EGovernance Academy in Tallinn, Estonia: Changing Minds, Developing Attitudes and Influencing Polici

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E-Governance Academy in Tallinn, Estonia
Changing Minds, Developing Attitudes and
Influencing Policies via Training, Research,
Advice, and Networking

• Yuri Misnikov
• Regional ICT-for-Development Regional Advisor
• Democratic Governance Programme
• UNDP Regional Centre (Europe CIS)
• Bratislava, Slovakia

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Good progress but more challenges ahead

• Concluded the Final eEurope Progress Report
  presented at the European Ministerial Conference
  in February 2004 in Budapest outlining the
  advancements made by the former Acceding and
  current Candidate Countries (ACC) in the overall
  implementation of the eEurope Action Plan.
• eEurope Action Plan was an instrument of
  helping ACC to implement eEurope 2005 Action Plan
  a strategy for EU to become the worlds most
  competitive economy based on knowledge

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Some facts statistics (1)

• Most directives concerned with Information
  Society Services being either under
  implementation or at the stage of draft laws.
  
• Number of Internet users grew during 2001-2003 by
  60 -- to 15 (age group from 1 to 74).
  
• Still far less that EU average of 40.

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Some facts statistics (2)

• 80 use Internet for simple information search
• 75 -- for communication purposes
• 40 -- for downloading games/music 32 -- for
  visiting chat rooms and discussion forums
  
• 23 -- for obtaining banking services,
• 3 for financial services

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Some facts statistics (3)

• e-Banking
• as low as 5-10
• Estonia -- 95 of bank transactions are conducted
  via electronic channels
  
• Looking for goods and services
• healthy 51
• BUT actual online purchasing 12 and less
• e-Business
• 70 of companies with Internet connection
• BUT only 39 were present on the Web
• BUT less than one-tenth received orders online

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Some facts statistics (4)

• e-Services to citizens
• Grew rapidly from 1 to 20 of fully
  transactional online
  
• 17 interacted online with public authorities to
  obtain, e.g., official forms
  
• BUT only 9 returned these forms back to the
  government
  
• Only 16 of enterprises used the Internet to make
  social contribution for employees
  
• Only 11 to handle VAT declaration and
  notification.
  

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Some facts statistics (5)

• Who are non-users?
• Over 50 of all Internet non-users in Estonia
  dont relate their lives to the Internet
  
• 27 are Passive People and 28 -- Blue Collars
  who dont see any reason to use the Internet and
  see no benefits in it (studies by AS Emor and
  PRAXIS Center for Policy Studies (2002).
• 2/3 of all non-users cannot specify any areas
  that could be of any use for them
  
• 1/3 dont know what the Internet is
• 1/4 dont know how to use a computer

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Rhetoric Questions

• What public sector policy makers and e-governance
  practitioners should make of these figures?
  
• How to motivate people to adapt technology and
  use benefits of the information society?
  

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Non-Rhetoric Answers (1)

• By Estonian experts
• Putting more emphasis on social and economic
  impacts of ICT development rather than on
  measuring and encouraging technology advances
  
• Blue Collars group should be the main target
• Internet needs to be transformed into a channel
  for daily errands, and a broader understanding
  of the Internet for everyone needs to be
  created among the Passive People group.

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Non-Rhetoric Answers (2)

• By Estonian experts
• Use web-technology to build state-level
  information systems to replace other traditional
  user interface technologies to allow for new
  possibilities for the unification and integration
  of e-services.
• Move from back-office centred developments to
  front office or unified user interface ones.
  
• Place workplace software of information systems
  in central servers instead of workplace computers
  to enable each Internet computer to serve as a
  terminal for many information systems.

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Non-Rhetoric Answers (3)

• By Estonian experts
• Move away from in the development of databases of
  data collection to services
  
• Move away from institution-based approach to
  inter-institutional one.
  
• Move away from infrastructure development to that
  of information systems
  
• Operationalize Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) in
  synergy with ID cards for new opportunities for
  unified identification of users of e-services and
  for the use of digital signatures.

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Non-Rhetoric Answers (4)

• By EU Report
• Urgently stimulate the deployment of interactive
  media-rich content to drive the broadband access
  to the Internet
  
• Ensure access to public sector information for a
  faster adoption of new ways of communication with
  the state
  
• Invest more by regional and local governments in
  Public Internet Access Points (PIAP), especially
  school-based to bring ICTs closer to people
  

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Non-Rhetoric Answers (5)

• By EU Report
• Co continue implementation of e-government
  initiatives beyond simple provision of
  information and towards fully transactional
  services focused on the needs of citizens and
  businesses
• Support innovative public-private partnerships to
  promote investment in and use of ICTs in small
  and medium enterprises.
  

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Non-Rhetoric Answers (6)

• By EU Report
• Make available a rich and highly developed set of
  services that will motivate adoption by the
  public,
  
• Involve sufficiently large user population that
  will motivate the business sector to invest in
  the provision of ICT-enabled services
  

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Non-Rhetoric Answers (7)

• By Canadian experts (by Laurie Sweezey of
  e-Ontario)
  
• Create self-managing (i.e. smart) data
• Adopt XML as a data exchange mechanism
• Adopt a set of standards and specifications for
  designing interoperable information systems
  (ebXML)
  
• Use open standards
• Implement distributed network of registries and
  repositories
  
• Apply accountability framework
• Develop standards, guidelines, and best
  practices
  
• Create re-usable metadata and design patterns
• Create Information Management Centre of Expertise
  
  

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Estonia Giving A Big Lesson from a Small Country

• Dear Reader,
• I would not consider it an exaggeration to say
  that e has put Estonia back on the world map.
  Living in a small country with limited resources,
  the pressure to make public administration as
  efficient as possible forced our Government to
  look for opportunities to take advantage of
  modern technology and turn Estonia into eEstonia.
  And these efforts have been crowned with success.
  E-developments in Estonia are well known both
  domestically and abroad. This should not,
  however, give us reason to rest on laurels. On
  the contrary if Estonia is to maintain and
  increase its competitiveness in the
  ever-globalising world, a lot more has to be
  done.
• ICT-related developments in Estonia have been
  development driven rather than policy led,
  ensuring thus a good level of co-operation
  between the public and the private sector.

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Estonia Giving A Big Lesson from a Small Country

• Nevertheless, the first IT policy, which was
  approved by the Estonian Parliament in 1998, was
  an important step in determining the principles
  of the information society development. The
  document you are holding in your hand
  Principles of the Estonian nformation Policy
  2004-2006 is a step further, aiming to
  strengthen the central IT co-ordination and
  increase consistency and collaboration in
  developing the information society.
• To achieve the Lisbon goals and information
  society for all throughout Europe, principles
  have been agreed on also at the EU level. Our IT
  policy follows the objectives set out in the
  eEurope 2005 action plan and other strategic
  documents in Europe. Thus, the priority fields of
  the eEurope 2005 action plan e-services in
  eGovernment, eLearning, eHealth and eBusiness as
  well as their secure underlying infrastructure
  are the key words of the Estonian information
  policy.

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Estonia Giving A Big Lesson from a Small Country

• IT policy, however, will count for little if it
  remains a stand-alone strategy without any links
  to other policy fields. Using IT is not an
  objective itself, but means for giving added
  value to other spheres of life. Thus, the
  e-dimension has to be integrated into all policy
  documents and strategies in order to reap real
  benefits from IT.
• Enjoy reading!
• Meelis Atonen
• Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications
• PREFACE for
• ICT in Public Administration Yearbook

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IT Strategy Trainings for Estonian Public Sector

• First seminars on IT public sector applications
  for Ministers and Heads of Offices in 1992-1993
  
• Systematic training almost non-existent before
  1995
  
• Push from the Department of State Information
  Systems - government body responsible for
  coordination of IT in public sector in 1998-1999
  as a remedy for problems
• in budgeting of IT expenses
• in public procurement of IT
• In setting the goals for IT in public sector

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International Program IT management in Public
Sector

• Co-financed by Estonian Government, Baltic Sea IT
  Fund (Swedish Foreign-Aid Fund) and private IT
  company Baltic Computer Systems (BCS) - first
  PPP?
• Implementation - joint effort of Swedish
  Association of IT, Department of State
  Information Systems and BCS
  
• First training in May 1999

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Training Program IT management in Public Sector

• Four main modules, each 2-3 days long
• IT strategic management
• IT project management
• System Analysis tools and methods
• Technology (from the managers viewpoint)
• Process analysis and re-engineering
• Telecommunication
• Target group IT managers, IT department heads in
  ministries
  
• During 1999 2001 almost all IT managers
  (decision makers) in public sector (ca 200)
  trained
  
• Trainings for private sector 2001 ....

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Training Program Results

• Change in thinking of general managers and IT
  managers Business leads!
  
• Critical mass! Project-based approach!
• Changes in budgeting and goal-setting procedures
  in public sector
  
• Importance of training was recognised

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Mission of eGA

• WHY Promote e-governance as e-democracy tool to
  support democratic governance practices and open
  information society in the former Soviet Union
  and South Eastern Europe
• WHAT Training services, research and networking
  in e-governance drawing on Estonian experience
  and in future other EU accession countries
  
• HOW Transfer of knowledge through training,
  research, annual conference, as well as through a
  Russian language listserv.

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BackgroundLink to Global Commitments

• Facilitate meeting the internationally agreed
  Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including
  
  
• MDG No. 8 Develop a Global partnership for
  Development with specific focus on Target 12
  Commitment to good governance and Target 18 In
  cooperation with private sector to make available
  the benefits of new Information and
  Communications Technologies.

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Background ICT as Enabler of Development

• For Economic Opportunity
• Equal access to market and market information
• Income generation though expanded economic
  networks and increased productivity
  
• Wider employment opportunities for employment
• For Empowerment and Participation
• Empowered governments More efficient,
  transparent and accessible government processes
  and services
  
• Empowered citizens Better communication and
  information-sharing among people and
  organizations
  
• Empowered communities Enhanced self-governance
  and increased collective power

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Background Link to Good Governance (1)

• Governance a missing link
• Between sustainable all-inclusive development and
  economic growth and prosperity for all
  
• Governance practices the key to Society
• How the society is organized and governed (public
  administration, civil services, self-governance,
  corporate governance, access to justice, role of
  parliaments)
• Good Governance the key to democratic practices
  
  
• Whether people have opportunity and means to
  participate in decision-making
  
• Whether economic development is equitable and its
  fruits are available for all

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Background Link to Good Governance (2)

• ICT for Development is part of Governance
• But not neutral to various governance practices
  and methods while different governance settings
  not neutral to ICTD potential
  
• e-Governance is part of the overall Governance
• With focus on improving governance practices by
  employing ICT means
  
• e-Governance is wider of e-Government
• As includes Government-citizen communication and
  is about public participation
  
• e-Governance means Good Governance
• As promotes and empowers democratic processes

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Background Link to Open Information Society

• Information Society is about empowering its
  members with knowledge everywhere anytime by
  employing ICT and relevant legal frameworks
  
• E-Governance promotes Information Society
• Information Society is more equitable and hence
  more democratic
  
• Shares knowledge with all members
• Promotes public-private partnerships
• National e-strategies important tool for
  e-Governance
  

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Regional context Need for Capacity Development

• Internationally agreed principles of building the
  information society (Bucharest Pan European
  Regional WSIS Conference, 7-9 November, 2002)
  
• Develop human capacity though education and
  training
  
• Promote e-Government more efficient and more
  accountable
  
• Develop national e-Strategies by benefiting from
  existing knowledge and experience on best
  practices and learning from one another

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Problems in East and South (1)

• Lack of policies
• In formulation and implementation of national
  e-strategies
  
• In establishing agencies/institutions in charge
  of the information society
  
• In benchmarking of progress in building the
  information society
  
• In laws on access to public information
• There are successful examples
• eEurope and eEurope
• Electronic South East Europe (eSEEurope Agenda)

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Problems in East and South (2)

• Lack of real strong commitment to make the
  information society a development priority of
  
• Governments and legislatures
• Political elites information society is not on
  the agenda of major political party in the
  region
  
• General public
• Lack of effective and replicable public-private
  partnership models and strategies
  
• As a tool for gaining tangible economic benefits
  from the use of ICTs
  
• Lack of transparent governance practices in
  telecom sector (limited public access, high
  prices, little investment telecom sector can be
  a powerful engine of economic growth)

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UNDP Strategy for Europe and the CIS

• In partnerships with all other interested
  partners
  
• Build capacity through e-governance training,
  networking and research to facilitate change
  
• Help shape up national and common regional
  policies and strategies
  
• Develop guidelines for formulation,
  implementation and benchmarking of information
  society
  
• Promote community public access as part of local
  sustainable development strategies
  
• Share the regions best practices through
  networking
  
• Promote public-private partnerships and
  investment
  
• Provide consultancy and policy advice on demand

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What is eGA (1)

• Venue
• Tallinn, Estonia
• Partners
• UNDP, OSI, Government of Estonia (MFA, Ministry
  of Economy and Finance)
  
• Clients
• Public sector policy makers and ICT specialists
  in Europe and the SEE
  

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What is eGA (2)

• Accomplishments
• Over 300 participants trained from almost all the
  countries in the CIS and SEE
  
• Several consultancy missions undertaken
• Listserv in Russian created and maintained
• Projects in e-Transparency and Anti-corruption
  started
  
• Workshop on e-Democracy held
• Stand and interest in Geneva at WSIS (visited by
  UN Secretary General Kofi Anna and UNDP
  Administrator Mark Malloch Brown)
  
• Annual Report issued

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What is eGA (3)

• Training in 2004 (total 168 persons)
• Mongolia (2-7 February) 18 participants
• Ukraine (29 March- 2 April) 14
• Tajikistan Uzbekistan (12-17 April) 18
• Balkans (31 May- 4 June) 18
• Macedonia (14-20 June) 19
• Georgia Moldova (24- 31 August) 24
• Uzbekistan (25-31 Oct04) 22
• Kazakhstan (24- 30 Nov04) 12
• Macedonia Ukraine (13- 17 Dec04) 25

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What is eGA (4)

• Study tours
• Moldova (12-17 January) 4 delegates
• Kazakhstan (16-20 June)5 delegates
• Workshops
• Public On-line Consultations together with
  Knowledge Society Management Institute of Law
  University of Lithuania and Hanseard Society
  (UK) 40 people

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What is eGA (5)

• Workshops
• I-Law Eurasia 2004 Emerging Legal and Policy
  Issues for the Information Age together with
  Berkman Center for Internet and Society at
  Harvard Law School 60 participants

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What is eGA (6)

• Consultancy missions (8)
• Georgia (2)
• Kazakhstan (3)
• Kyrgyzstan
• Namibia
• Macedonia

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What is eGA (7)

• Projects
• Georgia TigerLeap (completed III stage,
  continuing with implementation)
  
• Corruption ICT Toolkit (case studies
  completed, continuing with analysis)
  
• Macedonia
• Model Local e-Government (started only)
• Train The Trainers (delivered)

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Expected Impacts

• Changed attitudes and minds among public
  officials and their counterparts
  
• Improved regional exchanges and networking
• Improved opportunities for common regional and
  sub-regional policies and benchmarking
  
• Generation and diffusion of new knowledge

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What is eGA Training Programme (1)

• A standard policy and practice five-day training
  course
  
• Day 1 Introduction ICT Public Sector
  Orientation, Expectations, Formation of ICT
  Policy, Legal framework for ICT regulation
  
• Day 2 ICT situation in Estonia ICT Education,
  Role of the Third Sector, ICT Penetration and
  Access, Telecom situation, Private Initiatives
  
• Day 3 ICT Management in Theory and Practice
  Development of e-strategies in Public and Private
  Sector, E-citizen, Management, Coordination and
  Auditing of Public Sector IT Projects, e-Tax

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What is eGA Training Programme (2)

• A standard five-day training course
• Day 4 ICT in Public Sector E-government in
  Estonia in Practice. E-services technologies
  Government Session System Digital Document
  Management System of ICT E-government Scorecard
• Day 5 IDcard, Digital Signature, Coordination
  International Cooperation, Workgroup Seminar,
  QA, Evaluation
  

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Participants Priority Topics (1)

• Bestsellers
• Digital Signature ID-Cards
• E-Documents and e-Government
• United Service Layer for National/Sectoral
  Registers and Databases
  
• IT Strategies in Private and Public sectors
• Legal Frameworks and Regulation
• National ICT Policy

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Participants Priority Topics (2)

• Strong Interest
• Coordination in Public Sector
• Telecom situation
• ICT penetration
• International cooperation
• Land registration
• ICT private sector and big capital investment

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Implementation Mechanism

• Piloted in 2002 jointly with the Baltic Computer
  Systems
  
• Strategy jointly approved by all three parties
• Trilateral MoU with Government of Estonia and
  OSI, in cooperation with the Baltic Computer
  Systems
  
• Cooperation Agreement between UNDP Bratislava and
  eGA
  
• eGA is non-profit organization acting as
  implementing agency receiving quarterly advances
  via UNDP on behalf of G-E and OSI
  
• Managed through Supervisory Board and Advisory
  Committee

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Future

• Specialized course on Local e-Governance
• Specialized course on Gender and ICT
• More Advisory missions and consultancies
• More research and publications
• Assistance in establishing e-Governance training
  curricula in other countries on demand, jointly
  with the Network of Public Administraiton Schools
  and Institutions in Central Eastern Europe
  (NISPAcee)
• From 2006 eGA will be eligible for direct support
  from the EU funds

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END

• Training Guidelines, Programme and Schedule are
  available at www.ega.ee and www.undp.sk
  
• THANK YOU!
• Contact details yuri.misnikov_at_undp.org,
  itallo_at_solo.ee