Background
The goal of the Open Sustainability Network is to build a unified collection of relevant online tools and practices to help students and teachers build effective programs in appropriate technology and social entrepreneurship. Specifically, the OSN is focused on impacting the training of future innovators and managers who will need to effectively tackle a set of profound global challenges through the creation, commercialization and institutionalization of sustainable enterprise and clean technologies.
The need for an OSN became apparent following three meetings in early 2007: the Business, Engineering & Sustainability Workshop, the Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship, and the NCIIA Annual Meeting. During each of these meetings separate discussions addressed the need for an online portal of appropriate technology and social entrepreneurship; with each discussion approaching a problem with a unique approach and audience. Portals referenced during these meetings include:
- The University Network for Social Entrepreneurship
- OpenCourseWare
- Appropedia
- Connexions
- World Bank Development Marketplace
- Wikipedia
- The Sustainability Knowledge Network
- NextBillion.net
- Beyond Grey Pinstripes
- The Forum on Science and Innovation for Sustainable Development
- The International Journal For Service Learning in Engineering
- BME Source
- OpenWetWare
- BoP Network
After an initial review of online resources, there is a great deal of overlap between initiatives and much to be learned and shared across initiatives. As discussions continue, we seek to better understand each of these individual initiatives and build collaboration to create specific unique resources for appropriate technology and social entrepreneurship. With this in mind, the OSN aims to understand how portals can better inform one another to meet three crucial needs:
Collaborative Opportunities
Open Education: Implement collaborative education and training modules and coursework for entrepreneurs and engineers to learn technology creation, implementation, and commercialization practices. Collaborative Taxonomies: Develop a framework for shared information across disciplinary and geographic boundaries including technology, project, course and organizational information. Online Publication: Determine best practices for online publishing and knowledge sharing to effectively disseminate new knowledge and application.
Open Sustainability Network workshops
An OSN workshop will be held at the 2008 NCIIA National Conference, March 20-22, 2008, and others are planned for later in the year.
Open Sustainability Network Conference 2008
The Open Sustainability Network Conference 2008 is tentatively planned for October in Boston. More info soon. (If you have any questions, please ask - e.g. on the talk page.