Red Hat Asia Pacific launches
Open Source Collaborative Innovation Initiative in ASEAN.

8 April 2008 - The ASEAN chapter of Red Hat's Open Source Collaborative Innovation Initiative, or OSCI, was launched on Tuesday, 8 April 2008 in Singapore. OSCI is Red Hat’s Asia Pacific-wide initiative that is designed to advance the company’s plan to build a global open source community for collaborative innovation. First launched in January by Jim Whitehurst, Red Hat President & CEO in Beijing, China, the initiative focuses on making more open source solutions available to the market through partnerships with local software developers, developing open source skills, and providing resources and support to encourage an active open source community.

Four programmes under the ASEAN chapter were announced by Jim when he was in Singapore:

Dr Vivian BALAKRISHNAN, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, giving his keynote address at the launch of Red Hat Asia Pacific's OSCI initiative

• Red Hat’s participation in the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore’s (IDA’s) Infocomm Local Industry Upgrading Programme (iLIUP)
  Under iLIUP, Red Hat will work with six local independent software vendors (ISVs) to expand the range of open source applications for enterprises and small- and medium-sized businesses. These partners include C3S, Cxrus Solutions, ECquaria Technologies, Malifax Technologies, Philip Tang & Sons, and Y3 Technologies.
• Expansion of Red Hat Academy in ASEAN
  Red Hat also recruited three new partners for Red Hat Academy in ASEAN — the Asia Pacific College of the Philippines, Singapore Polytechnic and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE). These new Academy partners join Bangkok University and Temasek Polytechnic, the pioneer partners in ASEAN.
• Initiation of the Home of Open Source in Singapore
  Under the OSCI Initiative, Red Hat will also set up the Home of Open Source. To be hosted by the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) at ITE College East, the Home of Open Source will bring together open source evangelists, solution developers and users, and local Linux user groups in a conducive environment for collaborative discussion and innovation.

Red Hat President & CEO, Jim Whitehurst, speaking to Channel News Asia on the value of collaborative innovation

• Setting up of Red Hat Open Source Centres Red Hat also announced the SP-Red Hat Training Centre of Open Source Competency at Singapore Polytechnic and the Red Hat Open Source Development Centre at Temasek Polytechnic.

  The SP-Red Hat Training Centre of Open Source Competency, a collaborative effort between Red Hat and Singapore Polytechnic, will function as an education facility for the Singapore workforce to enable themselves with open source skills on Red Hat technologies. The training centre will partner with the Workforce Development Agency and Infocomm Development Agency to deliver training under the National Infocomm Competency Framework and the Workforce Skills Qualifications System.

  At the Red Hat Open Source Development Centre, Temasek Polytechnic will collaborate with Red Hat and its industry partners to design and develop commercial open source solutions on Red Hat technologies. The Centre aims to spearhead development of innovative technologies using open source as a platform.

New initiative: Red Hat iLIUP (infocomm Local Industry Upgrading Programme) Partners and Red Hat Academy Partners with Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Red Hat CEO Jim Whitehurst and IDA CEO Rear-Admiral (NS) Ronnie Tay at the launch of Red Hat's new project

Snapshots

Red Hat APAC Director of Marketing Daniel Ng and Red Hat President & CEO Jim Whitehurst talking to the press at the OSCI media conference

Red Hat APAC open source evangelist Harish Pillay (left) enthralling Anthony Lim, Managing Director of Malifax Technologies, a Red Hat iLIUP partner, on the virtues of open source

(L - R) Red Hat ASEAN General Manager Teong Eng Guan, CEO Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, Rear-Admiral (NS) Ronnie Tay, and Red Hat President & CEO Jim Whitehurst awaiting the arrival of the Minister

A power-packed first row

Red Hat APAC President Gery Messer giving a passionate welcome to the guests

Red Hat President & CEO Jim Whitehurst at the media conference

(L-R with fedoras) Singapore Polytechnic Principal Tan Hang Cheong, Temasek Polytechnic Principal & CEO Boo Kheng Hua, Institute of Technical Education CEO Bruce Poh, Asia Pacific College of the Philippines Director I.T. Resources Jose Castillo

Students and the Principal of Red Hat Academy partner Singapore Polytechnic with Red Hat ASEAN Services Manager, Alan Ho (extreme left) and Open Source Evangelist, Harish Pillay (extreme right)

(L-R, Front row) Red Hat iLIUP partners; ECquaria Product Marketing Manager Foo Ji Bin, Malifax Technologies Managing Director, Anthony Lim, Y3 Technologies Chief Operating Officer James Loo, Cxrus Solutions Director Chua Boon Wee, C3S Managing Director Yun Ta-Chun, Philip Tang & Sons Senior Technical Director Ferdinand Tang

Forging strong ties between Red Hat and Singapore

Red Hat iLIUP (Infocomm Local Industry Upgrading Programme) Partners and Red Hat Academy Partners with Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Red Hat CEO Jim Whitehurst and IDA CEO Rear-Admiral (NS) Ronnie Tay at the launch of Red Hat Asia Pacific's Open Source Collaborative Innovation Initiative