IT-REGIONS: Innovation and Technology as driving forces for sustainable urban & regional development

Not only since the RIO summit or local agenda21 processes, sustainability is a major issue in urban and regional planning.A well-balanced framework of ecological, economic and social conditions for human beings and the environment has to be established and its perseverance has to be secured.

Continous innovation and intelligent application of technology are key factors to enable sustainable development. The creative and intelligent use of technology in spatial planning and environmental management is crucial for the succesful development of cities and regions.

How can competing cities and regions become succesful sustainable IT-regions? How can they find their position by intelligent use of their local and regional potential?

OPEN SOURCE: for public sector!? (Special topic)

The discussion regarding advantages and disadvantages of "freely" software is a hot topic. Are open source products an interesting and acceptable alternative to commercial products for public sector? What are the advantages and disadvantages then? What about the overall costs of different solutions? Is it either-or, or is there a coexistence of licensed and license-free software.

Are current tendencies even a threat to business and the well-functioning of public administration? Which practical experiences do already exist? Is the idea of open source only applicable on software products?