Submitter:

Name:Owen Ambur

Email:Owen.Ambur@verizon.net

Organization:

Name:European Projects & Management Agency

Acronym:EPMA

Description:
The European Projects & Management Agency (EPMA), is a non-profit organisation, co-founded by the Czech Region Vysocina and BMI Association in 2004 as the association of legal bodies. It is registered by the Prague Municipal registry with the No. 10/04.

Stakeholder(s):

• EPMA General Assembly: The supreme statutory body of EPMA is the General Assembly with the equal representation of delegates from both co-founders. Both co-founders have their representatives in the Presidium, which is leaded by the Chairman (delegate of the Vysocina Region). Each co-founder has also his independent representative in the Control Committee. The Director is empowered for all managerial and decision-making functions by the EPMA Chairman. The regular managerial supervision is ensured through the IT Department of Vysocina Regional Authority.


• Vysocina Region: The name of the Vysocina Region derives from the name of the Ceskomoravska vrchovina (Bohemian-Moravian Highlands), a hilly, undulating countryside situated between the two historical lands of the Czech Republic. Vysocina reaches over 800 meters in altitude, in the two distinct mountain ranges of Zdarske vrchy in the north of the region and Jihlavske vrchy in the south-west. The main European water divide, echoing the former frontier between Bohemia and Moravia, divides the region into two parts almost equal in area. Bordering the South-Moravian Region to the east, the South-Bohemian and Middle Bohemian Regions to the west, and sharing a border with the Pardubice Region to the north-east, the region is situated in the very heart of the Czech Republic. The economy of the region's eastern part is influenced by the neighbouring urban centre of Brno, while the north-eastern part is within the sphere of influence of the capital of Prague.


• BMI Association


• Irina Zálišová, PhDr.: Director


• Iva Walterová M.A.: Project manager


• Lenka Hofmanová: Office executive


• Mgr. Radek Bejdák: External expertise - Institute of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University in Prague.


• Ing. Jiří Krump: External expertise - consultant.


• JUDr. Radim Polčák Ph.D.: External expertise - Department of Legal Theory, Faculty of Law, Masaryk university, Brno.


• Mgr. Radek Pernica: External expertise - TCC


• Jaroslav Winter: External expertise - President of BMI Association


• Ing. Ivan Sokolov PhD: External expertise - external expert


• Ing. Jaroslav Šolc: External expertise - consultant


• Bc. Lukáš Paluzga: External expertise - external expert


• Bc. Petr Sameš: External expertise - trainer


• EPMA Partners


• Universities in Europe: Universities from throughout Europe including Masaryk University in Brno (CZ), Charles University in Prague (CZ), Cracow University of Economics (PL), Vienna University (AT), Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences (DE), etc.


• Masaryk University in Brno (CZ)


• Charles University in Prague (CZ)


• Cracow University of Economics (PL)


• Vienna University (AT)


• Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences (DE)


• European Government Experts: Experts from the Czech and other European national governments, Ministries and other public bodies as well as from European Union bodies including the European Commission, its institutes and the European Parliament Committees.


• European Commission


• European Parliament Committees


• Companies in the Czech Republic: Business companies, associations and development agencies from the Czech Republic and Europe, including Chambers of Commerce and non-profit organisations. Our frequent project partners are organisations such as Austrian Computer Society/OCG (AT), MFG Public Innovation Agency for IT and Media (DE), Danish Technological Institute (DK), MDDA - Manchester Digital Developement Agency, Manchester, UK, etc.


• Chambers of Commerce in the Czech Republic


• Nnon-Profit Organisations in the Czech Republic


• Austrian Computer Society/OCG (AT)


• MFG Public Innovation Agency for IT and Media (DE)


• Danish Technological Institute (DK)


• MDDA - Manchester Digital Developement Agency


• European Networks: Internationally EPMA benefits from close and regular co-operation with significant European networks, including:


• ELANET/CEMR: European Local Authorities Network/Council of Municipalities and Regions


• European Regional Information Society Association: eris@, www.erisa.be, 45 EU regions involved, including the Vysocina Region


• Telecentre-Europe: the network of telecentres bringing together a community of experts and practitioners working towards inclusive digital society, http://www.telecentre-europe.org


• EU Thematic Communities: Thematic communities at the EU portal www.epractice.eu


• CEMSDI/ELANET Community of Practice: The CEMSDI/ELANET Community of Practice bringing together Digital Local Agenda / eGovernment experts and practitioners, www.digitallocalagenda.eu


• EIPA: European school for Public Administration, Maastricht, Netherlands, www.eipa.nl


• NISPaCee: Network of institutes and schools of Public Administrations in Central and Eastern Europe, www.nispa.org. It is also a regional center of UNPAN - United Nations Online Network in Public Administration and Finance, www.unpan.org


• EUROCITIES: a network of major European cities


• GLOBAL Cities Dialog: Association of Mayors and High Political Representatives of cities across the world, www.globalcitiesdialog.com.


• Forum eGovernment/OCG (AT): EPMA is regularly organizing thematic seminars and international workshops. For 5 years (since 2005) EPMA was the programme coordinator and co-organizer of a significant annual international conference Eastern European eGovernment Days held in Prague in cooperation with Forum eGovernment/OCG (AT). Due to these activities, EPMA is linked to a big international network of eGovernment experts from governments, business and academia.


• eGovernment Experts


• EU Regions


• Czech Republic Regions: On the regional level EPMA is connected to more than 50 regions in the Czech Republic and Europe, cooperating with them in thematic projects, currently EPMA is closely working with Regional governments of:


• Vysocina Region: (CZ), http://www.kr-vysocina.cz


• Pilsen Region: (CZ), www.kr-plzensky.cz


• Welsh Assembly Government: (UK), http://wales.gov.uk


• Piedmont Region: (IT), www.regione.peimonte.it


• Lodz Region: Marshal's Office (PL), www.lodzkie.pl


• Local Governments: At the same time EPMA is maintaining cooperation with networks of local governments, such as ANCI (Association of Italian Municipalities), EUDEL (Association of Bask Municipalities) or SMO CR (Union of Towns and Municipalities of the Czech Republic).


• ANCI: Association of Italian Municipalities


• EUDEL: Association of Bask Municipalities


• SMO CR: Union of Towns and Municipalities of the Czech Republic