From the start in 2007 the AAL joint programme and the AAL Association made remarkable progress. With the third call for proposals now in preparation the AAL community grows more and more. Information exchange and communication needs increase considerably. The AAL website, comprising more technical and administrative information about calls and procedures is not sufficient to serve all needs .

The AAL newsletter shall therefore provide a new and community oriented communication platform. The newsletter shall provide more background information about AAL activities. Reports on call results, the first AAL  conference in Vienna in September, the AAL group of regions, these and other activities shall be at the centre of the newsletter.

The AAL newsletter shall not remain a one sided information tool. In the coming month the newsletter shall become a communication channel for all AAL community members. Reports on national activities, exchange of information about national policies, presentations of best practice solutions are next topics. But the most important objective for the future shall be the provision of a communication platform for all stakeholders. Presentations of funded projects, discussions about thematic areas and priorities and other networking activities shall be systematically introduced. Knowledge about user needs, information about products, systems solutions, use cases and business concepts will follow.

We will start already with a report on the first meeting of a group of regions, already active in AAL. The newsletter shall help to disseminate such information and attract more regions to participate. Dialogue groups on user integration and market development could follow. All subscribers are invited to sent their proposals and comments to the editorial team of the AAL newsletter (newsletter@aal-europe.eu).

The next two newsletters published mid of August and early September shall focus on the AAL Conference in Vienna. We will publish reports on important presentations and speakers as well as latest news about the conference itself. You will also find the presentations of the regions, reports on calls and first information about the work programme 2010.

The next newsletters are only available for subscribers. Take the chance now, subscribe.

Gerhard Finking
President of the AAL Association