The main goal of “FOSS Bridge EU-Vietnam” is to strengthen Southeast Asian software industries and to boost co-operation with Europe through innovative collaboration on “Free and Open Source Software” (FOSS) and business development.

In 2003, Vietnam decided to switch its IT infrastructure to Free and Open Source Software. Demand for experts in the field of FOSS development and implementation is high and still increasing. FOSS Bridge “EU-Vietnam” seeks to support capacity-building in this sector with a special focus on small and medium sized ICT companies in Vietnam.

“FOSS Bridge EU-Vietnam” is financed through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and Europeaid and now being implemented by the German Inwent, the French Inria and the Vietnamese Ioit.  With the assistance of FOSS Bridge “EU-Vietnam”, European companies are matched with Vietnamese FOSS companies, meet local developers and experts and become trainers for Vietnamese counterparts. Thus, FOSS Bridge “EU-Vietnam” supports companies from Vietnam and Europe to set up joint projects. FOSS Bridge “EU-Vietnam” offers to:

• European and Vietnamese IT-companies: twinning between Europe and Asia
• FOSS- intermediary and small and medium-sized enterprises in Vietnam: expert knowledge on innovative business models and EU-regulations
• Network Partners: access to a new FOSS-network and ecosystem.

Further information:  http://www.foss-bridge.org
 http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/93231
http://ec.europa.eu/idabc/fr/document/7163/469 
Contact:   balthas.seibold@inwent.org