Demetrios Sarantis, a researcher at the UNU-EGOV, recently took part in two international events focused on the future of digital governance and the assessment of open data initiatives. His active participation highlighted UNU-EGOV’s ongoing role in promoting innovation in the domain of ICT-enabled governance.
The first event, the 11th International Summer School on Digital Government – OpenGov2024, took place on the Greek island of Samos from 26 to 30 August 2024. This event brought together globally recognized scientists, experts, and young researchers to discuss and develop skills in the areas of policy modelling, information management, and disruptive technologies in governance. Sarantis delivered a lecture on “Assessment Methodologies in Open Data Initiatives” focusing on the growing importance of assessing open data initiatives. He introduced a range of assessment design aspects, methodologies, and approaches, contributing to the development of frameworks that can effectively measure the impact and success of open data initiatives in various governance contexts.
Following his participation in OpenGov2024, Sarantis took part in the 21st European Mediterranean & Middle Eastern Conference on Information Systems (EMCIS), co-organized by The American College of Greece and The British University in Dubai in Athens on 2 and 3 September 2024. The conference featured participants from Europe, Asia, and Africa. It offered several paper sessions and keynote addresses on topics including the digital transformation of the public sector, sustainable societies, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and the metaverse.
Sarantis contributed to EMCIS by presenting his paper, "Methodologies for Open Data Initiatives Assessment: a Comparative Review". His work applied a systematic review methodology to identify, extract, and analyze key assessment methods used in evaluating open data initiatives, furthering the conversation on how governments and institutions can better implement and assess these initiatives for greater transparency and efficiency.
Through his involvement in these two high-profile events, we reinforced our commitment to advancing digital governance and exploring new methodologies that will shape the future of open data assessment worldwide.
