Each year EuroSTAR Conferences appoints a number of 'Supporting
Organisations' who contribute to the promotion and marketing of the
conference, and support the efforts of the conference marketing
team.
These organisations play a vital role in making each conference
a success, and form part of a large network of EuroSTAR Conference
partners throughout Europe. Supporting organisations are usually
software testing interest groups, and vary in size. Any
organisation can apply for 'Supporting Organisation' status by
contacting the conference manager at +353 91 514470.
The Netherlands
TestNet is a platform for exchanging knowledge in the area of IT
products and services. Near the end of 1996 the initiative was
taken to start the special interest group TestNet, the reason being
the growing interest in structured testing in the Netherlands. The
formal start of TestNet was May 15th 1997, half a year later the
175th member was welcomed. In the 10th anniversary year 2007
TestNet has grown to over 1000 members.
Belgium
Name:
Technologisch Instituut vzw
Website:
www.ti.kviv.be
Email:
Amy.Desmet@kviv.be
Upon its foundation in 1940 the Technological Institute (TI)
took on the specific task of contributing to the propagation of
science and technology, both amongst engineers and scientists, and
the public at large. TI has been open not only to the highly
qualified engineer, but also to the business world. TI therefore
has close ties with industry through the engineer, the numerous
participants in its activities and the corporate membership.
On an annual basis TI organises 130 to 150 activities: some 40
lectures and visits, 65 seminars, workshops and symposia, some 30
courses and approx. 5 international conferences. These activities
are characterised by a spirit of innovative and practical
problem-solving on a scientific basis. TI is active in all
professional fields where technology and science play a central
part (34 different sections). TI is also active as a PCO
(Professional Conference Organiser): TI has been responsible for
organising over 100 International scientific conferences attended
by anywhere from 120 to 2300 participants.TI activities can boast
an annual attendance of over 10,000 participants.
Professionally this large group of participants is linked to
2,500 companies and institutions. TI favours an open policy as far
as cooperation is concerned. TI offers industrial and academic
circles as well as official authorities a platform dedicated to the
exchange and transfer of scientific knowledge and experience.
Denmark
Tecpoint - Denmark is a professional network, which consists of
about 75 Danish companies. The forum organises ten experience
exchange groups in the areas of software quality, software testing,
software metrics, object oriented methods, broadband communication,
multimedia technology, and software process improvement (the Danish
SPIN-group). The forum is sponsored by DELTA Danish Electronics,
Light & Acoustics, which acts as secretariat for the Software
Technology Forum.
Finland
Name: FAST
FAST (Finnish Association of Software Testers)
Website:
www.testausosy.fi
Email:
N/A
Finnish Association of Software Testers (FAST) is a special
interest group (SIG) for software testing in Finland. FAST operates
within Systeemityöyhdistys (Sytyke). Our goal is to enhance the
status of Finnish software testers and help everyone struggling
with the area of testing.
Germany
Name:
The German Computer Society SIG
Website:
www.gi-ev.de
Email:
gs@gi-ev.de
Fachbereich Softwaretechnik is the special interest group for
software engineering of the German Computer Science Society. Its
aim is to promote software engineering. It especially wants to
foster the communication between academia and industry, between
research and application, and to foster the resulting transfer of
knowledge, experience and judgement. It also engages in the
definition of software engineering education and education
options.
Ireland
SoftTest Ireland was establised in 2002. Its objectives are to -
Provide a forum to share testing experiences, enabling networking
with other testing professionals in Ireland - Provide opportunities
to gain knowledge to help improve the testing process in their own
organisations -Support and encourage professional development and
training for testers and students of software testing.
Israel
SIGiST Israel has today over 300 members, and about 100 active
members. SIGiST Israel was founded in June 2000, by Alon Linetzki,
Director of Testing Solutions & Training for the SELA Group,
and was self sponsored, for the first few meetings.
Today, SIGiST Israel is more organized. The organizing committee
is made out of a few members; all are testing and QA managers in
their companies: Mr. Alon Linetzki, SELA Group - Chairman, Mr. Rami
Ben Ari, Flashnetworks, Mr. Yan Baron, Comverse. The aim is to join
a few more members from the industry to the committee. SIGiST
Israel meets every 2-3 months, and the meetings are sponsored
mainly by SELA Group, but were sponsored in the past by RadView,
Rational-IBM, and Mercury.
SIGIST Israel purpose and goals are to create a place in Israel
were testing professionals can meet, speak on common challenges,
suggest solutions to common problems, and be a place were they can
come up with a request for an answer, and get it! SIGiST Israel
organization hopes to be the driving force for recognition for the
testing profession in Israel, the professional body that determines
what skills are needed for it, and is hoping to increase the
awareness toward certification for the different levels of testing
(cooperating with ISTQB, www.istqb.org). SIGiST Israel is joining
efforts to achieve its goals with the Israeli Testing Certification
Board - ITCB - www.itcb.org.il. SIGiST Israel is now updating it's
website, and is planning to re-create it more professionally in the
future. SIGiST Israel are negotiating with several companies to
support their activities and website, and are striving to enlarge
the group of members and testers registered in their repository to
support and inform them of any activity it is planning.
Poland
Name:
SJSI - Polish SW Quality Organization
Website:
www.sjsi.org
Email:
j.nowakowska@sjsi.org
SJSI - Stowarzyszenie Jakoœci Systemów Informatycznych - Poland
(The Association for the Quality of Information Systems) was formed
in May 2003 with the aim of spreading the knowledge related to
quality assurance and formulating ideas and actions to improve the
quality of information systems being developed and deployed in
Poland. It is a non-profit and independent organization.
The association is intended to serve as a platform for
exchanging knowledge, experience and skills and raising the
qualifications of quality assurance and testing professionals. It
encompasses the best quality assurance and software development
experts in Poland.
SJSI now has about 100 members and supporters. They can meet and
exchange ideas during meetings being held on monthly basis
Scotland
BCS in Scotland acts as a national focal point for Scottish
Interests, Issues, News and Events. It is the voice of Scottish ICT
professionals in such national bodies as the Scottish Parliament
and Government, NHS Scotland and local authorities in Scotland. The
Branches and main Specialist Groups active in Scotland are listed
on the website.
Sweden
SAST, Swedish Association Software Testing, is the biggest
Swedish non-profit, independent test organisation with over 4.500
members. It was started in 1995 and the goals are to:
- Create forums where members can exchange experiences and
network with each other
- Support the development of software testing
- Aid the members' skills development
SAST also have three local organisations situated in different
places in Sweden. Four times a year SAST arranges a full day
seminar on testing and testing related subjects. Presenters from
all over the world are invited to share their knowledge. The
meetings are sponsored by more than a dozen testing companies and
are at cost price for the members.
We have established a cooperation with the academic world and
invite researchers both from the industry and the academic world as
speakers.
SAST aims is to create forums for knowledge & experience
exchange between testers in Sweden.
United Kingdom
Name:
BCS SIGIST (Special Interest Group in Software Testing)
Website:
www.sigist.org.uk
Contact:
martin.adcock@experimentus.com
The BCS SIGIST was established in 1989 to further the
interests/education of software/system testers, and is now the
largest independent group of testers in the UK. It hosts
conferences five times each year in London with presentations on
all aspects of testing as well as providing a good opportunity for
members to network.
The SIGIST also runs a library, hosts book reviews and has an
exhibition by vendors of testing tools/services running in parallel
with each conference. A newsletter is issued on a regular basis to
keep members in touch, with news/articles etc. The SIGIST invites
Keynote Speakers who are renowned internationally for their testing
experience to present papers, providing members with the
opportunity to question them on aspects of testing. Occasionally
the conferences also include BOF (Birds of a Feather) sessions
allowing individuals to join a group to discuss specific testing
issues.
The SIGIST is one of the largest Special Interest Groups within
the BCS, always attracting large attendances. There are nearly
3,000 testers on their database, and membership provides a number
of preferential benefits.
Norway
The NCS is the largest special interest society for information
technology (IT) in Norway. It is an open, independent forum for
Norway's IT professionals and advanced IT users. The society
encompasses the IT industry, corporations in general and research
and development institutions. The NCS is an independent and wholly
self-financed society with more than 10,500 registered members and
more than 1,200 company members.