Standardization literacy ETSI approach to Education about Standardization Edited and presented by Hermann Brand © ETSI 2014. All rights reserved

Agenda Why standardization literacy in ICT? Standardization is easy/not easy The ETSI approach Working with academic members Knowledge versus soft skills Issues for consideration and recommendations

Why standardization literacy? All ICT products are based on standards (de-jure, de-facto) Commercialization of new ICT must result in standardization, however, not all ICT have to be standardized ICT drives innovation in more and more sectors More stakeholders in future standardization - need to be literates in standardization

Standardization is easy? Isn’t it? What you can see… Delegates of stakeholders meet, make written contributions, discuss, draft and agree on best solutions, make decisions, publish; all of it according to due process and bylaws voluntary, open, transparent, fair, consensual

Dimensions of ICT standards education Obvious subjects to be taught include Technology: Technical standards codify state-of-the-art technologies Process and bylaws: Directives, Rules of Procedures and Technical Working Procedures Business: Standardization is a business/market development tool Policy: Standardization supports policy making

Standardization isn’t easy? Is it? What you cannot see!

Standardisation isn’t easy? Is it? Its a timing problem (life cycles). There is a window of opportunity. Technology convergence and competing standardized technologies Its cooperation in order to compete (“co-opetition”) Consensus may be difficult to achieve (different interests) Related to Soft-skills rather than knowledge

Interests! Competitive advantage! “We must clearly understand the fundamental law of standards development which is that standards are never neutral… They reflect the strengths and innovations of those who offer them to the committees… Not participating in standards abdicates the decision-making to the competition, whether it be by company or nation”. William J. Hudson, President Amp Inc. World Standards Day, 1995

ETSI approach: open up to academia and work with academic members ETSI has 777 members, from 62 countries, and 5 continents

Encourage usage of standards and help to get involved in standardization EXAMPLES ETSI standards can be downloaded free of charge Technical universities make use of ETSI standards (e.g. mobile communications, smart cards, ...) Teach how to develop standards (ETSI Seminar twice a year) Subsidize membership fees for universities and public research bodies ETSI organizes/hosts open workshops/confs Ease participation (as a Guest, remote) Offer internships and support PhD students

Some issues for consideration (1) Different cultures of standardization In different regions of the world Formal (recognized by governmental body) versus informal (industry associations) Different needs of different sectors Education is more than promotion Not about selling an SDO Not about presenting oneself as best of all

Some issues for consideration (2) Standardization is not a science, but a practise, like management A canonical body of standardization knowledge does not exist, but has to be developed Soft skills have to be developed through training on the job

Recommendations Free access to standards to help students to become standards users Dual education about standardization necessary Teaching of knowledge: cooperate to develop a canonical body of knowledge about standardization Training of soft-skills: reduce barriers for practical involvement to support learning by doing

Thank you for your attention! ETSI website (http://www.etsi.org) General public information Free standards download ETSI portal (http://portal.etsi.org) Easy access to data for each technical body Working documents ETSI applications and databases Work Programme (http://www.etsi.org/images/files/WorkProgramme/etsi-work-programme-2013-2014.pdf) hermann.brand@etsi.org ino@etsi.org Project Officer Workshop, 27.5.2013, Brussels