The scope of the ePart09 covers the whole range of research in eParticipation. Its principal aim is to review research advances in both social and technological scientific domains, seeking to demonstrate new concepts, methods and styles of eParticipation.

ePart is dedicated to innovative and rigorous eParticipation research. It aims to bring together researchers from a wide range of academic disciplines. ePart provides the scientific community with a platform for discussing and advancing research findings, for networking among researchers, and for providing an environment for young researchers to enter into a community which deals with a highly complex and multi-faceted discipline of research.

The first ePart conference focuses on, but is not limited to, the following topics around eParticipation:

• The Research landscape, directions and foundations
• Research methods, method integration and techniques
• Comparative analyses of eParticipation practices
• Quality and impact of eParticipation projects
• Inclusive eParticipation
• Understanding online conversation and supporting deliberation
• Representatives and eParticipation
• Social networking and eParticipation
• Cultural and normative differences in eParticipation
• Education, training courses, and curricula
• Governance and eParticipation toolbox
• Policy modelling, simulation and visualisation
• eConsulation, ePoling, eLegislation, eVoting.

The conference allows for four distinct types of submissions (see also submission guidelines):

• Completed research papers
• Ongoing research and innovative projects
• Workshops and panels on pertinent issues
• PhD colloquium submission.

The programme also includes a PhD student colloquium providing doctoral students with an international forum for presenting their work, networking opportunities and cross-disciplinary inspiration.
ePart originates from work conducted within the DEMO-net project, which is the European Union funded Network of Excellence on eParticipation (www.demo-net.org). Over the lifetime of DEMO-net, a vast amount of knowledge and research findings on eParticipation has been produced. DEMO-net partners and other experts in the field of eParticipation from different disciplines continue to advance research in this field. Yet up to now, eParticipation has only been a theme within other conferences such as in eGovernment, eBusiness and Information Systems conferences. With this first international conference on eParticipation (ePart), DEMO-net corrects that deficiency and supports the formation of this high-level scientific conference.

ePart is closely aligned with EGOV and the EGOV community. The organizers consider both conferences as sister conferences and have committed themselves to co-locating the two events in the years to come. Rationale for this co-location is that many experts belong to both fields of research (especially in computer science and information systems fields).

In its first year, ePart will be organized within the DEXA conference cluster. All accepted completed research papers will be published in "Lecture Notes in Computer Science" (LNCS) by Springer Verlag. Outstanding research papers from the conference will be selected for further development and publication in a special issue of the eParticipation Journal. Ongoing research and innovation projects papers will be published by Trauner Druck along with relevant papers of the EGOV conference.

To submit your paper via the DEXA ConfDriver, you first need to create your own account (see the user login navigation bar at ConfDriver). After you have created your own account, log on to the system and choose the right track to which you want to submit your paper.

Workshop and Panel on "eParticipation Projects: Learning from Good Practice"

Within ePart 2009 a workshop and a panel will take place focusing on the exchange of relevant good practice.

The Workshop will include presentations of eParticipation projects focusing on lessons learnt i.e. what works, what doesn’t and why. Working demonstrations of prototypes are also envisaged.

The Panel will follow the Workshop and include a discussion with a number of persons with hands-on expertise on eParticipation projects. The aim of the panel is to bring to light, discuss and share a wide array of approaches, lessons learnt, key success factors, emerging and existing challenges what works, what does not and why etc.

Presenters of the Workshops and Panellists will be selected from those who submitted a relevant paper i.e. a paper presenting the results of or describing an eParticipation project.

It should be reminded that especially for eParticipation projects, there are two submission options:

Track 1: eParticipation research papers
The Research section invites integrated empirical/theoretical as well as conceptual work from eParticipation projects. These papers should have a strong focus on scientific rigour and may be max 12 pages.
Papers in this section will be double blind reviewed by 3 reviewers for rigour, relevance, originality and clarity of presentation. Accepted papers will be published by Springer in "Lecture Notes in Computer Science" (LNCS).

Track 4: eParticipation projects
The Ongoing research, projects, and general development issues invites eParticipation projects and case descriptions of ongoing or completed projects. Emphasis must be given on project description, key challenges, lessons learnt, success factors etc. and may be max 8 pages.
Papers in this section will also be double blind reviewed, but focus is more on relevance than scientific rigour. Accepted papers will be published by Trauner Druck along with relevant papers of the EGOV conference.

Workshop and Panel Organiser: Efthimios Tambouris