Information about this
training program can be found on the WWW starting from:
http://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO/itp/
The program is planned to take
place mainly in
from Monday morning October 2 to Thursday evening December 21, 2006.
Language used is English.
The initiative has been
approved by the Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR) and is sponsored by the
Belgian Government (the directorate named DGOS since December 2002). This fits
in a series of similar international training activities that have been
organized since 1991, named MIST 1, 2, 3, KNOW-HOW, and STIMULATE 1, 2, 3, 4
and 5.
This initiative is aimed
primarily at persons with a university degree (Bachelor or Master), who work in
universities, information and documentation centers,
and libraries, including of course university libraries, and who have a few
years of practical experience.
The term Active Training
Environment in the title of the training program reflects our wish to create an
environment in which each participant is stimulated to get involved actively,
supported by the lecturers and the infrastructure provided by the training
program. This fits well into the general, worldwide trend away from
"teaching" to "learning management".
The main aim and goal of this
International Training Program is to offer a stimulating learning environment
to the participants. These are young scientists and professionals who have a
function as information intermediary in the area of science and technology, so
as to sharpen their skills in collecting, storing, retrieving, presenting and
managing information. This can be of great benefit to the teaching and research
activities going on in their institute and to the further development of their
organisation and region.
This initiative corresponds
well with the basic, general aim of all VLIR the International Training
Programs: to train young scientists and professionals from developing countries
in a domain that is relevant for the further development of the country, and to
stimulate the participants to transfer their increased knowledge and skills to
their colleagues and other stakeholders in their home country.
-- to provide participants
with a clearer view on the importance of information in general and for their
environment in particular, and on how to manage information:
summarised: ”Management in libraries and information centers”
-- to learn the participants
to cope with modern technology, in view of the increasing importance of ICT;
summarised: “Information and
communication technology for libraries and information centers”
-- to guide them in retrieving information that is publicly accessible on an
international scale:
summarised: “Information retrieval/searching”
and
-- to learn them to store, organise, present, manage, publish information
resources at personal, institutional, regional or national level:
summarised: “Information architecture”
After being actively involved
in this International Training Program, every participant will have improved
the ability
-- to appreciate and explain
the importance of access to information for their organisation
-- to present information to
users and potential users, using appropriate information technology
-- to train interested persons in the use and management of information, using appropriate presentation techniques
-- to contribute to the planning of the (further) development of an information service
-- to communicate through the Internet with users of information, information providers, colleagues,…
-- to apply quantitative methods in decision making related to information systems and services
-- to retrieve information
from the Internet
-- to store information for
later retrieval and access by potential users, using information technology
The sessions are organised in
such a way that
--the first month = introduction level,
--the second month = intermediate level, and
--the third month = more advanced level.
Thanks to this approach and organisation, it may make sense to participate
exceptionally during only one or two of the three months, depending on
expertise. However, the available scholarships are granted only to persons who
will participate for the full three months.
To start with, the
participants are offered an orientation tour of the University and the Library.
Then some of the following subjects are covered. Of course, due to the limited
available time, not all the mentioned subjects can be discussed in each
training program, but a SELECTION will be made by the organisers. The concrete
content of each training program depends on the availability of suitable expert
lecturers from
Statistics to support decision
making for information science and for library management.
Business plans for libraries and information centers.
Using spreadsheets in the management of libraries and information centers.
Collection development.
Consortia of libraries for the acquisition of electronic journals and
databases.
Scientific writing methods.
ISBD = International Standard Bibliographic Description.
Formats for computer-based cataloguing; MARC formats.
National libraries and national bibliographies.
Knowledge organisation: subject classification schemes; thesaurus systems,
ontologies.
Citation analysis.
Assessing the influence of scientific journals; citations and impact factors.
The bibliometric laws.
Scientometrics.
Architecture of libraries and information centers.
Orientation of information users; relations with information users.
Interlibrary lending and co-operation; document delivery.
Development of a national or regional information network.
The information society.
Cultural aspects of the information society and information technology
transfer.
Copyright; information security; trans-border data flow.
Writing a project proposal (for instance related to the establishment of an
information network).
Conservation/preservation of printed documents.
Conservation/preservation of digital documents.
Informetric aspects of the Internet.
Artificial intelligence and knowledge representation in information science.
Electronic journals: implementation in a library.
Integration of e-learning environments and library services.
Libraries involvement in scientific publishing.
International co-operation projects.
Microcomputer systems: evolution of hardware.
Disks for
computers.
CD-ROM.
CD-ROM in a local area network.
CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R,
DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW.
Microcomputer operating systems.
Microcomputer systems:
applications software.
Text editing; word processing; desktop publishing.
Presentation of data, using a microcomputer.
Creating charts to present information.
Image processing; graphics file formats; photo/image editing.
Multimedia / Hypermedia.
Data communication; computer networks; Internet.
Internet services.
Client-server systems.
Electronic mail.
World-Wide Web; hypertext and hypermedia.
Data-communications networks and librarians.
Selecting and procuring a computer system; writing a proposal for a computer
implementation.
Providing access to information through public Internet workstations.
Methods for access to databases through Internet: telnet, http/WWW, Z39.50 and
ISO239.50, Open Archives Initiative - Metadata Harvesting Protocol.
Introductory concepts about
information.
Internet-based information resources: introduction.
Bibliographic databases.
The information industry and the information market.
Online information retrieval and database searching; search tactics and
strategies.
Internet search engines.
Information available free of charge; open access.
Online access databases about journal articles.
Electronic newsletters and journals.
Computer-network based interest groups.
Patent information.
Online systems versus CD-ROM.
Citation searching.
Theoretical and quantitative aspects of information retrieval.
Evaluating the quality of information sources.
Evaluation of information retrieval strategies and systems.
Basic, fundamental,
theoretical concepts.
Software packages for local storage and retrieval of bibliographic information.
Introduction to the
The application of ISIS: searching, editing data in a database, output of
selected data to file or printer; developing a database structure; indexing data
for fast retrieval; ISIS for Windows; WINISIS; history and future of ISIS;
programming in ISIS.
Formats: MARC; application of MARC in
Databases (and
Downloading of information and record format conversion.
Relational databases.
Library automation.
Online Public Access Catalogues (OPACs).
Archives and records management.
Archives in the domain of science and technology.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS): an introduction.
Developing a web site; HTML, CSS, XML, XSL; intranets; developing an intranet.
Evaluating web sites.
Dynamic web pages.
Developing co-operative
community WWW sites; Web contents management systems.
Setting up an electronic newsletter.
Extensions of the classical WWW. (Client-based and server-based).
In addition to the courses
taking place at the university campus, study visits are organised.
A selection from the following possible visits is made:
--to the Royal (National) Library, in Brussels, Belgium
--to the European Patent Office in Brussels, Belgium
--to the Information Service of the Geology Department of the Royal Museum on
Africa, in Tervuren near Brussels, Belgium
--to the inter-university postgraduate school on information and library
science at the University of Antwerp, Belgium
--to the library of the University of Antwerp, Belgium
--to the human sciences library of the University of Antwerp in old Antwerp
city, Belgium
--to the old central library and to the modern science and technology library
of the KUL (university) in Leuven, Belgium
--to the VLIZ marine science information and documentation centre near the sea
coast in Oostende / Ostend, Belgium
--to the library of the Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten in Antwerpen /
Antwerp, Belgium
--to the central library of the University of Gent / Ghent, Belgium
--to the Documentation Department of the KIT (the Royal Tropical Institute),
and to the high school on libraries, documentation and information, both in
Amsterdam, Nederland / The Netherlands
--to the headquarters of IFLA and to the National, Royal Library in Den Haag /
The Hague, in Nederland / The Netherlands
--to the Institute for Social Studies (ISS) in Den Haag / The Hague, in
Nederland / The Netherlands
More culturally oriented
guided visits are also organised; these may include trips to the old cities of
Soon after the start of the
program, each participant presents to the other participants and to interested
lecturers his/her interests, working environment, planning, tasks, experience.
This is organised with printed posters in a small poster exhibition with time
allotted for stimulating and ice-breaking discussions.
At the end of the course, each
participant completes a presentation supported by slides managed on computer,
with constructive comments on the training program experienced and with
concrete recommendations to the organisers of this training program and to the
director of their own organisation.
About half of the time, the
participants are guided by experts who are invited to the university. They use
the other half time to solve problems, to make exercises, to use microcomputers
and the Internet, to prepare discussions, for self study...
Besides the formal, guided
course activities, the participants have access like any regular student at our
university
--to several rooms equipped with microcomputers connected to the Internet,
--to the university library which offers printed material, CD-ROMs and PCs with
Internet access,
--to the university restaurant and to sport facilities at low student prices.
At the end of the program all
participants obtain a certificate stating that they have indeed participated,
with a reference to the full detailed overview of the program contents on the
WWW site of the program.
Several substantial parts of the program are followed by an evaluation by the
responsible expert of the knowledge and skills acquired by each participant;
this can lead to a certificate of active and successful participation.
Participants should of course
bring a notebook or laptop computer, if they have one available.
Ideally they should buy or rent a personal notebook computer as soon as they
arrive, assisted by the program organisers.
Each participant is expected
to create a poster about ongoing activities in their home institution. This
poster is presented in a poster session early in the program. In this way,
participants and professors get to know each other efficiently and the
participants learn to present information in the format of a scientific poster.
Therefore, participants are encouraged to bring supporting materials like
folders, leaflets, photos, maps, etc… for inclusion in their poster.
Each participant is expected
to present a tutorial of maximum half an hour to the other participants, about
one aspect of their expertise, during the program. The aims are that
participants improve their presentation and teaching skills, that they share
their knowledge with the other participants, that participants get to know each
other better, that they form a basis for possible later co-operation etc…
-- Welcome reception with drinks and appetizers (on the first evening of the program)
-- Evening with the possibility to taste some of the world famous Belgian beers and some Belgian food.
-- Farewell gathering with drinks and snacks (on the final evening of the program)
The cost of living in
Participation is free of
charge (!) for 12 participants from developing countries. They are selected by
the Steering Committee of the program, by VL.I.R. (the
Grant applications must be received by VLIR before the end of January!
(and NOT before the end of February as in previous years up to 2005)
Official and formal requests for a grant or any other correspondence
about the grants should be sent to VLIR in
If this procedure is not
suitable for you,
you can ask your local Belgian embassy for a printed version of the application
form for the grant, or you can ask further information from VLIR.
The general e-mail address is scholarships@vliruos.be
The ideal participant applying
for a grant is younger than 40 years, and will be able to apply what has been
learned directly in a professional scientific or technical environment
afterwards.
Besides the persons who
receive a grant from the Belgian Government through VLIR, 8 persons can
participate after paying a registration=tuition fee that is small in comparison
with similar programs.
The costs mentioned do NOT
include air travel, meals and accommodation, but do include transport from the
airport upon arrival, course materials, study visits and social activities.
-To participate during the
full period: 2400 Euro
-Exceptionally, persons who cannot participate for the whole period can
nevertheless participate during 2 months only (1800 Euro) or during 1 month
only (1000 Euro). It makes sense to attend for instance the first month or the
first two months only. It makes less sense to participate only during the
second or the third month, as introductions to some activities or topics may be
missed.
-To participate to particular items selected from the program: 30 Euro per half
day.
To register and pay the
registration=tuition fee, send the form (see below) by classical mail together
with an international bank transfer / bank cheque / bank draft, payable to
University Library V.U.B., Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 BRUSSEL, Belgium,
with no need for any bank account numbers.
If however this simple procedure is NOT suitable for you, then you can transfer
the required sum of money to the following bank account of the V.U.B.:
Fortis Bank located at Warandeberg 3 in B-1000 Brussel, Belgium,
account number 001-0686459-66 or IBAN = BE07 0010 6864 5966
and do not forget (!) to mention as a remark: for WDOO6240 BIBL INK
The money received by the VUB
must be transferred internally to this account.
(Without your remark, the money may be not retraceable and lost.)
There is no formal deadline.
However, we recommend you to register as early as possible, because “first
come, first served”: the arrival of your participation fee determines who can
participate.
There is NO need to “apply” prior
to the registration, to request permission to participate from the organizers
of the program or from their universities. The decision if the program is
suitable and appropriate for an interested person is to be made by that person
and not by the organizers.
It is a waste of time to ask
the organisers of the program about sponsors besides VLIR mentioned above.
Trips are perhaps organised to
places in neighbouring countries like The Netherlands and France. Therefore,
participants should try to obtain also a visa for those countries (a so called Schengen-visa).
It is recommended that
participants are covered during their stay by a full medical insurance.
This costs 40 euro per month, if you want that the program
organisers take care of this; in that case this should be arranged as soon as
possible after arrival in
The organisers of this program
normally book in advance a single, cheap, basic room with access to a shared
kitchen, as accommodation for each participant, unless a participant writes us
that he/she wants to take care of accommodation personally, for instance by
staying with a friend or by renting a room that offers more luxury.
Participants pay for their
accommodation directly to the person or organisation providing accommodation in
E-mail (Internet): stimulate at vub.ac.be (or
in case that this does not seem to work, to Paul.Nieuwenhuysen at vub.ac.be)
(change at in @ when you want to use an address)
Fax 32 2 629 2693 (or 2282)
Tel. 32 2 629 2629 or 32 2 629 2429 or 32 2 629 2609
Telex 61051 vubco-b
Classical mail:
STIMULATE-ITP (or Paul
NIEUWENHUYSEN), University Library, Vrije Universiteit Brussel,
Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, BELGIUM
The training is mainly
organized at the University Library of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (V.U.B).
The campus is located south of the older centre of the city of
Information about
http://wikitravel.org/en/Brussels
http://www.agenda.be/
about events going on in
http://www.disgruntled.ca/writings/brussels/
offers information on
http://www.eupedia.com/belgium/brussels.shtml
http://www.ilotsacre.be/site/en/default_en.htm
offers an interactive map and photos of
http://www.interknowledge.com/belgium/
http://www.sievers.nl/visitbrussels/
shows some photos made in
http://www.timeout.com/brussels/
http://www.trabel.com/brussel/brussels-touristattractions.htm
http://www.virtourist.com/europe/brussels/index.html
The course director is Dr.
Paul Nieuwenhuysen, professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and guest
professor at Universiteit Antwerpen, Science and technology librarian of the
Vrije Universiteit Brussel. http://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO/nieuwenhuysen/professional/index.html
An official, formal Steering
Committee is composed of members from the co-operating universities in
-Vrije Universiteit Brussel,
-Universiteit Antwerpen
-Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
This Steering Committee
supervises the organisation, the program and the budget; this committee reports
formally to VLIR.
Feel free to distribute this document; this version is dated August 16,
2006.
____________________REGISTRATION
FORM_______________________
to STIMULATE, University
Library, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (V.U.B.),
Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 BRUSSEL, Belgium
I want to participate. Therefore I send this as a letter AND I pay the registration=tuition fee as described in the announcement of the International Training Program on INFORMATION.
(So the following is NOT
the form to apply for a grant.
Use this form only when you
pay the registration fee.)
a. Family name (surname): ...............................
(married female participants please fill in maiden-name as well as name of husband)
b. First or given names (according to your official passport): ..............
Personal address: ...................................
.....................................................
Country:.............................................
Electronic mail address
Telephone, fax, telex:
Date of birth: Place of birth:
Nationality: Sex: male / female
Present employment:
a. Name and address of employer: .................
...............................................
...............................................
b. Since: ../../..
c. Position – function - specialization
d. Telephone, fax, telex and/or e-mail of the employer:
Education - studies:
Name of institute Degree Date
Knowledge of English: writing: ........ speaking: ........ reading: .......
Have you been abroad earlier? Please specify:
Duties that you will carry out after returning to your country:
.................................................................
.................................................................
Please book a room for me OR
Do NOT book a room for me; I will take care myself of accommodation
I take care of a medical insurance myself OR
Please see that I am covered by a medical insurance for my stay in
Date and signature:………………………………………….
Please include a recent photograph, as this will simplify identifying you upon arrival.