Saleem Zoughbi is a Senior Research Consultant at the United Nations University (UNU-EGOV) since 2020.
Saleem Zoughbi is a senior researcher advisor for information and communication technology (ICT). He has provided technical assistance and advisory services to over 50 developing countries, assisting governments on strategic and policy levels on e‐governance, smart cities, national strategies and ICT development, and national digital transformation policies.
Saleem spent over 18 years in his academic career before he moved to international development, and research and development on science and technology policies.
The major scope of his expertise within digital transformation has been characterized by three essential interleaving tiers. The first one concerns the measurement, evaluation and monitoring of digital governance; e-democracy and e-participation; interoperability of information systems; and digital governance, including strategies, policies, roadmaps and sustainable development. It includes transformation models and change management, among other aspects. These range from simple models for implementing national e-government and empowering citizens, to large-scale design of the entire public administration, government platforms and evolving technological trends in digital transformation. The second tier refers to equitable and sustainable development in digital transformation and digital governance, as described above, along with mapping, adaptation and redesigning to fit the real situations of developing nations, in order to provide the intended service and operation for these developing nations. This involves dealing with pragmatism with resource allocation challenges, and utilizing technologies that provide a hope for some nations to “not be left behind”. The third tier involves emerging and agile smart technologies, within a city’s transformation into a ‘smart city’. It uses a sectorial or holistic approach in order to realize a happier life for citizens, while holding digital transformation as the main guiding principle of such development.
Blending all these, in the last several years he has been focusing on community engagement and citizen participation and inclusion, reconciling the digital divide within nations; digital economy and innovation development, enhancing opportunities for attaining economic benefits and opportunities; and benchmarking, measurements and assessment of digital achievements, using international methodologies as well as exploring trends of change.
Currently, Saleem is involved with the Digital Government Authority of Saudi Arabia. He is also a cofounder of the West African Digital Governance Forum.
Saleem holds a Post-Doc Certificate in science public policy from University of Washington, a Ph.D. in digital engineering from California Coast University, and an M. Eng from Concordia University.