Amrita OSUM

The Open-Source University Meet-Up (OSUM) is a student developer organization that educates its members about the latest open-source technologies in a fun and engaging way.

Through its on-campus activities, Sun sponsored OSUMs will receive access to technical information that can be shared with OSUM members via technical demonstrations. Additionally, online web courses, through the Sun Academic Initiative program will be available to the OSUM to provide an opportunity to get its members Sun Certified.

Sun has a social networking web site for all registered OSUMs. This online presence will enable the OSUM community to connect with other student developers worldwide. OSUMs can collaborate online in forums and community groups with other student developers who share their technical interests.

Overall, the OSUM is a one-stop community that will expand the educational training and social interaction of the up-and-coming tech-savvy student preparing to enter the global workforce. Find and join your university’s OSUM today!

If your university does not have an OSUM, read below to learn how and why to create a new OSUM community on your campus.

Join Amrita university’s OSUM today!

Download OSUM Datasheet

Download OSUM Poster

Benefits For Existing Student-Developer Groups

Existing student-developer groups, such as ACM and IEEE, will be able to reap benefits for their members by affiliating with the Sun OSUM program. OSUMs will receive various forms of sponsorship for their OSUM meetings, including the following:

• Sun speakers to provide technical demonstrations on open-source technologies and communities that Sun supports
• Access to Sun’s database of hands-on projects and activities that student developers can use during OSUM meetings
• Sun sponsorship of OSUM meetings, including giveaways1 and food and beverage support2
• Access to the OSUM online community, which provides a feature-rich social networking site for student-developer OSUMs

Benefits for OSUM Members

OSUM members will gain benefits that can help them prepare for an IT career by getting access to the latest open-source technologies including free media kits and student-developer resources. Training:

• Hands-on training through student projects and games
• Online training through the Sun Academic Initiative program
• Preparation for and discounts on Sun certification3
• OSUM activities that encourage team building

In addition, OSUM members can reap the following social benefits:

• Global social interaction and camaraderie with other student developers
• Opportunities to collaborate with each other on projects and activities in a fun and engaging way
• Development of interpersonal skills
• A better attitude about learning
• A sense of accomplishment, with a growing sense of competency and self-esteem
• Opportunities to get challenged, get motivated, and get excited

OSUM Elements

The OSUM has two elements that create the organization: Physical and Virtual.

Physical: The OSUM energizes students to participate on campus in Sun’s communities through tech demos, projects, and activities based on open-source technologies and communities that Sun supports.

• Monthly meetings
• Typical activities
• Student projects
• Games
• Guest speakers
• Installfests
• Open-source events
• Face-to-face interaction with campus OSUM members

Virtual: OSUMs enables student developers to connect to each other and to Sun through a virtual social network. New OSUMs and existing student-developer groups that affiliate with the Sun OSUM program will receive free access to the OSUM web site. Benefits of this web site include the following:

• A feature-rich social networking site that can host the web site for each individual OSUM and connect it to OSUMs and their members around the world
• Everyday interaction with a global community of student developers

Students will be able to do the following:

• Write blogs
• Post comments
• Use an instant-messaging application
• Upload photos and videos
• Post profiles of themselves
• Communicate in forums

The OSUM web site allows students to participate and create the online communities. Students can create their own subgroups by technology, language, and other special interests.

OSUM Operations

When you register a new OSUM or an existing student developer group with the OSUM Program, you will receive the OSUM toolkit:

• How-to Guide: A step-by-step guide helps you start a OSUM in your school.
• Access to materials that help publicize the OSUM on campus.
• Access to Sun’s Student Projects and Activities Library for games, workshops and student projects.