An outpost for innovative public policy

The Authority for the Digitization of Romania (RDA) announces the inauguration of the country's first Digital Lab for Public Policy, under the name of Digital Policy Lab. This initiative represents an important step towards the adoption and implementation of innovative technologies in public administration, aiming to streamline activities and optimize processes.

The project, entitled "Strategic framework for the adoption and use of innovative technologies in public administration 2021-2027 - solutions for business efficiency," was co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF), through the Operational Program Administrative Capacity 2014-2020. It was carried out over a period of three years and focused on multiple aspects, with the main objective on the digital transformation of public administration, reports Agerpres.

At the closing conference of the project, activities and results were presented. These included the development of strategic documents for advanced technologies such as Blockchain, Digital Innovation Centers, European Open Science Cloud, and High Performance Computing. Research reports were also developed on the digitization of focus areas such as agriculture, Industry 4.0, health and culture.

A significant aspect of the project is the development of the National Strategic Framework for Artificial Intelligence, which will form the basis of the first National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence.

The RDA's major achievements include the establishment and operationalization of the Digital Policy Lab. This lab is an experimental space dedicated to the testing and detailed demonstration of the strategic approach and operational process of public policy making in its advanced stages.

RDA President Dragoș Cristian Vlad underlined the crucial role of this project in addressing the complex challenges of digital transformation, strengthening partnerships with various stakeholders and delivering strategic results. The Technical University of Cluj-Napoca (UTCN) has been a partner in this endeavor, providing a significant contribution from academia and research.

UTCN Pro-rector Daniela Popescu highlighted the importance of this collaboration in providing a comprehensive strategic perspective on the use of innovative technologies in public administration. The Digital Policy Lab is a hub for innovative ideas, seeking to shape the future of digital public administration in Romania.