OPSI: A hot topic!
On Tuesday the 20th October 2009 the UK Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) together with Civil Service World will be hosting the PSI in Action – Transforming the Information Landscape conference. There are good reasons why all those with an interest in the re-use of public sector information should attend as the event could well mark the end of a phase of implementing PSI policy within the UK that has been recognised up until the current time as a leading example within Europe with respect to implementing the framework as set down in law by Directive 2003/98/EC.
The conference will also provide an opportunity to hear at firsthand how things are going down PSI wise in Australia. The Australian Federal Government and a number of the State Governments have stepped on the PSI policy accelerator and as a result have enthused many PSI stakeholders across Australia. Considering that the population of Australia is about the fifth that of the UK it is interesting to observe that the events and online forums in Australia are attracting for more interest than in the UK – it begs the question what is up with the UK and can the UK learn a trick or two from those distant relatives on the other-side of the world!
The conference announcement states:
The focus of this year’s event will be how the PSI agenda is delivering benefits on three important fronts:
- Economic activity and the benefits to the information industry;
- Social benefits that flow from removing obstacles to re-use; and
- How re-use can transform public service delivery.
The stated focus raises a number of questions as to:
- Whether the PSI agenda really is delivering benefits on these fronts?
- Whether the obstacles to re-use in the UK have really been removed?
With respect to the first question the keynote speech to be given by Michael Wills MP, Minister for Information, at the Ministry of Justice might provide an answer.
With respect to the second question the four panellists from the UK and Australia, and the two lightening talks might provide an answer. But will they? Well one way to find out is to attend the event to check it out!
The Conference will break out into four groups in the second half of the day. The subject under consideration by the four breakout groups include:
- The Price of Information – How do we put a value on it?
- The Search for Information – What are the best enabling mechanisms for finding information & making it available?
- Opening up access to information – free up or lose control?
- Competition and Discrimination – Hindrance or help?
Like the panel session the breakout groups provide you with an opportunity to explore whether real benefits have been delivered through participation and taking part in the debate.
The Conference this year could be well worth attending as the conference could be the last that the OPSI will host, however to find out why that might be you will need to attend the event!
For those that feel disenfranchised due to the price tag on the event – then watch this space as the European Public Sector Information Platform will be reporting during the run up to the event, on the event and post event.
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