Edentity

In early 2007, individuals at JISC (the body responsible for IT developments  in the UK's Higher Education Sector) became interested in the UC-IdM field, but felt that - because the field so clearly crossed sectoral boundaries - it would be inappropriate for JISC to finance work purely by itself.

Instead, it was agreed that JISC might co-sponsor a small conference on the topic, and that the Oxford Interent Institute could act as an informed, but sectorally neutral, host.

Edentity helped organise the confrerence by introducing the Information Commissioner's Office and the Cybersecurity KTN as co-sponsors, and by inviting - on behalf  of  the OII - relevant IdM policy-makers and practitioners from across the public sector.

The conference took place in Oxford on the 7th and 8th June 2007. On the evening of the 7th, Sir David Normington, permanent secretary at the Home Office, gave the keynote address, and was followed by Professor Brian Collins, chief scientific adviser to the Department of Transport, and Dr Stefan Brands, a well known IdM technologist.

The next morning, a group of 20 or so civil servants and IdM experts met for a day's debate and discussion, seeking to develop understanding about the different approaches to IdM, and the uses for which they might be appropriate. Although no startling conclusions emerged, the event did serve to create a foundation for future work.

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