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OpenUK July 2024 Newsletter 1

Zin Lwin
9th July 2024

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Dear Readers,

A landslide for Labour and OpenUK is ready to share our Open Manifesto Report with the new front bench, and of course with all new MPs from all parties. We enjoyed a Report Launch at the Great Hall in Kings with just under 100 attendees last week and the video will be available to watch shortly.

You will find detail on The Open Manifesto‘s 3 asks in the report. If you or your organisation have not already signed up to show your support please do.

Our last meet-up before the summer in London tonight, is sold out but you can join our digital meet up – “What the fork do we do now”! – tomorrow. Meet-ups across the UK coming September.

Our Awards launch today and nominations will run until September, with our 5th Annual Awards again seeing us host the Oscars of Open Source, the Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner at the House of Lords on 28 November.

This Sunday afternoon we will be braving the British Summer for a picnic in Regents Park, so bring your picnic rug, your brolly and snacks and join us from 2-5pm, OpenUK’s last event until September and we look forward to a well-earned break.


State of Open: The UK in 2024 Phase Two: The Open Manifesto Report Launch

July 3, 12:00 – 19:00, Great Hall, King’s College London

OpenUK’s latest report explores the ‘3 asks’ in The Open Manifesto. These cover skills, the public sector and AI openness and see a critical deep dive into the meaning of openness in AI. We were delighted the launch was part of London Data Week and to have welcomed economist Will Hutton, and Professor Neil Lawrence among our keynotes. Please take time to read the Report and look out for the Launch talks which will follow shortly.

Read Report and explore Launch video


The Open Manifesto

If you have not already signed up to The Open Manifesto, please do so to have your voice heard and support OpenUK’s work with our new Government. The Mainfesto sets out 3 critical asks for our new Government.  Please add your personal and organisational support to this document. Please also feel free to share it with your new MP.

Sign The Open Manifesto

MP LetterMP Contacts


OpenUK Awards 2024, Fifth Edition

Celebrating UK Leadership and Global Collaboration in Open Technology, nominate yourself or someone else for a coveted OpenUK Award in one of our 12 categories. Up to 3 shortlisted nominees will be invited to the Ceremony on 28 November. No cost to enter.

  • Nominations open today
  • Nominations close midnight UK September 8th, 2024
  • Shortlist of up to 3 nominees per category announced early October 2024
  • Winners Announced November 28th, 2024: Black Tie Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner at the House of Lords, sponsored by Lord Wei

Nominate now


OpenUK Research and Reporting

Show and Tell #3: July 12, “AI Special”

OpenUK has reported on open source software since 2021. Encouraging a collaborative approach across the global open tech research community, we have hosted bi-monthly events with the global research community sharing their work. These are free to attend and all are welcome to learn more about the research being undertaken and reporting coming down the line.

Our next Show and Tell focuses on AI and openness.

Future sessions set for Sep 20, and Dec 06.

Date & Time: Friday, July 12 2024, 16:00 – 17:30 BST (Online Webinar)

Agenda: Host – Amanda Brock, CEO, OpenUK

Speakers: Andreas Liesenfeld, Radboud University; Aviya Skowron, Eleuther AI; Mark Dingemanse, Radboud University; Dr Jennifer Barth, OpenUK

Show and Tell signup


OpenUK Summer Picnic

Join us for a fun-filled OpenUK Summer Picnic on 14 July! Let’s enjoy the British weather, and great company together over a traditional picnic in the park. OpenUK will be hosting a summer picnic on Sunday 14 July from 2-5 pm in Regents Park, London. The exact location will be provided before the event to all registered attendees. Bring your snacks and enjoy the fun.

Picnic signup


OpenUK Meet-up

OpenUK London Meet-up #16: Cloud Native

Event FULL: 16th OpenUK London community meet-up, continues the celebration of ten years of Kubernetes by talking to some of the UK’s cloud native maintainers! Thank you to Avanade for sponsoring the venue and providing refreshments. Please bring any unwanted swag in new condition to swap or contribute to the stock!

Sign up now open for September.

London Meet-up September signup


OpenUK Online Meet-up #2: What the Fork do we do now?

Our Second Digital Meet-up, is an online only event and all across the country are welcome to join. What the Fork do we do now will focus on forking of an open source project should the upstream licensor rug-pull. The event will not be recorded.

What the Fork Sign up


Fellows Network

Know an academic who is postgrad level and would be interested in taking part in a Fellows Network promoting research into open tech? We are looking for up to 10 Fellows in the UK and up to 2 international academics to join our Fellows Network. Applications are now open and will run to September. Applications will be judged by CEO, Amanda Brock, Board Director and Rust Foundation ED, Dr Rebecca Rumbul, Open UK’s Research Director Dr Jennifer Barth and Southampton University Associate Professor Dr Rebecca Taylor.

Apply for Fellows Network


Open Technology All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG)

UK parliamentarians are educated through All Party Parliamentary Groups and OpenUK has been working for some time on a new APPG in Open Tech which will cover all of the opens – software, hardware, data, standards and AI. OpenUK will provide the secretariat to this APPG.

If you are interested in learning more or participating in this APPG, please drop us a note. We will be hosting a series of events across the opens in Parliament and at teh Labour Party Conference.

Proposing an Open Tech APPG


OpenUK Blog

In Memory of Erik Riedel

It is with deep regret that we share the sad loss of Erik, one of the State of Open Con founders and a great friend to OpenUK.

Read now

 OpenUK in the Press

UK Tech reports that OpenUK advises new government that  ‘UK AI legislation must avoid ‘open washing’

Read now

Computer Weekly reports that UK must push forward with greater use of open tech

Read now

Computer Weekly reports on a  ‘New government, new approach to IT?’

Read now

The Stack reports ‘From AI to open source: Tech leaders’ recommendations for the new Labour Government’ including our CEO, Amanda Brock

Read now

Silicon Republic reports ‘Tech leaders react to new UK Labour government’, with quotes from Amanda Brock

Read now

Silicon Republic reports ‘Tech leaders react to new UK Labour government’, with quotes from Amanda Brock

Read now


Events OpenUK will be at

IEEE 6G Summit Leeds 2024
in Conjunction with WINCOM

25 July, Leeds

Speaker: Amanda Brock, CEO, OpenUK “Opening up 6G”, Talk

Get Tickets

The KubeCon + Cloud NativeCon2024

21-23 August, Hong Kong

Amanda Brock, CEO will be available for meetings during this event, and meeting with translators of the book she edited.

Get Tickets


Events of Interest

Mainframerz: Containers on Z

July 18, 2024

5:30 PM to 7:00 PM BST, Online

Sign Up

SUSE Cloud Native Meetup UK #2

August 1, 2024
6:00 PM to 9:00 PM BST, Manchester

Sign Up

So much for us to do here are OpenUK before our summer break including the refresh of our Advisory Boards, following the AI and Legal Advisory Boards we have already shared.

If you would like to engage more, personally or through your company or to sponsor OpenUK or its events, please drop us a note. OpenUK is intentionally not a pay to play organisation and all are welcome to participate.

Best wishes,

Amanda

Amanda Brock, CEO


 

For information on anything in this newsletter or to get involved, email us.

Join our Meet-up Group, #Community on Slack, and view Event Gallery.

Would you like to add an event? Fill out the Event Form.


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