(Appologies for cross posting)
From 29 June until 1 July 2012 the Wikipedia Academy (#wpac2012) [1]
will take place in Berlin, under the theme “Research and Free Knowledge”. For the first time, Wikimedia Deutschland organises this conference in cooperation with Freie Universität Berlin [2] and the Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society [3]. This year, we lay the focus on research on, with and within Wikipedia and invite researchers who scientifically deal with Free Knowledge and its implications for research and society to participate in the conference. The Wikipedia Academy is aimed to address an international audience. The conference language is English.
On Friday and Saturday the conference will be set at Freie Universität Berlin, School of Business & Economics, Garystrasse 21. The event venue for Sunday will be announced soon.
== Registration == For participation you have to register for a participant pass in advance. The online registration (http://wikipedia-academy.de/2012/wiki/Registration) is open now. The participation fee is 60 Euro (reduced price: 30 Euro) [4].
== Programme == The conference programme is yet subject to alterations. A preliminary programme schedule can be found on the WPAC2012 website [5].
=== Friday 29 June === Ahead of the conference, in the morning of Friday, we offer three workshops (tutorials) which will take place at the conference venue. The topics are Wikipedia Data Analysis for Researchers, Toolserver and GLAM Tools. You can register via the online registration form against an extra participation fee of 10 Euro.
The conference will officially be launched on Friday around 01:30 PM with a keynote speech by Benjamin Mako Hill (researcher at MIT Media Lab and the MIT Sloan School of Management, fellow at Berkman Center for Internet and Society, Free Culture Activist and Advisor der Wikimedia Foundation) introducing to the conference theme Wikipedia and Research. In the afternoon, we will provide the opportunity to get to know a number of different research topics, projects, and ideas in an alternative format during a so-called Speed Geeking. Then, we will also have our first couple of Paper Sessions! Many international researchers have followed our Call for Papers. A list of all accepted submissions is available on our website. At the Paper Sessions the authors will present their scientific works on Wikipedia and Free Knowledge in 30-minute slots each. The first conference day will close with a panel talk on Wikipedia research and the Wikipedia Community.
=== Saturday 30 June === On Saturday we will host paper presentations in three blocks of one and a half hours each. Apart from that, we are planning a panel on science communication applying Wikis and Blogs. The Lightning Talks in the later afternoon will offer an additional opportunity to learn about the results of recent research projects and also about proposals for future projects.
=== Sunday 1 July === On Sunday the Wikipedia Academy will open up for a broader public and invite Wikipedia researchers as well as all those who are interested in the various facets of Wikipedia and related projects and those who are engaged in projects in the context of free culture, free licences, open data or free software. Following a keynote speech by Sarah Stierch (Community Fellow of the Wikimedia Foundation, consultant and expert for topics such as the gender gap and GLAM) on Wikipedia and Diversity, an extended Free Culture Brunch will allow for international and interdisciplinary exchange and cross-linking. Later on, Jeanette Hofmann (HIIG) und Sebastian Hauss (Universität Konstanz) will discuss topics such as the social aspects of Free Knowledge in a panel moderated by Matthias Spielkamp (irights.info). Around 03:00 PM the festive presentation of the Zedler Prize for Free Knowledge will round the Wikipedia Academy 2012 off. With this prize, Wikimedia Deutschland awards single persons, groups or projects for their outstanding performances in the field of Free Knowledge. All Academy participants are cordially invited to join this event.
We look forward to our Guests with their various fields of research and scientific interests, stimulating talks and presentations as well as an active exchange of experiences and ideas at the Wikipedia Academy 2012.
The WPAC2012 Team (academy@wikimedia.de) will be happy to answer questions: Nicole Ebber, Angelika Adam, Maria Rößler and Denis Barthel
[1] http://wikipedia-academy.de/2012/wiki/Main_Page [2] http://www.fu-berlin.de/ [3] http://hiig.de/ [4] http://wikipedia-academy.de/2012/wiki/Registration [5] http://wikipedia-academy.de/2012/wiki/Schedule