Area and Service Coordinator
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Hannes Werthner, Vienna University of Technology, AT

In addition to the services in the three areas STI International provides core services which ensure the success and sustainability of Semantic technology developments and support its members and projects. The following services are provided by STI International, and are free of charge for STI International members:

Cross-Projects and Members Working Groups

One if not the major service of STI International is to provide an institutionalized cooperation framework for projects and members participating in project clustering efforts. STI International will setup, run, and coordinate “Cross-Projects and Members Working Groups” (short: WG). Such a group works on a generic technological solution which then can be used, extended, and applied within the individual research projects. The aim is to strengthen the synergy and collaboration among several projects that work on similar technologies. Summarizing, the STI International Cross-Project Working Groups Service provides:

• Basis for cross-project collaboration and shared specifications which serve the basis for joint standardization efforts
• Definition of a process model for organizing and managing the working groups
• Definition of a legal framework for handling IPR and usage rights
• ICT infrastructure for this WGs (email lists, web sites, wikis, document sharing, chat, phone conferences)

Marketing and Coordination and Auxiliary Services

In order to ensure an exhaustive and professional presentation to the outer world, STI International will coordinate the dissemination of the research results and technology developments of members and associated research projects. The following services are provided by STI International, and are free of charge for STI International members:

• a modern ICT Infrastructure, including email facilities (server and email list management) , web site hosting, telephone and video conferencing, file sharing, wikis, semantic enabled ICT
• a website which includes all relevant and publicly available information on members, associated projects, cross-projects and members working groups, research roadmaps, standardization, the reference architecture, test beds and challenges, education programs and material, commercialization efforts, as well as related events
• organization of events (conferences, workshops, symposia) such as ASWC, ESTC, and ESWC, including: assistance for organization team, local preparation and on-site management, and proceedings management
• organization of STI International Off-sites for the purpose of community building (participation is free for STI International members)
• meeting facilities at the STI International headquarter in Vienna
• Electronic library of market reports, educational material, project descriptions, white papers, etc.
• Corporate design of STI International
• joint marketing activities and provision of respective PR material periodical newsletters

Service Team

• Michael Dichtl, STI International, AT
• Lejla Ibralic Halilovic, STI International, AT
• Dr. Michael Stollberg, STI Innsbruck, AT
• DI Alexander Wahler, STI International, AT
• Charlotte Finkbeiner, STI International, AT
• Melanie Friedl, STI International, AT

Benefits of Cross-Project and Members Working Groups