses – 10 new rural establishments; education for chain project; (iv) BIT96 and BIT97 fair/exhibition; SMEs; networks for entrepreneurs in SMEs; elec- (v) ISES (data communication on the low voltage tronic commerce for SME´s; IT training for librarians; network) pilot project; (vi) BIT-net (backbone net- A joint library computer network; BRUK – the work) full-scale project. The best practice projects libraries role in the education and knowledge based are available on a 6 minutes long VHS or QuickTime society; unbroken Health Care Chain. video from March 98.

Information project/activities: BIT96, BIT97 – Fair/ INSTITUTIONAL IMPACT exhibition for the general public; People’s IT-day; WWW-presentation; 3 Newsletters – RISI and BIT- The RISI project umbrella and the resulting projects House; national seminar for “telebild” users; IT in the has certainly meant a great deal for ICT develop- service of culture; Stockholm IT-Week – International ment in the region, specifically to the general pub- fair/exhibition; exchange visit with 5 RISI regions; lic due to the BIT fair/exhibitions, the BIT-Houses local fair/exhibition in Svängsta; visit from the and the BRUK projects. The IT-Blekinge project has Swedish Ministry for Transport and Communication received a substantial amount of structural fund and the Swedish IT Commission; regional networks moneyThe for ICT development RISI during thepr period.oject – TOP MANAGER’S FORUM; the labour market of the future – County Labour Board; visit from Euro- umbrella and the pean Commission and RISI peer review partners

Analysis: A study of the public’s IT usage and atti- resulting projects tudes; SWOT-analysis of 6 subprograms. has certainly meant RESULTS AND EXAMPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE a great deal The BIT-Houses project is the most successful of the projects started during the RISI project period. The aim for ICT development of the BIT-Houses is to improve access to information services for the general public and small business in the region in towns and villages outside the main population centres of the region. The 10 BIT-Houses offer free access to INTERNET based information and services and are accessible to all citizens. These community access centres also provide thematic awareness raising activities and give coaching/training to users.

The BIT-Houses are a continuous test platform for ¨ CONTACT the development of new IT based services for indi- Roland Karlsson, viduals, public services and business. They also Project manager promote many different home-based and/or neigh- IT-Blekinge bourhood employment opportunities and education Box 535 possibilities. Special consideration is given to the S-37123 KARLSKRONA involvement in and an understanding of technical Tel: +46 (0)45587160 progress from a ‘bottom-up’ perspective. Work is GSM: +46 (0)708871603 also being carried out on the increased opportuni- Fax: +46 (0)45587548 ties for the disabled and other less advantaged E-mail: [email protected] groups in society to use these facilities. WWW: http://www.itblekinge.se/