EU back to University – eGovernance: digital transformation and citizenship

Andrea Servida
Head of Unit “eGovernment and Trust”
DG CONNECT – H4
European Commission

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‘EU Back to University’ is an initiative whereby EU officials visit universities in their home country and share their personal experience of Europe with students, phd students and researchers. It gives the chance to learn more about the European Union and how it works and to have a lively discussion on the opportunities as well as challenges of being part of the EU. The EU official, in turn, becomes the ‘face’ of Europe for a day.

The Seminar

To illustrate the opportunities and the challenges of being part of the EU, the seminar will engage the audience in debating the transformative nature of digital technologies and how the EU is working with Member States, regional / local authorities, private sector and citizens in governing the digital transformation of society, including the call for new governance structures and models.

The digital transformation of government is a key element to the success of the Single Market. The public sector, which accounts for over a quarter of total employment and contributes to approximately a fifth of the EU’s GDP through public procurement, plays a key role in the digital single market as a regulator, services provider and employer. Every year, over 250,000 public authorities all across the EU spend around 14 % of GDP on goods, services and works.

The aim of the seminar is to discuss ongoing initiatives and future European programmes to promote the digital transformation of public services across the EU. By removing physical constraints, digital technologies facilitate the collaboration between administrations and outside stakeholders in initiating, shaping and implementing policy or administrative decisions.

Citizens’ involvement in the design, production and delivery of public services is “considered as a cornerstone for social innovation in the public sector”. In this way, the transformative power of digital technologies will contribute to improving sustainability, social inclusion, government accountability and, last but not least, new eGovernance models for the benefit of European citizens.