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Participants from more than 60 countries attend event organized by UAlbany’s Center for Technology in Government 

The Center for Technology in Government (CTG) at the University at Albany today convened more than 350 global technology and government innovation experts whose mission is to advance transparency, participation and accountability in government at the International Conference on the Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV), which runs through Thursday, Oct. 25.

Participants representing academia, government, industry, and not-for-profit sectors from 62 different countries will share the latest research and practice innovations. The conference will also demonstrate how public-private partnerships in New York state are developing innovative solutions focused on accountability and transparency to create streamlined processes to help improve government services to citizens.

This is the first time the international conference will be held in the U.S.; it was formerly hosted in Estonia, China, Colombia, Egypt and Macao, China.

“We’re honored that our Center for Technology in Government is the host for this year’s ICEGOV conference,” said UAlbany President George M. Philip. “Bringing ICEGOV to Albany demonstrates our University’s global leadership and commitment to partnering with the public sector to enhance good governance through applied research with academia, government, and industry.” 

“The expertise and talent of the speakers taking part in the conference puts a significant spotlight on the role openness plays in fostering transparency, participation and accountability in government,” said Theresa Pardo, director of the Center for Technology in Government. “The diversity of global participants at ICEGOV creates a rich and unique opportunity for the exchange of knowledge and building of collaborative partnerships to further drive government innovation.”

"We are delighted to have the Center for Technology in Government host the annual ICEGOV conference for the first time in North America" said Tomasz Janowski, head of the Center for Electronic Governance, part of the United Nations University – International Institute for Software Technology. 

"The Center established the ICEGOV conference series in 2007 to bridge Electronic Governance research, policy and practice in order to further public policy and sustainable development objectives," he added. The conferences support governments in developing countries in strategic use of technology to transform the working of public organizations and their relationships with citizens, businesses, civil society and one another.

During the four-day conference, there will be six plenary sessions focusing on open data, open government, information stewardship and management, smart cities and urban development, women in technology and development, and the future of government in the digital age. More than 80 peer-reviewed research and practice papers will be presented, as well as a poster session with more than 30 emerging research studies.

Speakers from the U.S. include:

• Dr. Nancy Zimpher, SUNY Chancellor
• David Ferriero, Archivist of the United States, National Archives and Records Administration
• Joel Gurin, Chair, White House Smart Disclosure Task Force
• Sasi Pillay, PhD, NASA Chief Technology Officer for IT
• Beth Simone Noveck, PhD, Visiting Professor, NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and former Deputy CTO for the White House

International speakers include:

• Nigel Shadbolt, PhD, Chairman and Co-founder of the Open Data Institute, UK
• Dong Wook Kim, PhD, President, Korean Information Society Development Institute
• Erica Bezerra Queiroz Ribeiro, Division Chief of General Coordination, Monitoring and Control Activities, Ombudsman Union - CGU, Brazil
• Anne Thurston, PhD, Director of International Records Management Trust, UK
• Maria Isabel Mejia Jaramillo, Ministry of ICT, Republic of Colombia
• Samia Melhem, Senior Information Officer, Global ICT Department, World Bank
• Barbara Ubaldi, E-Government Project Leader, OECD
• Talal Al Rahbi, Deputy CEO of Operations for the Information Technology Authority, Oman

Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings will welcome attendees at the opening of the conference. “The Capital Region is increasingly becoming a viable option for global forums such as the ICEGOV conference,” said Jennings. “We are proud to be the host city for this important conference and welcome all its international attendees.” 

Beth Simone Noveck, a member of the ICEGOV 2012 National Advisory Committee, a former Deputy Chief Technology Officer at the Office of Science and Technology at the White House and now a visiting professor at NYU’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, said “We cannot assume that open government innovations stem only from the U.S. This conference gives us an excellent and unique opportunity to learn from experts in other countries as well as other sectors.” 

"ICEGOV presents an incredible opportunity for us to learn about public sector innovations occurring around the world while showcasing the great work in New York State," said Kim McKinney, Chief Operations Officer of the NYS Office of Information Technology Services and also an ICEGOV National Advisory Committee member. 

In addition to the conference sessions, a number of parallel events are taking place. On Tuesday morning, the senior class of Tech Valley High will listen and participate in a lecture from Dr. Sasi Pillay, the Chief Technology Officer for NASA. This event will allow the class to expand their knowledge of potential careers, innovations in technology and deepen their understanding of the possibilities technology innovation can offer. 

The International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV) series focuses on the use of technology to transform relationships between government and citizens, businesses, civil society and other arms of government (Electronic Governance). The Series looks beyond the traditional focus on technology-enabled transformation in government (Electronic Government), towards establishing foundations for good governance and for sustainable national development. The ICEGOV conference series was established six years ago by the United Nations University International Institute for Software Technology located in Macao, China. Their mission is to support governments in developing countries in strategic use of technology to transform the working of public organizations and their relationships with citizens, businesses, civil society, and with one another. 

The mission of the Center for Technology in Government at the University at Albany is to foster public sector innovation, enhance capability, generate public value, and support good governance. We carry out this mission through applied research, knowledge sharing, and collaboration at the intersection of policy, management, and technology. 

The University at Albany-SUNY has a broad mission of excellence in undergraduate and graduate education, life-enhancing research and scholarship, and a commitment to public service. A University at Albany education brings the world within reach to students through nine schools and colleges, and an honors college. A student body of more than 17,000 students has a global connection to more than 140,000 alumni. For more information about this internationally ranked institution, visit www.albany.edu. For UAlbany's extensive roster of faculty experts, visit www.albany.edu/news/experts.php.