<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><span class=""><div class="" style="font-weight: bold;">DEADLINE APPROACHING: the call for Session Proposals for SciDataCon 2018, part of International Data Week closes at <b class="">23.59 UTC on Monday 19 February.</b></div><div class="" style="font-weight: bold;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="font-weight: bold;">Call for Sessions <a href="https://www.scidatacon.org/conference/IDW2018/call_for_sessions/" class="">https://www.scidatacon.org/conference/IDW2018/call_for_sessions/</a></div><div class="" style="font-weight: bold;">Submit Session Proposal at <a href="https://www.scidatacon.org/IDW2018/submit/" class="">https://www.scidatacon.org/IDW2018/submit/</a> </div><div class="" style="font-weight: bold;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="font-weight: bold;"><div class="" style="font-family: 'Gill Sans'; font-weight: normal;"><font face="GillSans" class="">International Data Week will be a major event for the global Open Science, data science and research data community. See the conference themes at <a href="https://www.scidatacon.org/conference/IDW2018/conference_themes_and_scope/" class="">https://www.scidatacon.org/conference/IDW2018/conference_themes_and_scope/</a></font></div><div class="" style="font-family: 'Gill Sans'; font-weight: normal;"><font face="GillSans" class=""><br class=""></font></div><div class="" style="font-family: 'Gill Sans'; font-weight: normal;"><font face="GillSans" class="">On the agenda will be the role of data in the sustainable development goals, the emergence of FAIR data, the evolution of scholarly communications, the need for data skills in education and - in sum - the many issues related to Open Science / Open Research, globally and in Africa. We look forward to seeing you in Gaborone in November 2018!</font></div></div></span></div><div class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"> </div><div class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><b class="">International Data Week = SciDataCon and RDA Plenary</b><br class="">International Data Week comprises SciDataCon <a href="http://www.scidatacon.org/" class="">http://www.scidatacon.org/</a>, a conference for research and practice papers addressing all aspects of data in research, and the 12th Plenary Meeting of the Research Data Alliance <a href="https://rd-alliance.org/plenaries/rda-twelfth-plenary-meeting-part-international-data-week-2018-gaborone-botswana" class="">https://rd-alliance.org/plenaries/rda-twelfth-plenary-meeting-part-international-data-week-2018-gaborone-botswana</a><br class=""><br class=""><b class="">Deadline for SciDataCon Session Proposals - Fri 19 Feb 2018</b><br class="">Please consult the call for session proposals <a href="http://www.scidatacon.org/conference/IDW2018/call_for_sessions/" class="">http://www.scidatacon.org/conference/IDW2018/call_for_sessions/</a> and the conference themes at <a href="http://www.scidatacon.org/conference/IDW2018/conference_themes_and_scope/" class="">http://www.scidatacon.org/conference/IDW2018/conference_themes_and_scope/</a></div><div class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><b class="">Key Dates</b></div><div class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><div class=""><ol class=""><li class=""><span class="">Deadline for session proposals: 19 February 2017</span></li><li class=""><span class="">Selected sessions will be notified by 28 February 2018.</span></li><li class=""><span class="">Call for abstracts will be released 1 March 2018</span></li><li class=""><span class="">Deadline for abstracts submission: 30 April 2018</span></li><li class=""><span class="">Target for confirmation of accepted abstracts, 31 May 2018.</span></li></ol></div><font face="GillSans" class=""> </font></div><div class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><b class="">The CODATA General Assembly will take place on 9-10 November 2018.</b><br class=""><br class=""></div><div class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><b class="">About International Data Week</b></div><font face="GillSans" class="" style="font-family: GillSans;">Co-organized by the ICSU Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA), the ICSU World Data System (WDS) and the Research Data Alliance (RDA), this landmark event will address the theme of ‘The Digital Frontiers of Global Science’. In a hyperconnected world where the internet is pervasive and web technologies are driving major changes in our lives, research has become more than ever before digital and international. Furthermore, the major societal and scientific challenges facing humanity in this digital age are profoundly global in character, requiring the participation of researchers from all countries and disciplines. The data revolution is also a major source of the scientific opportunities to address these issues but to realise these potentials the frontiers of science, data analysis and stewardship must be advanced. Likewise, the data revolution must be inclusive, benefitting all, and harnessing all energies: no parts of the world and no disciplines should be left behind.</font><br class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><br class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><span class="" style="font-family: GillSans;">The following themes will be encompassed within the conference’s scope:</span><br class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><div class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><ul class=""><li class="">frontier issues for research in a global and digital age;</li><li class="">applications, progress and challenges of data intensive research;</li><li class="">data infrastructure and enabling practices for international and collaborative research.</li></ul></div><span class="" style="font-family: GillSans;">Like its predecessor, IDW 2018 will bring together data scientists, researchers from all disciplines, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, policy makers and data stewards. All areas of research are in scope, including the social sciences, humanities, and business and management sciences. Similarly, the applications of data outside of research will also be considered. The event will be a rich week of science and data, featuring world renowned keynote speakers, plenary panels and discussions, the presentation of high quality research and practical working sessions for international collaborations. IDW 2018 combines the 12th RDA Plenary Meeting, the biannual meeting of the research data community, and SciDataCon 2018, the scientific conference addressing the frontiers of data in research. To a greater degree than at IDW 2016 in Denver, Colorado, the events will be integrated, such that each day will feature an inspiring and engaging range of activities.</span><br class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><br class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><b class="" style="font-family: GillSans;">Botswana, Africa and the World</b><br class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><span class="" style="font-family: GillSans;">The meeting will be held in Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana. This is an excellent location for this compelling international conference:</span><br class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><br class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><span class="" style="font-family: GillSans;">The fundamental role of data for research, for economic development and ecological sustainability are recognised as important and are supported by the government, research institutions and community.</span><br class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><span class="" style="font-family: GillSans;">The government of Botswana has a strong and forward looking policy to support education, technology, development and research.</span><br class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><span class="" style="font-family: GillSans;">Botswana is active and well-integrated in regional (Southern African Development Community: SADC), African and international collaboration in various areas of research and in data activities.</span><br class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><span class="" style="font-family: GillSans;">The Botswana university and research sector is advancing greatly as a result of these policies and engagements.</span><br class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><span class="" style="font-family: GillSans;">Gaborone is easy to get to, with connecting flights for international participants from Johannesburg (JNB), Nairobi (NBO) and Addis Ababa (ADD), and boasts attractive venues and excellent quality, competitively priced hotels.</span><br class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><span class="" style="font-family: GillSans;">Botswana is one of the safest countries in the world according to the Global Peace Index: </span><a href="http://visionofhumanity.org/indexes/global-peace-index/" class="" style="font-family: GillSans;">http://visionofhumanity.org/indexes/global-peace-index/</a><span class="" style="font-family: GillSans;">. Since independence in 1966, Botswana maintained a stable representative democracy, with a consistent record of uninterrupted democratic elections and ranking 35 (out of 176 countries) in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2016 </span><a href="https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/corruption_perceptions_index_2016" class="" style="font-family: GillSans;">https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/corruption_perceptions_index_2016</a><span class="" style="font-family: GillSans;">. </span><br class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><span class="" style="font-family: GillSans;">Gaborone offers a pleasant location and attractions; in the north of the country, there are unique UNESCO sites for participants who wish to visit before or after the conference.</span><br class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><br class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><div class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><b class="">International Data Week Organisers</b><br class="">The organisers of International Data Week are:<br class=""> <br class="">The University of Botswana on behalf of the Botswana Open Data Open Science Forum <br class="">CODATA, the Committee on Data of the International Council of Science (ICSU) <a href="http://www.codata.org/" class="">http://www.codata.org/</a><br class="">The ICSU World Data System <a href="https://www.icsu-wds.org/" class="">https://www.icsu-wds.org/</a><br class="">The Research Data Alliance <a href="https://rd-alliance.org/node" class="">https://rd-alliance.org/node</a></div><div class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="font-family: GillSans;"><img apple-inline="yes" id="861B9687-E334-46A5-9A6B-B208C45DFE2F" height="501" width="668" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:DE5FB366-225F-436E-9FC0-8FDEB4CDCA7B" class=""></div><div class=""><div style="word-wrap: break-word; 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-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class="">___________________________<br class=""></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class="">DEADLINE APPROACHING: Call for </b><a href="http://www.scidatacon.org/IDW2018/" class=""><b class="">Session Proposals, SciDataCon 2018</b></a><b class="">, deadline 19 February 2018:</b> SciDataCon 2018 is an integrated part of <a href="http://www.codata.org/events/conferences/international-data-week-2018" class="">International Data Week 2018</a>, 5-8 November 2018, Gaborone, Botswana.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class="">CODATA Prospectus: Strategy and Achievement, 2015-2017</b> - updated for 2017 and looking forward to 2018 - <a href="https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1167846" class="">https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1167846</a></div></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class="">___________________________</div></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Dr Simon Hodson | Executive Director CODATA | <a href="http://www.codata.org" class="">http://www.codata.org</a><br class=""><br class="">E-Mail: <a href="mailto:simon@codata.org" class="">simon@codata.org</a> | Twitter: @simonhodson99 | Skype: simonhodson99<br class="">Tel (Office): +33 1 45 25 04 96 | Tel (Cell): +33 6 86 30 42 59<br class=""><br class="">CODATA (Committee on Data of the International Council for Science), 5 rue Auguste Vacquerie, 75016 Paris, FRANCE<br class=""><br class=""></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>