eRegions Conference  Overview

Danube eRegion Conference – DeRC: Cross-border eSolutions & eServices Prototypes Development.

The conference aims at creating synergies and fostering collaboration in the countries of a cross-border region.

The first three meetings of the initiative in Slovenia in 2011 proved that the complexity of the problems in the cross-border collaboration, and great opportunities for extensive eTechnologies usage require an international meeting. The international meeting was organized in Ljubljana in September 2011  and declared as the first Danube eRegion Conference – DeRC 2011 a year after. The annual conferences focusing at cross-border eCollaboration issues have followed in September of 2012 – 2016.

The conference’s name has evolved. With the creation of the Alpine-Ionian EU macro region and followed by the Alpine EU macro region it became obvious that it is about the regions of the neighboring countries as a new research and development area. There is a significant attention given to the cross-border (macro) regions in the European Union in recent years. In the East and South Europe that means the Danube, the Adriatic & Ionian, and the Alpine regions. Several countries are on the New eSilk Road proposed by the China’s initiative named “16+1”, meaning 16 Central & East European countries + China. The Baltic eRegion is on the  New eAmber Road. The term eRegions Conference seemed to cover all areas of interests.

Numerous innovative eSolutions & eServices based on future Internet and cloud computing will be needed to support development of any of the EU cross-border (macro) eRegions. There are some good reasons for that. One, ICT is needed to efficiently support activities and management of any priority area of a region. Two, ICT may help in sharing public data needed in cross-areas requirements. Three, ICT may support higher level of interoperability of all priority areas in all regions contributing to an achievement of the common goals of the EU Strategy for the macro Region. Four, interoperability of various eRegions is not possible without an orchestrated use of ICT.

Organizations are invited to submit to the annual eRegion Conference: Cross-border eSolutions & eServices Prototypes Development a prototype proposal involving the organization in at least three countries. Alternatively, they may like to join one of the existing prototype groups. A prototype proposer is inviting organizations sharing interest in a topic to engage in a joint prototype development in order to be able to respond, as an organized group, to the related national and/or EU calls for project proposals in-time. An accelerated prototyping (experimenting) approach is required by the documents of the EU program Horizon 2020.

A list of the eRegions Conferences

The annual eRegions conference has been triggered by five preparatory meetings of the initiative in Slovenia:

February 10, 2011 Initiative Meeting, Rectorate, University of Maribor, 1st Meeting (working language Slovene)
April 21, 2011 Initiative Meeting, Town Municipality of Novo mesto, 2nd Meeting (working language Slovene)
June 6, 2011 Initiative Meeting, Rectorate, University of Primorska in Koper, 3rd Meeting (working language Slovene)
September 9, 2011 4th Initiative Meeting = 1st Danube eRegion Conference, Ljubljana (working language English)
January 17, 2012 eCollaboration & Diplomacy, 5th Initiative Meeting in Ljubljana (working language English)

6th eRegions Conference 2016: Cross-border eSolutions & eServices Prototypes Development

5th eRegions Conference 2015: Cross-border eSolutions & eServices Prototypes Development

4th Danube eRegion Conference – DeRC 2014: Cross-border eSolutions & eServices Prototypes Development

3rd Danube eRegion Conference – DeRC 2013: Cross-border eSolutions & eServices Prototypes Development

2nd Danube eRegion Conference – DeRC 2012: Cross-border eSolutions & eServices Prototypes Development

1st Danube eRegion Conference – DeRC 2011: Cross-border eSolutions & eServices Prototypes Development