Last year we have started the series of CARNet Users Conferences with high hopes and the main goal to activate our user community. Our first conference CUC '99 turned out to be a great success setting high standards for the future. We accepted this as a challenge. This year, CUC 2000 is offering an improved and richer program with more interactive events and learning experience.

CUC 2000 is entitled "Quest for Information". Under the motto "Web: Towards Meaningful Content" we put more light on the following six important topics related to the main title:

• Publishing on the Web
• Portals and Information Gateways
• Digital Libraries
• Web Design
• Web-based Training
• Information Retrieval.

We analyse Internet, particularly Web as source of information. Is it as useful as it could be? How can we use the full potential of the Web? What can be done to direct Web information space towards more meaningful content?

Two distinguished keynote speakers Nicky Ferguson and Thomas Baker will help us in finding the answers. Mr. Ferguson will speak about Information Gateways and Portals and Mr. Baker will address the metadata issue. Here, I would like to thank them both for their valuable contributions.

To enhance the learning experience we will have two tutorials (T1, T2):

• T1 - Building Gateways to Quality Information on the Internet,
• T2 - Successful Use of Courseware,

and four workshops (WS1 - WS4):

• WS1 - Designing Usable Web Pages,
• WS2 - Digital Libraries,
• WS3 - Efficient Searching on the Internet
• WS4 - Web-based Open Learning.

In that effort, renowned international experts are joining us with the wish to provide you with high quality and up-to-date information. My sincere thanks to all the authors for their time and contributions.

Finally, this year Program Committee has accepted 35 papers and presentations. In addition to six sessions that cover the topics mentioned above, we added one more session entitled "Web-based Applications". Our plan to organize a true "Users conference" i.e. to let the users speak has again been fully accomplished. Speakers from TERENA and Renardus project will also join us.

In addition, we will have four panel discussions following the main topics of the conference. Still, we are open to your ad-hoc proposals to organize BOF meetings.

Web festival competition this year will look for the best portal in three categories:

- general portal,
- subject-based portal,
- portal for special interest groups.

Until September 8 we accepted 119 applications out of which the jury will select the best sites that will enter the final competition for awards. The same as last year, apart from the awards presented by the official jury, users will have the opportunity to vote for "Users Choice" Award via conference Web site.

Finally, my sincere gratitude to the members of program committee, organizing committee and Web festival jury for their dedication. Thanks to our sponsors - they made it possible.

Welcome to CUC 2000. I wish you a successful conference.

Miroslav Milinovic
Program Committee Chair