Egoverntech

What a spring it's been! 🌱
This semester, the Next Gen Digital State Research Group at TalTech reached milestones we'll remember for years: the launch of our very own UNESCO Chair, specialized ITU training in Geneva, and the privilege of hosting world-class partners and delegations from Stanford, Astana, Denmark, Japan, the Netherlands, Cape Verde, and beyond.🌍
We also celebrated awards, welcomed new collaborations, and proudest of all, watched a brilliant new cohort of e-Governance Technologies & Services students graduate and step into the world of digital government. 🎓
From research and training to real-world impact, every page of this newsletter reflects the people and partnerships shaping the next generation digital state. Thank you to everyone who was part of the journey. 💜
👉 Dive into our Spring 2026 Newsletter below, we'd love for you to be part of what comes next.

Shaping the Future of Digital Governance Education

Last week, partners of the Digital Bridges Erasmus+ Capacity Building project gathered in Agadir, Morocco, for a consortium meeting dedicated to advancing the development of new Master's curricula in Digital Governance for Morocco, Tunisia, and Palestine.
The meeting was co-hosted by Higher School of Technology of Essaouira - Cadi Ayyad University in cooperation with Université Ibn Zohr and took place at La Cité de l'Innovation Souss-Massa (CISM).
As digital transformation reshapes governments, public services, and societies, there is a growing need for professionals who can bridge technology, governance, policy, and societal challenges. Through this project, we are working together to design educational programmes that prepare the next generation of digital society leaders.

The workshop provided an excellent opportunity to:
🔹 Exchange experiences and best practices from different countries and institutions
🔹 Discuss curriculum design, accreditation requirements, and labour market needs
🔹 Align research findings with educational content development
🔹 Strengthen collaboration between academia, government, and industry stakeholders
🔹 Explore how higher education can better prepare leaders for an AI-driven and digitally transformed society

One of the most valuable aspects of the project is the opportunity to learn from diverse national experiences and collaboratively build educational frameworks that support sustainable digital transformation across regions.

As project coordinator Dr. Riina Palu noted:
"Digital transformation requires leaders who understand both technology and society. Through Digital Bridges, we are working together to build the educational foundations for that future."
Many thanks to our hosts, colleagues, and partners across the consortium for the productive discussions, knowledge sharing, and continued commitment to strengthening digital governance education.

Excited to participate in the EGov4Youth Transfer Workshop hosted at TalTech School of IT!

The workshop brought together public authority officials to explore innovative approaches to digital governance, stakeholder collaboration, and citizen engagement through digital participation tools.

A big thank you to Florian Marcus, Jaanus Riibe, Arianna Jater, Helen Raamat, Dr. Silvia Lips, Anastasiia Dudko, Koit Saarevet, the entire E-gov4youth project team, and everyone who contributed to the discussions, platform demonstration, and co-creation activities.

Key topics included:
• Youth engagement in governance
• Digital participation tools
• Public sector collaboration
• Local initiatives and co-creation
• Sustainable stakeholder cooperation

The discussions generated valuable ideas and bottom-up recommendations for more inclusive, participatory, and digitally enabled governance processes.

Looking forward to continuing collaboration and further developing opportunities for meaningful youth participation through digital innovation.

🌍 A New Chapter for Inclusive and Sustainable Digital Transformation at TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology

On June 10, TalTech proudly launched the UNESCO Chair in Digital Transformation for Inclusive and Sustainable Development, marking an important milestone in advancing research, education, and international collaboration for a more inclusive digital future.
The launch event brought together academics, policymakers, and practitioners to explore how digital transformation can be guided by human-centered values, ethical governance, and sustainability. The event featured presentations by UNESCO Chairholder Dr. David Ramiro Troitino and Co-Chairholder Dr. Riina Palu, a panel discussion on "Building Human-Centered Digital Societies," and the introduction of an exciting new global initiative: The Digital Storybook.

The UNESCO Chair aims to promote:
✅ Digital inclusion and equitable access to education
✅ Ethical and responsible digital governance
✅ International cooperation and knowledge sharing
✅ Research and policy dialogue supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Reflecting on the project's vision, Dr. Riina Palu noted:
💬 "Behind every digital innovation is a human story. By collecting these experiences globally, we can better understand how technology supports resilience, inclusion, and hope in times of uncertainty."
A key highlight of the event was the presentation of The Digital Storybook by Dr. Riina Palu a global citizen science initiative collecting stories from around the world about how technology helps people survive, adapt, and remain resilient during crises, disruptions, and conflict.

As Dr. David Ramiro Troitino emphasized:
💬 "Digital transformation should not be measured only by technological progress, but by its ability to create more inclusive, democratic, and sustainable societies."

The UNESCO Chair will serve as a platform for interdisciplinary research, educational innovation, and international partnerships across Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America, helping shape digital societies that leave no one behind.

A sincere thank you to all participants, speakers, partners, and supporters who joined us in celebrating this important achievement. We look forward to building new collaborations and advancing meaningful impact together.

On 9 June, the Programme Council of the IAGM Master’s Programme “Data and Technologies for a Digital State” convened for its regular meeting.

During the meeting, members reflected on the past academic year, discussed the organisation of the master’s examination, reviewed student feedback, and planned further improvements and redesigns of courses. The current admissions cycle was also assessed, and priorities for the programme’s future development were outlined.

The meeting was opened by Marko Kääramees, Director of the Institute of Computer Science. The Programme Council also includes Andres Sutt, Minister of Energy and Environment of the Republic of Estonia.

Thank you to all Programme Council members and participants for their valuable contributions to the continuous development of the programme!

🌍Building Connections That Drive Digital Transformation

Last week, our Program Director, Dr. Eric Jackson, had the opportunity to moderate the pitch and matchmaking session at the Europe–East Africa DPI Innovation Session in Tallinn, bringing together innovators, public-sector leaders, companies, and ecosystem partners from Estonia and East Africa.

One of the strongest messages from the event was that meaningful digital transformation is not just about technology, it is about people, partnerships, and shared goals. Throughout the session, participants explored opportunities for collaboration in areas such as digital identity, payments, data exchange, cybersecurity, public service delivery, trade, mobility, and health.

As Eric Jackson reflected after the event, the most valuable conversations were often those that moved beyond showcasing solutions and focused on a simple but important question: Who needs to work together to make this happen? That is where real innovation begins.

At the e-Governance Technologies and Services Master's Program at Tallinn University of Technology, we are proud to contribute to these global conversations and to support the next generation of digital government leaders. Events like this demonstrate the value of connecting academic expertise, public-sector experience, and industry innovation to address real-world challenges.

We would like to thank all participants, partners, and organizers for their openness, enthusiasm, and commitment to collaboration. A special acknowledgment goes to Eric Jackson for representing our program and helping facilitate meaningful dialogue, and to Jana Silaškova for her tremendous work in making the event possible.

We look forward to seeing the partnerships, pilot projects, and new ideas that emerge from these connections.

🌍 Strengthening digital governance for sustainable school connectivity

Last week in Geneva, the eGov at TalTech team had the privilege of delivering a specialized training programme for beneficiaries of the International Telecommunication Union, bringing together 29 public sector leaders and digital innovators from 19 countries.
The programme focused on the governance, digital public infrastructure, and ecosystem coordination required to sustainably connect schools and expand meaningful digital access. School connectivity is more than a technical challenge, it is a cornerstone of inclusive education, digital participation, and resilient societies.

Over the course of the training, participants exchanged experiences, explored policy and governance approaches, and worked together to develop practical pathways for advancing school connectivity initiatives in their respective countries.

💬Dr. Riina Palu shared:
"Sustainable school connectivity is not only about infrastructure, it is about creating opportunities. When schools are meaningfully connected, they become gateways to knowledge, innovation, and inclusion. Achieving this requires strong governance, collaboration across sectors, and a long-term vision for building resilient digital societies."

💬Dr. Eric Jackson added:
"Connecting schools is only the first step. What matters is what that connectivity makes possible. By building the right digital public infrastructure, countries can create digital education ecosystems that connect students, teachers, learning resources, and public services in ways that deliver lasting value."

We are grateful to all participants, partners, and contributors who made this programme a valuable platform for learning, collaboration, and innovation. Special thanks to our colleague Dr. Eric Jackson for leading the educational journey and to Omari Loid for his expert support in helping bring this programme to life.