The Open Mobile Alliance (OMA), a leading standards development organization for interoperable mobile and IoT technologies, is pleased to announce the launch of its Government & Education (G&E) Participation Program — a new initiative that invites government agencies and academic institutions to engage in OMA’s technical work without the obligations of full membership.

This program provides a structured and accessible pathway for public-sector and academic contributors to participate in developing critical standards such as Lightweight M2M (LwM2M) and smart city object models through the uCIFI Smart City Work Program. These standards help ensure global interoperability for connected infrastructure, public services, and municipal-scale IoT deployments.

We are excited to welcome public agencies and universities into our process! Their insights are vital to advancing practical, deployable standards that benefit communities, cities, and research institutions around the world”, said Seth Newberry, Executive Director of OMA.

What the G&E Program Offers

Through the G&E Program, qualified participants may:

• Attend technical working group meetings
• Access OMA working documents
• Contribute publicly available research or implementation experience
• Help shape next-generation smart city and IoT standards

Participation is free of charge, and organizations are invited to apply through a lightweight application and review process. G&E participants do not vote and cannot hold leadership roles, but their input is welcomed and valued.

Who Is Eligible?

• Government agencies at local, state, national, or municipal levels
• Accredited academic institutions, including universities and research centers

Participants must use official institutional email addresses (e.g., .gov, .edu) and provide their GitHub handle to gain access to private development repositories.

Strengthening Collaboration

This program reflects OMA’s commitment to transparency and inclusivity in standardization. By formalizing engagement with agencies and academia, OMA is building a stronger bridge between public service, academic innovation, and industry alignment.

OMA’s merger with the uCIFI Alliance, a contributor of object models for smart city infrastructure (e.g., street lighting, water metering), has further highlighted the value of integrating real-world operational needs into standards development. The G&E program opens the door to wider participation from cities, utilities, and public researchers.

How to Participate

Agencies and institutions interested in joining can download the application packet at: https://www.openmobilealliance.org/join/ge-packet.

For any questions or assistance, please contact us at: membership@omaorg.org.