Open government data fosters good governance, digital innovation, and economic development. To promote the use and benefits of open data, the OSCE Office of the Coordinator for Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) conducted his two training courses for national and local Ukrainian government officials. The training course entitled “OSCE: Open Data Policy Creation and Implementation” was co-sponsored by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and its Chief Digital Transformation Officer (CDTO) campus, as well as by the independent analytical institute Texty.org.ua. It was held in collaboration. media organization.
The two courses were held on February 22nd and 23rd, and February 29th and March 1st. They brought together open data practitioners, speakers and guest lecturers from government, civil society and business representatives in Kyiv. Topics ranged from introducing the National Open Data Law to providing guidance on how to improve the quality of open data and ensure its effective use by Ukrainian government agencies.
“We are building the most convenient digital nation in the world,” said Valeria Ionan, Deputy Minister for Euro Integration at the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.
“Ukraine was one of the first countries to introduce the post of Chief Digital Transformation Officer, which has enabled us to effectively implement digital reforms at the national and regional level. We need more leaders for the digital age, which is why we established the CDTO Campus to provide states with qualified digitization specialists and to train and support personnel already working in the field. OSCE in collaboration with CDTO to launch the first training course on the CDTO campus on developing and implementing open data policies, a powerful anti-corruption measure to improve decision-making efficiency and provide transparency to the public. ” she added.
The session delved into the technical aspects of working with open data and also presented national and international best practices and examples. National and local government digital transformation leaders shared their experiences in publishing and using open data for effective decision-making.
“The Ministry of Digital Transformation has renewed its focus on strengthening and building capacity in the open data sector. However, we recognize that simply collecting data is not enough. To deliver, we need to ensure that data is used effectively. This partnership underscores our shared commitment to leveraging technology for the betterment of society.” said Olena Dobrnik, assistant project officer.
He emphasized that a key element of this initiative is to increase understanding among civil servants of the importance and effective use of open data. “By equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge, we can improve the quality of public information and increase the effectiveness of government regulations and policies. This allows decision-makers to better meet the needs of the public. and promote transparency and accountability.”
The OSCE's focus on digitalization and open data underlines its commitment to promoting good governance and improving the business environment in the country, and will help increase transparency in preventing and combating corruption. It highlights the immense opportunities that digital tools offer.