OPEN SCIENCE AT THE GLOBAL SCALE: SHARING E-INFRASTRUCTURES, SHARING KNOWLEDGE, SHARING PROGRESS

Transcription

1 OPEN SCIENCE AT THE GLOBAL SCALE: SHARING E-INFRASTRUCTURES, SHARING KNOWLEDGE, SHARING PROGRESS CHAIN-REDS CONFERENCE Brussels, Belgium March 31, 2015 Marivaux Hotel, Congress & Seminar Centre DELEGATE INFORMATION PACKAGE

2 INTRODUCTION The Research and Education community is increasingly relying on the availability of computing, storage, and data resources around the globe. This is due, on one hand, to the scientific challenges that could only be approached by large scientific collaborations distributed in many countries and, on the other hand to the great potential of Digital Infrastructures that facilitate researchers working remotely on distributed resources. Research tends to become global with international teams working on the key scientific topics of our time (e.g. Climate Change, Genomics, etc.). The national and regional initiatives implemented to provide e- Infrastructures with advanced services have still many barriers for truly connecting researchers across continents. e-infrastructures across continents need to be harmonised and the gap between them bridged, with the vision that all researchers from every continent can access, use and share computing, data and services, creating truly global Virtual Research Communities. CHAIN-REDS ( ) is a EU/FP7 project co-funded by the European Commission (DG CONNECT) aiming at promoting and supporting technological and scientific collaboration across different e- Infrastructures established and operated in various continents, in order to define a path towards a global e-infrastructure ecosystem that will allow Virtual Research Communities (VRCs), research groups and even single researchers to access and efficiently use worldwide distributed resources (i.e., computing, storage, data, services, tools, applications). The conference at a glance The conference will bring together policy and research stakeholders from all the regions targeted by the project (Asia, Africa, Arabia, India, Europe and Latin America) to discuss major developments and perspectives in the field of global e-infrastructures for Research and Education. The main outcomes of the CHAIN-REDS project will be presented on this occasion: The development of a Distributed Computing Infrastructure interoperation model between Europe and other regions The promotion of international standards and technical guidelines for interoperability of cloud services across continents One of the largest existing e-infrastructure-related digital information systems, the CHAIN-REDS Knowledge Base A complete methodology for better sharing and using scientific data The CHAIN-REDS Science Gateway: a single portal for accessing remote computing and data services anywhere in the world The support of the creation of Identity Federations to make Authentification and Authorisation easier for users and service providers worldwide The main outcomes of the six awareness-raising workshops organised by CHAIN-REDS in Asia, Africa, Arabia, and Latin America With a wide range of themes to be explored, a comprehensive programme will ensure all participants are able to develop international, cross-cutting contacts and enhance their knowledge and expertise. Over 100 delegates are expected to attend the event: policy-makers; official and senior representatives from Governments; representatives from international development cooperation agencies; ICT project managers; lecturers and researchers from universities and the higher education sector; industry stakeholders. For more information, please visit the event dedicated page online.

3 VENUE The event is taking place at Marivaux Hotel, Congress & Seminar Centre, in Brussels. It is located in the business centre of Brussels, within walking distance of the Grand Place. The hotel s central location boasts excellent public transport facilities, allowing easy access to all business and leisure destinations. Address Boulevard Adolphe Max, , Brussels, Belgium Tel: Fax: Website: Directions from Brussels airport By train/metro: Take the train at the Airport (direction Gare du Nord) - approximate cost: 8,40 Stop at Gare du Nord (North Station) at 500 meters of the hotel. Continue by foot (10 minutes) or take the metro: Metro line 3 (direction Churchill) or line 4 (direction Stalle) to Rogier Station (1 stop). To exit follow A. Max. Download the Brussels metro plan. By taxi Brussels Airport is at 12 km or minutes by taxi (approximate cost: )

4 Internet access Marivaux Hotel provides free WiFi to all guests. Login and password will be provided at the registration desk. VISA INFORMATION Requirements for entering Belgium No visa is required if you are a national of a country of the Schengen area (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland) or of one the following European countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the UK. Nevertheless, a valid passport or ID card is required. Citizens of countries not listed above are advised to contact the Belgian Embassy in their country of origin to check visa requirements and to apply for a visa, if necessary. Please access the following link for a complete list of Belgian Embassies and Consulates abroad. Delegates that are required to get a visa may be provided with an invitation letter, issued by the Organising Committee of the conference (please see below details). Invitation letters for visa requests If you need a visa, the event organisers can expedite the process by sending you an invitation letter. Requests for invitation letters for visa purposes should be submitted to Ms. Alexandra Cornea at the following address: alexandra.cornea@sigma-orionis.com. You will be required to submit your passport details: name as on passport, passport number, place & date of birth, nationality. Requests will be dealt within a few days of your confirmation of registration. REGISTRATIONS Registrations are free of charge but seats will be limited due to room capacities constraints: participants are required to register online for the event at Please note that registrations will open at the end of January. Registration process: At the end of the online registration you will receive a free ticket to the conference (mobile ticket or paper ticket) containing a barcode that will be scanned at the registration desk: don't forget to carry the ticket with you for onsite accreditation. Please note: the Organising Committee reserves the right to decline acceptance of any registration showing unrelated participant s experience or expertise to the focus of the event (e-infrastructures, ICT for Research and Education, ICT international cooperation). If we consider that your participation in the conference is not fully relevant you will receive a notification by (within 2 working days) mentioning that your registration has not been accepted (in this case the barcode will be automatically invalidated). Participants are required to obtain identification badges at the registration desk prior to the opening of the meeting. Registrations on site will not be possible.

5 CONFERENCE PROGRAMME The agenda at a glance of the event is available on the CHAIN-REDS website. Printed copies of the final programme will also be available in the conference packs. LANGUAGE The conference will be held exclusively in English. No translation will be provided. EVENT PROCEEDINGS Events proceedings (PowerPoint presentations as Acrobat files, event report and photo gallery) will be made available on the CHAIN-REDS website a few days after the event. PERSONAL SECURITY AND SAFETY OF PARTICIPANTS Personal security is an individual responsibility. During your stay at the conference venue, the following advice should be observed: Wear your meeting badge visibly and display it on demand to an authorized person Do not bring unauthorized persons and children into the conference centre Safeguard your valuable property Check you have all your documents and personal items before you leave conference halls and meeting rooms HEALTHCARE Hospitals and medical care close to Marivaux Hotel Clinique Saint-Jean Address: Boulevard du Jardin Botanique 32, 1000 Brussels Phone: Fax: Website: Polyclinique du Lothier Address: Quai aux Pierres de Taille, 16, 1000 Brussels Phone: Fax: Website:

6 Health Insurance and Medical Assistance The EU citizens, should get the EHIC (European Health Insurance Card), which replaces the no-longer valid E111 certificate. The EHIC will not cover non-emergencies or emergency repatriation. Citizens from other countries should find out if there is a reciprocal arrangement for free medical care between their country and Belgium. More information about the EHIC: ABOUT BRUSSELS Brussels is quickly gaining a reputation as one of Europe's must-see destinations, with its small town charm, trendy bars and restaurants, fabulous food, great nightlife, fantastic shopping, numerous museums, and other attractions including the diverse and interesting exhibitions and festivals organized there every year. Tourist information You'll need at least 2 days to enjoy the major sights of Brussels, city tours are available. Brussels Must See: Grand Place: A unique mix of beautiful 17th century architecture and modern social life Town Hall: This Gothic-style tower remains one of Belgium's finest civic buildings The Royal Palace: A stunning palace in the heart of Brussels that is open for public visits Coudenberg: Archaeological remains of a prestigious palace dating back to the Middle Ages Atomium: Built for the 1958 World's Fair in Brussels, now the city's most popular attraction The European quarter: a super-modern area that encompasses the headquarters of the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers, and is packed full of impressive buildings that provide office space for thousands of 'Eurocrats Credit cards and cash The unit of currency in Belgium is the Euro ( ). Credit Cards are generally accepted everywhere. You can withdraw cash in many ATMs available throughout the city. Weather Average March-April temperatures in Brussels range between 8 C (46 F) and 13 C (53 F). The average humidity is 76%. Local time GMT + 1 hour Electricity 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are of the round two-pin type.

7 SUGGESTED ACCOMMODATION IN BRUSSELS All participants will have to take care of their own accommodation and will be responsible for hotel accommodation costs and all incidental costs, i.e. breakfast (when not included), telephone, internet/fax, room service, mini-bar, laundry, additional meals such as lunch and dinner - these must be paid by participants directly at the hotel at checkout. We recommend the delegates to arrange hotel reservations as soon as possible. List of suggested hotels in Brussels: Marivaux Hotel Preferential rate: 130 (city tax of 7 & breakfast included) per person per day Promo code: SigmaOrionis.15 - Cut-off-date: 28/02/2015 Tel: Website: Hotel Bloom Prepaid rate: 103 ; Best flexible rate: 120 ; Best flexible rate with breakfast: (city tax) per person per day Tel: Website: Crowne Plaza Hotel Brussels Rate: 135 (Standard single), including buffet breakfast and VAT + 7 (city tax) per person per day. Tel.: Website: Hotel Le Plaza Rate: 170 (Classic guest room) Tel: Website: Ibis Brussels Off Grand Place Rate: 99 (Single), 109 (Double), service and VAT included (city tax) per person per day. Tel.: +32 (0) Website: For more information, please contact: Ms. Alexandra Cornea Sigma Orionis, France alexandra.cornea@sigma-orionis.com