Summer School on TOWARDS ELECTRONIC DEMOCRACY: INTERNET-BASED DECISION SUPPORT

[Fabrizio Ruggeri <fabrizio@mi.imati.cnr.it>]

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                    * EUROPEAN SCIENCE FOUNDATION *
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                           Summer School on

        TOWARDS ELECTRONIC DEMOCRACY: INTERNET-BASED DECISION SUPPORT

                 Varenna, Italy, 7th-13th September 2003

                           1st Announcement 

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  * WEB SITE: http://www.mi.imati.cnr.it/conferences/varenna03.html *
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The European Science Foundation has established the programme TOWARDS 
ELECTRONIC DEMOCRACY (TED) with the objective of discussing and evaluating 
how advances in interactive decision analytic tools might help develop 
inclusive e-democratic systems which involve their electorates more fully 
in decision making.  As part of this programme, a Summer School on 
methodologies and techniques related to the programme is being held in 
the magnificent Villa Monastero at Varenna (Lake Como, Italy) 
(http://villamonastero.org) on September 7th-13th, 2003. In addition to 
the ESF, support is also being provided by the Istituto di Matematica 
Applicata e Tecnologie Informatiche at Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche 
(CNR-IMATI).

                          OBJECTIVES OF SCHOOL

The overall objective of the TED programme is to stimulate thinking on 
substantive e-democracy, using the focus of recent developments in interactive
decision analytic techniques to promote co-operative solutions to societal 
decisions via Internet-based decision support.  As one of the major goals 
of the programme, the training of young researchers and Ph.D. students will 
be pursued in different ways, including fellowships for visits and two summer 
school. The summer school in Varenna, the first in the programme, aims to 
form a group of young researchers who could give their contribution in the 
development of the programme until the end of the year 2006. 

                           FORMAT OF SCHOOL 

The summer school will begin on the afternoon of September 7th and complete 
on the afternoon of September 13th. We expect the programme to include 10-12 
lectures of 3 hours each on the major areas of interest for the programme: 
problem structuring, uncertainty modelling, preference modelling, expected 
utility maximisation, sensitivity analysis, applications. The speakers and 
full timetable are still being confirmed but several experts in the field 
including Simon French, Miroslav Karny, David Rios Insua and Fabrizio Ruggeri 
have already agreed in contribute. One day will be spent at the Computer 
Lab of CNR-IMATI in Milano allowing hands-on exploration of current software 
on Internet-based decision support.

                            PARTICIPATION

The registration fee for the summer school will be 400 euro (if paid before 
July, 31st, 2003) or 450 euro for late payments. The registration fee will 
cover participation, conference materials, teas and coffees, and six dinners 
(Sunday to Saturday, except for the ``free afternoon'' dinner), but not 
lunches, transportation and accommodation. Those interested in attending 
should send an email to Fabrizio Ruggeri (fabrizio@mi.imati.cnr.it) asking 
for further details. 

                           FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Free lodging (shared double rooms, either at Villa Monastero or at the nearby 
Eremo Gaudio, http://www.eremogaudio.it) will be provided to 24 people. A 
limited number (14) of Ph.D. students can apply for a reduced registration 
fee: 100 euro. Some support is available as a contribution to the travel 
costs of researchers early in their careers and of doctoral students. People 
interested in applying for any of this support, should inform Fabrizio Ruggeri 
(fabrizio@mi.imati.cnr.it) by April, 30th, 2003, and they will be notified 
about the support in a few days and asked to pay the registration fee by 
May, 15th, 2003. People are kindly requested to detail the support they are 
applying for, their current status (we reserve the right to ask for 
confirmation of Ph.D. status or graduation dates) and an estimate of their 
travel expenses (economy fares only).

                               LODGING

We are sorry but we cannot handle accommodation reservations for the other 
participants besides the 24 supported by the Summer School. We suggest 
consultation of http://www.mi.imati.cnr.it/conferences/varenna03/hotels.html 
for a list of hotels in Varenna. Since Varenna is a very small village, 
very popular in September, we strongly encourage the participants to book 
their accommodation as soon as possible. As of today, few rooms have
been reserved at Eremo Gaudio. People (who are not applying for free
lodging) can contact Eremo Gaudio (+39 0341815301) to book their
room, mentioning the CNR Summer School at Villa Monastero.
-- 

Best regards

Fabrizio Ruggeri

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Fabrizio Ruggeri                    fabrizio@mi.imati.cnr.it
CNR IMATI                           tel +39 0223699532
Via Bassini 15                      fax +39 0223699538
I-20133 Milano (Italy)              www.mi.imati.cnr.it/~fabrizio