On Wednesday 25 May, the 2005 iAwards will recognise and reward Australia’s most innovative ICT solutions.

innovation
Now in its ninth year, the iAwards has become an Australian ICT institution, acknowledging inventive Australian-developed and deployed ICT and providing local companies with exposure through the nation’s premier ICT awards program.

industry interaction
A record number of guests are expected to attend the event at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour, which will include leaders from the ICT industry, and representatives from government, academia and the media. Hosted by celebrity MC Catriona Rowntree, this is Australian technology’s ‘Night of Nights’.

inspiration
The iAwards are not just an acknowledgment of excellence. Awards winners provide inspiration for other rising stars in the Australian ICT industry.

This year, Senator, The Hon. Helen Coonan, Minister for Communications Information Technology and the Arts, will present the ‘inspiration iAward’, which salutes the finest example of ICT innovation in 2005. All iAwards winners from other categories are considered for this award, making it the most important award of the evening.

inside information
The iAwards is held in conjunction with CeBIT Australia (24-26 May 2005), which attracts international exhibitors and influential ICT industry delegations from around the world. CeBIT Australia is the place for ideas, information and inspiration.

individual influence
For the first time, the iAwards will include the CSIRO Award for Individual Achievement in ICT, which will be presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the Australian ICT industry, in either in a single, high-impact initiative or in a long-term series of successes. The award will be decided by a special panel of VIP judges from CSIRO, AIIA, National ICT Australia (NICTA), the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, plus representatives from educational institutions, the ICT industry and the ICT media in Australia.

international
Winners in each category will be invited to represent Australia at the Asia Pacific ICT Awards (APICTA), which will be held in Bali in November 2005.

An invitation
While tickets are selling fast, bookings can still be made by visiting AIIA’s website (and click on events), or call The Communication Link on
(02) 6280 8122.

The 2005 iAwards are presented by AIIA, in conjunction with the Australian Financial Review and CSIRO ICT Centre.

Other partners in the 2005 iAwards include: Telstra, National ICT Australia (NICTA), Welsh Development Agency, IBM, the Department of Communications IT and the Arts (DCITA), CeBIT Australia, I-Nex Corporation, Accenture and ZDNet.

AIIA is more than just a paid workforce representing the ICT industry in Australia. AIIA is made up of countless volunteers who work on committees, taskforces and projects to improve the industry for all of us.

The Cooperative Education for Enterprise Development (CEED) Program in Queensland, now in its 14th year, links companies and government with final year university students from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and/or the University of Queensland (UQ), for completion of research, development and improvement projects.

A delegation of eighteen Indian ICT companies will be in Australia at CeBIT Sydney from 23-25 May 2005, and in Melbourne from 26-27 May 2005.

Austrade has two opportunities for Indonesian ICT business:

• An Indonesian company seeks internet-based geology maps for mining in Indonesia, especially in Kalimantan and Sumatra, and

Visit the 2005 AIIA Software Showcase at CeBIT!