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OpenUK is a UK-based not-for-profit company which supports open source collaboration and open technologies within the United Kingdom. Its primary stated focus is to develop and sustain UK leadership in Open Technology, comprised of open source software, open source hardware and open data.[1] Participants of OpenUK are made up of organisational supporters as well as individual volunteers and committee members, which constitute a body of expertise. OpenUK was identified as a key strategic player in UK open source within the European Commission Open Source Software Country Intelligence Report for the United Kingdom, alongside the British Computer Society.[1] The current Chief Executive Officer and Chief Policy Officer for OpenUK is Amanda Brock.[2]

OpenUK
FormationFebruary 16, 2018; 6 years ago (2018-02-16)[3]
TypePrivate company limited by guarantee
Location
Region served
United Kingdom
Key people
Amanda Brock
Websitewww.openuk.uk

Activity

OpenUK's activity is structured across three themes or pillars; Community, Legal & Policy and Learning.

Within the Community pillar, OpenUK runs a number of events and activities to create a voice inclusive of open technology communities across the UK. In 2020, these included the OpenUK Awards recognising achievement within the UK and contribution to UK leadership in open technologies. OpenUK also undertakes external advocacy, and ran an information stand at the European free software conference, FOSDEM in 2020. Organizational support of OpenUK is primarily through donation and sponsorship of its activities.

Under its Legal & Policy umbrella, OpenUK's activities aim to ensure an environment suitable for the use and deployment of open technology in the UK. This includes raising awareness of legal and policy developments within open technology and collaborating on the EU OSOR report on UK open source activity.[4][5]

Within the Learning pillar is promotion of open technology understanding and familiarity amongst young people and adults in the UK, including at school level and at university level. This includes the interactive Kids' Competition.

OpenUK Awards

A set of awards are run by OpenUK to recognize contribution to the UK open technology environment, divided across a number of categories:

  • Young Person
  • Individual
  • Open Data: for a company, organisation or project
  • Open Hardware: for a company, organisation or project
  • Open Source Software: for a company, organisation or project
  • Open Source Software in Finance and Fintech: for a company or project

Nominations are made early in the year, from which shortlists of 2-3 nominees are created by the Judging Panel. The first awards ceremony is in October 2020.

Kids Competition

In 2020, the Learning pillar included a Kids' Competition, producing online lessons and distributing interactive kits for teams to show creative use of open technology. Kits consisted of a Micro Bit embedded system and MiniMU glove kits. Due to the COVID-19 lockdown, the competition was restructured to allow for fully remote participation, with several thousand more kits being supplied to split across teams.[6] Materials were produced including animations and explanations of open source concepts by a number of educationalists and technologists, including Imogen Heap. School and community teams organized at a regional level for heats, through a video submission competition for a range of prizes.[7]

Structure

OpenUK is run by a Leadership Team covering core organizational functions, with thematic activities across its pillars being driven by workstream committees.[8][9] Broken down by pillar, these include:

  • Community: Events, Museums and Awards committees,
  • Legal & Policy: Ambassadors, Cloud and 5G,
  • Learning: Kids Competition and Universities.

The organization operates a supporter system, where individuals can sign up to a monthly membership, conferring board election rights and additional benefits. OpenUK also works with Partner organizations, on individual activities or generally, through donation and sponsorship models. The not-for-profit company is governed by an elected board of directors, which are held accountable to the company as guarantors. The current board appointed in 2020 shall run for two years, due to COVID-19, before having re-elections. OpenUK is registered in England and Wales as a not-for-profit company, limited by guarantee.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b "OSOR Open Source Software Country Report 2020: UK" (PDF).
  2. ^ "We are Tech Women: Amanda Brock".
  3. ^ a b "Companies House: OPENUK".
  4. ^ "OpenUK collaborating with the European Commission OSOR report enriching content covering UK open source".
  5. ^ "Linux desktop org GNOME Foundation settles lawsuit with patent troll".
  6. ^ https://openuk.uk/openuk-announces-expansion-of-kids-competition-with-digital-summer-camp-3000-minimu-glove-kit-giveaway/
  7. ^ "OpenUK schools competition uses MiniMU Glove, Red Hat also lends a hand".
  8. ^ "Leadership Team".
  9. ^ "WorkStreams and Activities".
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