DIGIT Research School at the eKommune conference!

The annual eKommune conference, organized by KS, the organization representing all local governments in Norway, is open to anyone involved or interested in digitalization, transformation, and innovation within the municipal sector in Norway. This year, for the first time, DIGIT Research School attended!

The theme for the 2024 conference was "Human and Technology", and the diverse program offered insights into the opportunities and challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital security and risks, and the citizens’ interaction with public services in a digital society, among other topics. A highlight was the keynote presentation by Roger Søraa, a researcher from NTNU and a partner in the DIGIT Research School, who provided an engaging overview of the possibilities and consequences of AI.

We were a small team from DIGIT who participated in the conference, which proved to be a valuable platform for understanding the challenges perceived by municipalities and the potential solutions to these issues. We gained insights into attempts to centralize and standardize the municipal sector through various services and offers from KS, and how these efforts are rationalized by increased innovation and service efficiency.

The conference also provided our researchers with an opportunity to connect directly with municipalities, offering firsthand insights into their challenges. One of the attendees concluded that the conference reaffirmed the relevance of her current research project and highlighted the importance of applying her research in practice!

We want to extend our thanks to KS for hosting us and look forward to revisit next year.