Re: ***Become a Certified Semantic Technology Specialist - November 23-27, 2009 - Vienna, Austria***

Dear Sirs,

Who decides what constitutes a Certified Semantic Technology Specialist?

The European Union has very strict guidelines for certification schemes and entities who audit certification schemes for virtually any field of economic activity.

In this case we are talking ICT.

What drives the certification in the specific case of semantic technologies, the private sector players OEMs and software firms etc. or standard bodies like the W3C and other designated bodies?

Let's say if I wanted to hire a Certified Semantic Technology Specialist to help my public library provide online access to its repositories, adhering to library system, Dublin Core and other standards, who will vouch for the Certified Specialist?

Where do I turn in case I run into problems with this specialist and need arbitration?

I think there is a convergence of new and exciting ICT technologies, most notably linking open data, cloud computing and open source software and open access repositories.

Certification implies a certain number of preconditions and consensus to be in place and linking open data and SW could benefit  from certification, but in the end it is all based on trust, consensus and willingness to commit to recognition of the certification process and external audit scheme of such.

If not, we are in deep waters.

I guess the proverbial genie is now out of the bottle.

Milton Ponson
GSM: +297 747 8280
Rainbow Warriors Core Foundation
PO Box 1154, Oranjestad
Aruba, Dutch Caribbean
www.rainbowwarriors.net
Project Paradigm: A structured approach to bringing the tools for sustainable development to all stakeholders worldwide
www.projectparadigm.info
EarthForge: Creating ICT tools for NGOs worldwide for Project Paradigm
www.earthforge.info, www.developmentforge.info
MetaPortal: providing online access to web sites and repositories of data and information for sustainable development
www.metaportal.info
SemanticWebSoftware, part of NGO-Opensource to enable SW technologies in the Metaportal project
www.semanticwebsoftware.info

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--- On Fri, 10/16/09, Lejla <lejla.ibralic-halilovic@sti2.org> wrote:

From: Lejla <lejla.ibralic-halilovic@sti2.org>
Subject: ***Become a Certified Semantic Technology Specialist - November 23-27, 2009 - Vienna, Austria***
To: semantic-web@w3.org
Date: Friday, October 16, 2009, 2:17 PM

***Become a Certified Semantic Technology Specialist***
 

**Semsphere - A STI Initiative for Education and Training in Semantic
Technologies**

What
Based on the success of the STI International Educational service, Semsphere
now offers a training and certification program targeting IT professionals
and those seeking globally recognizable expertise and credentials in the
field of semantic technologies. The Semsphere training program has been
developed by leading experts of the semantic technology community, and
maintained by certified trainers in order to ensure state-of-the-art topics
are included, and course materials meet high-quality, professional
standards.

Registration <http://www.semsphere.com/en/component/content/article/42>  for
the next course is now open --- http://www.semsphere.com/register

Semantic Technology Specialist  - First Level Certification Course
The next course offering for the first certification level, Semantic
Technology Specialist (STS), covers the fundamental concepts and
applications of semantic technologies, and concludes with a certification
examination on the fifth day. It affords trainees with an overview of the
Semantic Web, and proceeds with a concentrated focus on ontologies and the
development of semantic applications.  Interested candidates are encouraged
to visit the website to register for the next course, or to find out more
information with regard to our curriculum content and partnership programs.

Prerequisite Qualifications 
Participants require a basic level of computer literacy - background in IT
development and engineering is a plus - and a keen interest in learning
about the foundations of the Semantic Web, ontologies, and the development
of semantic applications.

The Semantic Technology Specialist course costs 1300 EUR, incl. VAT. This
includes examination and certification fees plus the lunches during the
course and all the materials required. Discount rate of 100 EUR for STI
Members.

Registration <http://www.semsphere.com/en/component/content/article/42>
deadline: November 15, 2009 --- http://www.semsphere.com/register

How
The Semsphere training program consists of three fundamental certifications
in semantic technologies, extended with specialized courses and tailored
education programs for those seeking training in particularly advanced areas
and specific application domains of semantic technologies.  The week long
Semantic Technology Specialist course prepares fundamentals of semantic
technologies and serves as the foundation for the successive certification
levels. Trainees successfully passing the exam receive a credential as proof
of their level of expertise and are invited to excel through the
intermediate and advanced certification levels, as well as extended paths
within the Semsphere training program.

When
November 23-27, 2009

Where
Vienna, Austria - City Center

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Download the course brochure: PDF
<http://www.semsphere.com/files/courses/Semantic_Technology_Specialist-Vienn
a-20091123.pdf>  ---
http://www.semsphere.com/files/courses/Semantic_Technology_Specialist-Vienna
-20091123.pdf

For more information please check the website <http://www.semsphere.com/>
--- http://www.semsphere.com <http://www.semsphere.com/> 

Or send your inquiry directly to info@semsphere.com.
  
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