The latest podcast episode delves into global digital infrastructures and the implementation of a unified EU digital wallet initiative.

• How countries like New Zealand admire and seek to emulate Estonia’s digital advancements to potentially transform their own digital landscapes by 2040.
• Yogesh Hirdaramani, a senior reporter from GovInsider, discussed various global initiatives in digital public infrastructure like Singapore's Singpass platform and payment platforms in India.
• Michael Andrew Buckland from Cybernetica, speaks about the upcoming EU-wide digital wallet initiative (EIDAS2), which aims to streamline and secure digital identity management across member states by 2026-2027 and also talked about the public sector’s role in driving innovation.

The article mentioned in the podcast:
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2024/04/prime-minister-christopher-luxon-wants-new-zealand-to-be-estonia.html

https://investinestonia.com/report-generative-ai-can-boost-estonias-gdp-by-up-to-8-per[…]ent-minister-riisalo-potential-for-digital-disruption-ahead

https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2024/0402/Estonians-trust-their-government.-That-s-why-it-can-offer-advanced-services

In this podcast episode, we delve into the topics of digital democracy, gov tech and digital visionaries.

• More than 80 countries and more than half of the world´s population will go voting this year. But why has Estonia, since 2005, been one of the only countries with nationwide I-voting?
• Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Former President of Estonia, shares the reasons for the start of digital transformation in Estonia in the 1990s and his thoughts about the future of e-Estonia.
• Andrew Smith, product Director of Nortal, discusses the digitalisation processes in Saudi Arabia and Junior Product Designer Arwa Alamer talks about the Changemakers programme.
• Raido Kaju, Software Engineering Manager at the Nordic Institute for Interoperability Solutions (NIIS), speaks about new generations of interoperability, the data spaces, and the possible more considerable connectivity in the European Union.

The Euronews article mentioned in the podcast: https://www.euronews.com/next/2024/03/05/future-of-electronic-voting-uncertain-amid-biggest-ballot-year-in-history

We start the new podcast season with a little twist of the format. With our hosts, Digital Transformation Advisers Erika Piirmets and Carmen Raal, the talk still revolves around digitalisation. Still, we'll bring you more practical international examples worldwide and exciting news from govtech and innovation.

Listen to the episode and hear:

• Skaidra Puodžiūnas, director of Government Relations at the Council of Canadian Innovators, reflects on what she learned from Estonia and how innovation and private-public collaboration function in Canada.
• Sigrit Siht, director of AI and Data in Digital Nation, shares insights from governments across the globe applying AI in their innovation.

In the first episode of 2024, we're thrilled to have Andres Raieste, Senior Vice President of the Public Sector from Nortal, as we dive into the world of digital government services. Andres, with his background in shaping Estonia's digital government initiatives, offers insights into this field. We explore the journey from traditional to digital services, the nuances of digital identity, and the future of interoperable systems in governance. We delve into the challenges of digitalisation, including the impact of AI, the importance of supportive legislation, and the emerging concept of a post-digital era where personalised, efficient, and inclusive digital government is not just a possibility but a reality. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of technology, policy, and public service in the digital age.

We end this year’s podcast season with a bang – as we bid farewell to 2023, it’s time to reflect e-Estonia’s journey of the digitalisation landscape. We’ve outlined categories and nominees across various fields and the time has come to reveal the winners of each category. Trends, milestones and lessons learned both from the public and private sectors. The special guest Sandra Särav, the Deputy Secretary General for Economy and Innovation at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, brings a spark to the conversation by guessing the winners.

• Best digital public service
• Best digital service from the private sector
• Achievement of the year
• The newcomer of the year
• e-Estonia Gazelle Country of the Year
• Maker of the year
• The lesson of the year

Dive into Estonia's digital transformation with a green twist in this podcast episode. Kädi Ristkok from Cleantech Estonia and Kaidi-Kerli Kärner from PwC discuss how Estonia, as a tech-savvy nation, unifies its digital governance with ambitious environmental goals, setting a new standard in sustainable development. From innovative case studies to insightful discussions on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, we explore Estonia's journey towards a digital and eco-friendly future. Perfect for enthusiasts of technology, sustainability, and forward-thinking governance.

In this podcast episode, the hosts discuss various aspects of digital transformation, particularly in the context of Estonia's experience. They explore digitalisation's efficiency and cost-saving potential, the challenges of measuring its impact, and the importance of focusing on quantitative and qualitative assessments. Helping to navigate this broad topic is Kristjan Vassil, a professor of Technology Studies at the University of Tartu. He holds a doctoral degree in political science from the European University Institute in Florence. For the past six years, he served as a vice-rector for research at the University of Tartu. His research focuses on Internet voting and predictive public services that are based on narrow AI and machine learning models.