The SELF Platform is 1. a repository with free educational and training materials on Free Software and Open Standards 2. an environment for the collaborative creation of new materials Inspired by Wikipedia, the SELF Platform provides the materials in different languages and forms. The SELF Platform is also an instrument for evaluation, adaptation, creation and translation of these materials. Most importantly, the SELF Platform is a tool to unite community and professional efforts for public benefit. The SELF Community The SELF Platform aims to be a community of all interested parties associated with educational and training materials about Free Software and Open Standards. The SELF Platform specifically embraces universities, schools, training centres, Free Software communities, software companies, publishers and government bodies. All users are encouraged to participate in the production process and the exploitation of results. Those who participate in the platform can improve their own contents collaboratively while gaining expertise, prestige and recognition within the community. Simultaneously their participation helps to improve the SELF materials enhancing the SELF community. As a result the community model of the SELF Platform assures a prevailing situation for those who provide efforts to the platform and those who use it. Organisation The SELF Platform is initiated by an international consortium of seven partners in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Three universities and four non-profit organisations work closely together to facilitate communities as well as to raise awareness and to contribute to the building of critical mass for the use of Free Software and Open Standards. Initial set up The European Commission supports the SELF project for the initial set up of the platform and the first educational and training materials. Additional funding is expected from national and local governments for localisation, dissemination and specific activities. Once established, participating members from target groups will benefit from the platform and exploit its results freely. The aim is to produce a snow ball effect starting with public funding.

Autor: Wouter Tebbens

Wouter is the founder and general coordinator of the SELF project. Although technology has been his focus from an early age, he is particularly interested in its impact on society. He achieved a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. He has been working in project management functions in various organisations and has more than ten years experience in internet projects and Free Software in the Netherlands, Spain and Latin America. In 2002 he founded the Barcelona based company xlocal.com, that offers solutions in Free Software web applications. Wouter has participated in different initiatives to promote the use of free technologies from within Internet Society Netherlands. He is the founder of the expert group on Free Software in ISOC.nl and in September 2005 he headed the committee to hand over a petition to the Dutch Parliament to demand the use of Free Software and Open Standards. Wouter is currently working as the SELF project coordinator. He aims to bring together interested parties, funders, team members and volunteers and make a self-sustainable, long-lasting effort out of this. He finds it especially motivating to work together with inspiring people that have inspiring ideas and that make inspiring initiatives happen by worldwide collaboration.