Welcome!

The software scene is still one of the fastest moving economic branches. New developments conquer the markets at an unparalleled speed. Nowhere else is the latest outdated so soon. That's why it is most important to stay up-to-date in this field and not to miss out on recent developments. This year CONQUEST is to about to open its gates for the seventh time to IT professionals from all over the world, and, at this point, we dare say that it is a prototypical example for the changes that have taken place since 1997.

All along the way CONQUEST has grown. During this time, the number of participants and exhibitors has multiplied. After last year’s successful guest performance of the migrating conference »EuroSPI« at CONQUEST, ASQF is about to launch a triple event – CONQUEST-EuroMotive-Automation Days 2003 – thus taking into account the increasing sector orientation of software development. The enormous growth in the areas automation and automotive has motivated us to offer them their own German-speaking platforms: Automation Days and EuroMotive. According to a report of the Bavarian state government it is precisely those topics that will play a major role in the future. Of course, the well established CONQUEST with its focus on software process improvement will again offer a challenging program in English language.

ASQF’s annual IT conference at the Nuremberg University of Applied Sciences continues to grow. In twelve half-day tutorials and over 50 presentations, with the help of numerous sponsors and exhibitors and a multitude of internationally acclaimed speakers, ASQF again emphasizes its claim as one of the leading German IT organizations.

I am looking forward to welcoming you at CONQUEST, EuroMotive and Automation Days in September here in Nuremberg. Select your personal conference program from the wide variety on offer. Use the numerous opportunities to exchange experience and new insights with the leading experts of your field of work or study and establish new contacts to interesting business partners.

Prof. Dr. Bernd Hindel

ASQF President

As patron of CONQUEST, Automation Days and Euromotive 2003 I would like to welcome everyone attending any of the three conferences.

Every event represents one of three areas that play a key role in Bavaria’s IT economy. The areas automation, automotive and quality management still offer great development potential for software industry enterprises.

Along these lines, the business location Bavaria is extraordinarily well-prepared for the global market. Apart from its infrastructure as well as its density of universities and research institutions a network of many large and medium-sized enterprises has taken on a life of its own. By means of numerous cooperations it has created an IT region of international reputation.

ASQF and the ‘Software-Forum Bayern’ jointly support this creation of networks. CONQUEST, EuroMotive and Automation Days constitute an important contribution. These conferences allow for the exchange of experience and knowledge that is of vital importance to persist in international competition and thus are strengthening the IT location Bavaria as a whole.

Dr. Rudolf Hanisch

Bayerische Landesbank, Software-Offensive Bayern