THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This report by the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Baku Secretariat is intended to help facilitate informed, strategic, long-term ICT development in Azerbaijan. We have undertaken this study because of our commitment to better understand how even in times of iscal constraint governments can improve their ability to deliver high-quality public services, and engage in government-citizen collaboration to stimulate innovation across all sectors of society.
We would like to acknowledge the panelists, participants, experts, civil servants and practitioners who shared their insights and experiences during interviews and correspondence for this report. Special thanks go to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Of ice in Azerbaijan, in collaboration with Ministry of Communications and High Technologies (MoCHT) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), IGF Geneva Secretariat, Azerbaijan Internet Forum (AIF), as well as sponsor companies-SINAM, APRIL UV, NEURON Technologies and MyVideo.Az, in addition to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for their high interest in regular convening of the relevant event. All content and any remaining errors are the sole responsibility of the organizers. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
“The ICT sector in Azerbaijan has been on the cutting edge of economic innovation. These innovations have spread across nearly every industry, increasing ef iciency and driving change in the way they operate, and the goods and services they produce.”
Prof. Dr. Ali Abbasov, Minister of Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
“We closely follow the socio-economic reforms carried out in the country and are pleased with the inclusion of information and communication technologies as one of the priorities in economic development of the country. We highly appreciate the work ongoing in the area of high technologies as one the important ways to diversify the economy of Azerbaijan.”
H.E. Antonius Broek UN Resident Coordinator UNDP Resident Representative in Azerbaijan THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Perspective on Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships 9 The Opening Ceremony 16 Session 1 - Trends in Open Government Data (OGD) 18 Session 2 - e-Participation in Post-Soviet Societies 26 Session 3 - Innovation in ICT 34 Session 4 - The Promise of e-Education 41 Session 5 - Applying ICT to Achieve Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection 48 Conclusion 53 THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
Jānis Kārklin̦ š Ambassador of Latvia Chair of the IGF Multistakeholder Advisory Group
I would like to welcome the participants of the Regional Internet Governance Forum of Azerbaijan and to thank the Ministry of Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the United Nations Development Programme Country Of ice in Azerbaijan for convening this event. Regrettably, I cannot be with you today, as this forum is taking place in parallel with the IGF Open Consultations that are de ining the outline of the IGF 2015 meeting.
After hosting the successful seventh meeting of the Internet Governance Forum in Baku, in November 2012, Azerbaijan is now receiving a regional Internet Governance Forum that aims at furthering a multistakeholder debate on the role of information and communications technologies, and, in particular, the Internet, in promoting freedom of expression and free low of information, economic growth and cultural diversity within the region.
Countries and regions of the world face different challenges concerning Internet deployment and use. For some, bridging the digital divide is still the main concern, access is not ensured and knowledge on how the Internet should be run is incomplete. For others, the focus is on issues such as IDN deployment, network neutrality, big data or privacy and data protection. Open, inclusive and multistakeholder regional dialogue allows stakeholders to better understand complexities of such issues that are particularly relevant at a regional level. It can also inform the decision making processes within governments and regional organisations and lead to partnerships between different stakeholders.
The Internet unites people and creates links where they couldn’t have otherwise existed. Some have described it as a public good, others have argued that Internet access should be considered a basic human need. We have all seen how the Internet can give voice to previously voiceless, help information low seamlessly over national borders, provide remote education and medical services in isolated areas, contribute to disaster prevention and promote freedom of expression. Evidently, Internet is a driver for economic, social and cultural development. If we want to maximize opportunities presented by the Internet, we need to make sure it is accessible and affordable. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
But we also need to understand the challenges and risks associated to its use. And we need to make sure that the views, needs and interests of all the existing and future Internet users are taken into account when decisions are made and policies are developed that frame the way in which the Internet is run and the direction it evolves. To sum up, there is an imperious need not only to build infrastructures, but also to develop local content and build capacities for the users of these infrastructures – the capacity to use the Internet in a safe and secure way and the capacity to actively participate in the governance of the Internet. The role regional IGF initiatives, such as the one hosted by Azerbaijan, can play in building such capacities should not been underestimated. These initiatives give participants the possibility to deepen their knowledge and understanding of Internet governance issues and to build the skills needed to facilitate their involvement in existing multistakeholder Internet governance processes.
The IGF Multistakeholder Advisory Group and the IGF Secretariat are strong supporters of regional and national initiatives and we are continuously looking to strengthen the interaction between these fora and the global IGF. The IGF 2014 Chair’s Summary indicated that IGF initiatives could be used as channels for bringing forward inter-sessional work leading up to the IGF 2015 meeting. As we are now starting preparations for next year’s IGF, scheduled to take place on 10-13 November 2015 in João Pessoa, Brazil, I would like to invite you all, as a regional IGF initiative and as individual stakeholders, to contribute to this preparatory process and to, later on, participate in the meeting. I also encourage you to use the following four days of debates to build a message to be delivered at IGF 2015. And if you have further ideas and suggestions on how to strengthen our interactions, please share them with us.
In closing, I would like to thank you all for being part of an IGF initiative and to wish you a fruitful meeting and an enjoyable time. I hope to see many of you at the next global IGF, in person or remotely. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
A PERSPECTIVE ON MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PARTNERSHIPS
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a broad category that includes everything from computers to telephones, television to the Internet, satellite-based navigation and other innovative technologies. These technologies have become increasingly important in daily life and throughout business and education. Universal access to the latest ICT is essential for social and economic development. In the ICT sector it is especially important that products and services are mutually compatible and interoperable, so that information can be shared over the Internet, and people can communicate with each other using different devices. Telecommunications and software standards help ensure that products such as computer peripherals and other electronic gadgets made by different companies are able to work together seamlessly.
Multi-stakeholder ICT partnerships: alliances between parties drawn from government, business and civil society that strategically aggregate the resources and competencies of each to resolve the key challenges of ICT as an enabler of sustainable development, and which are founded on principles of shared risk, cost and mutual bene it.
Achieving greater ICT access in the developing world, and the harnessing of these technologies to reduce poverty and improve the lives of peoples presents many challenges. Ineffectiveness in the regulatory regime to attract new investment; public-private ICT transactions that fail to deliver affordable solutions; unpro itable business models for rural ICT access; ICT strategies that fail to exploit the diversity of available technologies; and production of content that is irrelevant to the livelihood of poor communities – all are signi icant challenges.
Multi-Stakeholder Platforms (MSPs) offer a means to achieve these objectives. They are about partnerships focused on creating lasting and meaningful impact of ICT at all levels of society. They are meant to promote a more holistic approach to national development and better governance of the process. The MSP is an instrument that helps stakeholders with unique competencies pool their resources so as to add value to development efforts. While many laud the virtues of MSPs, most are struggling to make them work. Stakeholders from each sector bring their own organizational mandates, interests, competencies and weaknesses to partnerships. The central challenge is building a working relationship between stakeholders based on trust, mutual respect, open communication, and sensitivity to each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Without processes to facilitate negotiations among ICT stakeholders, effective MSPs are unlikely to emerge. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
Multi-stakeholder partnerships are unique in both character and substance. They are generally directed at the problems and challenges of sustainable development – from environmental protection and management, to social inclusion and sustainable growth. They are about sharing not shifting risks; inding innovative ways to pool resources and talents based on each party’s core strengths; and delivering mutual bene its for all collaborating parties. Multi-stakeholder partnerships tend to pursue a shared vision, maintain a presumption in favor of joint problem- solving, promote a work ethos that exploits mutual self-interest, and add value beyond that achievable without intelligent cooperation.
In the same way that ICT is an enabler of sustainable development, multi-stakeholder ICT partnerships that entail strategic compacts between companies and user communities assist in assimilation of new technology. Various groups of stakeholders from government, business and civil society can work together to design solutions to the complex challenge of maximizing the effectiveness of ICT in development. In so doing, networks of local communities and organizations can be empowered to create, synthesize, adapt and exchange information leading to wealth creation. Multi-stakeholder ICT partnerships are therefore both about modeling the requirements of ICT- based solutions and inding the right partners for implementation.
Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships should:
Aid in building the consensus necessary to realize Millennium Development Goals; Maintain a priority on achievement of sustainable development and poverty reduction; Have the characteristics of being voluntary in nature, and self-organizing; Work in a way that each stakeholder shows mutual respect for the values and opinions of others, and accepts the shared responsibility in policy making; Uses cultural diversity as a strength, not as a potential source of con lict between values; and Works above all to bring together governments, regional groups, local authorities, non- governmental organizations (NGOs), international institutions and private sector partners on an equal footing so that opinions can be shared openly. THE 2THE 2nd REGIONⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOAL INTERNET GOVERNVERNANCE FANCE FORORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAIJANAN WWWWWW.RIGF.RIGF.AZ.AZ
COMPONENTS OF MULTI-STAKEHOLDER ICT PARTNERSHIPS
Multi-Stakeholder ICT partnerships involve at least ive dimensions of technology, organization and policy making. These include (1) Human Resources; (2) ICT Infrastructure; (3) Business Enterprises; (4) The Policy & Regulatory Environment; and (5) Informational Content and Supporting Applications. Human Resources
Merely providing the society and its various organizations with an ICT infrastructure is inadequate. Instead, appropriate human resources must be available throughout society to effectuate growth based on utilization of ICT. At the most basic level, a cadre of trained engineers, systems analysts, design specialists, security experts, and others with technology training must be freely available to all organizations so that the ICT infrastructure can be made to work effectively. These technicians must be available not only inside the government, but also in private enterprise, and in any company or organization that is either providing ICT products or services, or simply making use of them. These human resources need to be available at a price that is affordable, and there should be a lourishing market for technical services.
Next, throughout the society everyone must be made more aware of how ICT can be a source for innovation. The bene its of ICT must be appreciated and understood at all levels. This awareness comes about gradually, but can be accelerated through the educational system, through outreach programs with professional associations and trade groups, and through advertising and promotion by vendors of ICT services. In addition, it is crucial that the government work to ensure that there is ample encouragement and support for entrepreneurs in the ICT sector. Experience has shown that much innovation cannot be programmed or designed in advance, because most true inventions are novel and non-obvious.
As a consequence, any organization that is involved with the human resources dimension – educational institutions, labor organizations, technical organizations, and scienti ic societies – should be invited into the multi-stakeholder process. ICT Infrastructure
Planning around deployment of ICT infrastructure also is a crucial component of a multi-stakeholder partnership. It is fortunate that almost all of today’s infrastructure operates around a set of agreed- upon technical standards that are de ined through international organizations such as the ITU, through the private sector in the form of proprietary software and applications, and through the powerful open source movement, which is the engine behind most of the Internet’s technology. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
A key challenge for many countries is providing adequate infrastructure across all parts of society, and in particular in extending fast and reliable telecommunications services into rural areas, where the Internet in some ways can have the greatest impact. It is dif icult to strike a cost-bene it balance for many infrastructure projects, because signi icant investments are needed, but their payoff is expected over a number of years. Universal access throughout society – individuals, small associations, businesses, educational establishments, government bureaus, even in the mobility sector, such as in transportation and logistics, is essential. The most important goal is to treat infrastructure as a platform upon which any number of applications and innovations can lourish. The underlying technologies and standards of ICT infrastructure need to be carefully managed, but the greatest of all possible lexibility should be given to the applications riding on top. Stakeholders from the infrastructure area include vendors of ICT services and products, trade associations, government planners, ministries that are charged with national development and contractors that are hired to actually build-out the technology.
Business Enterprises
In every society, business enterprises, either completely private, parastatal, or government owned, are the largest users of ICT. In addition, the providing of ICT products and services almost always is done through business enterprises. The practice of government manufacturing of ICT is long past. On the other hand, government policy can do much to stimulate demand, particularly through purchasing and procurement policies. It is not uncommon to see large government programs actually result in the creation of entire ICT industries, complete with businesses and trained human resources. Stakeholders from business enterprises are important players in any national ICT program, and they should be included in any national effort. The stakeholders range from large organizations to start-ups and beginners, but all should be included. Policy & Regulatory Environment
Government policy is one of the most important levers that can be used to stimulate a national innovation program for ICT. So much depends upon the regulatory environment. For example, laws that protect intellectual property, mediation and arbitration mechanisms for the settlement of commercial disputes, policies that encourage liberal access to inance and credit for organizations, including start-ups, and tax policies that are geared to innovation, such as providing tax credits for R&D – all are important dimensions. By reducing the barriers to entry for start-ups, making government policy-making transparent and easy to understand, thus reducing uncertainty, and by encouraging the adoption of open standards that give all players an equal chance to participate in ICT innovation, government policies can serve as an important stimulus to national development. The goal of government policies and regulations should not be to protect special interests, but instead to lower barriers to entry, and to make it easier for innovators to create and commercialize new ideas of bene it to society. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
As a consequence, those who make laws and regulations are crucial parts of any multi-stakeholder process. Lawmakers need to have access to the latest information regarding ICT trends, and the potential for innovation in their country, and the consultation inherent in a multi-stakeholder process has been shown to be the most effective way to accomplish this. Informational Content & Supporting Applications
Content providers including applications and software vendors are essential players in any national ICT program. This is the area with the fastest rate of innovation. Particularly in the area of the mobile Internet (data communication services provided via mobile telephones), the rate of innovation is staggering. It is important, however, that a balance be struck between creativity and a free market on the one hand, and the need for security and protection of individual and group freedoms on the other. All governments face a challenge in attempting to ind universal computer security, and leaving the ICT infrastructure open enough to support innovation. For example, freedom of communication is important, but what if some parties engage in religious intolerance, or spreading of false information? It is the dif iculty in Internet governance in this area that is the driving force for the multi-stakeholder approach, because much consultation between parties and interest groups on all sides needs to be facilitated. As a consequence, content providers, legal organizations, security professionals; representatives of social networks, content providers, and important institutions such as national libraries and scholarly associations all should be part of the multi-stakeholder process. It is though interchange of views and priorities between all of these different parties that a clear and workable ICT policy will emerge. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
HOW MULTI-STAKEHOLDERISM WORKS
Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships operate in at least two different orientations: (1) design; and (2) implementation. Partnerships that work with a design orientation focus on the rules that enable a robust ICT environment. Examples of these rules include public policy, national strategy, enabling laws, and the regulatory regime. Partnerships with an implementation focus tend to work on training, and the development of speci ic platform applications such as e-Health, e-Education, and e- Commerce. There also is a hybrid form of partnership that combines the development and deployment of new forms of ICT with the social design and challenges of implementation. There is a calculus that determines the decision making of any stakeholder as regards entering into a partnership arrangement. For example, a social organization may enter into a partnership arrangement if it expects to secure more positive gain than what it could achieve alone. Businesses in the private sector such as ICT companies, service providers, manufacturing concerns, contractors and consultants may be attracted by better business opportunities, the potential to enhance their reputation, the desire to gain more market share, or the prospects of potential access to better inancing. Working in a multi-stakeholder partnership also is a way to show corporate social responsibility in a positive light. A government agency may bene it from participation because the information that it gains from the other members may help it to assess the potential effects of regulatory policies in areas such as taxation, foreign direct investment, tariff levels, environmental safeguards, and the general effects of contemplated policies on civil society and business. Likewise, local governments usually see working with a partnership as a means to attract scarce resources to its region thereby improving how it delivers public services to its citizens. Local governments also tend to be highly concerned with the potential of ICT to improve education, to speed delivery of health care services, to increase local employment and to foster regional development in general. Various groups from civil society see partnerships as a means to have their voices heard regarding public policies and priorities for ICT development. Civil society groups span across a wide range of domains including those concerned with the environment, groups hoping to improve social inclusiveness and access, those interested in the political process and how it can be improved, those interested in economic development and the alleviation of poverty, and any number of other areas of concern.
Ultimately the success of a multi-stakeholder partnership depends on how well the interests of various stakeholders are kept in balance. For some, progress may not be as quick as they wish; for others, they may not get everything they are hoping for; but the successful partnership provides an important communication platform that enables exchange of information and views. This, in turn, tends to lessen the uncertainty of all parties involved, and this leads to a better chance that expectations will be reasonable and balanced. Effective partnerships cope with cultural differences, manage to build trust and to the fullest extent possible, satisfy underlying interests. In order to accomplish this, a premium is placed on design of a process that supports multi-stakeholder communication, collaboration, and decision making. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
THE CHALLENGES OF ICT FOR DEVELOPMENT
Information and communications technology can make a signi icant contribution to poverty reduction and development in the developing world and there is a large and growing literature on this subject. ICTs can improve the effectiveness of disaster relief, for example, through speeding procurement of the more urgent types of humanitarian assistance; enhancing the ef iciency of health services, in the form of improved record keeping, more accurate diagnosis and information exchange on prevention; and by providing access to educational services, for example through distance learning. ICTs are also a means of improving the responsiveness of government to local priorities, disseminating information and opportunities for rural producers and poor urban dwellers to tap into new markets or ind employment, and for engaging civil society and business in the reform of public sector institutions. Beyond these more obvious applications, there is growing interest in the value of ICT in international development for two additional reasons. The irst is the sheer diversity of technologies on offer. The range of communication types available should mean that different technologies can be strategically selected to offer the closest it with the needs of poor communities. For example, communities within microwave radio reach of iber optic cable links can make use of a range of Wireless Local Loop (WLL) technologies. For those more distant from the countries’ infrastructure backbones, or in hilly terrain, VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) satellites are now available and actively promoted by some international development agencies. Connectivity based on VHF or UHF wireless technology is another, narrowband, option. The second is concern over the low level penetration of ICT in the poorer regions of the world. Some interpret this as a future opportunity for business, namely that the mass of rural populations offers an as yet untapped market. Hewlett Packard, for example, is promoting its ‘e-Inclusion’ initiative: a strategy for achieving long-term business growth by deploying its core business and research and development resources to develop new products and services, often in partnership, in order to serve the needs of low-income customers. The stated mission of the initiative is to “close the gap between the technology-empowered communities and the technology-excluded communities on the planet by making it pro itable to do so”. Others view the lack of ICT penetration less as a business opportunity and more as a moral imperative for poverty reduction. Either way, the contradiction between the potential for ICTs to address the challenges faced by rural and urban development, and the current failure to harness them for this purpose, is striking. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
THE 2ND REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM AZERBAIJAN RIGFAZ 2014 BAKU, AZERBAIJAN, 2-3 DECEMBER 2014 OPENING CEREMONY
Mr. Nariman Hajiyev, Project Manager, UNDP Azerbaijan Mr. Vyacheslav Cherkasov, Senior Governance and Public Administration Of icer, UNDESA Mr. Elmir Velizadeh, Deputy Minister of Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ms. Natalia Alhazishvili, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP Azerbaijan Mr. Patrick Jones, Senior Director, Global Stakeholder Engagement, ICANN Mr. Osman Gunduz, President, Azerbaijan Internet Forum
RIGFAZ opened with recognition that tremendous progress is being made in development and deployment of ICT, and the effects are being felt globally. It is now general recognized that ICT contributes directly to a nation’s social and economic growth. It has the potential to provide citizens with more direct access to vital information, and allows a type of low cost international communication that never before existed.
The Deputy Minister of Communications and High Technologies-H.E. Mr. Elmir Velizadeh, Senior Governance and Public Administration Of icer of the UNDESA-Mr. Vyacheslav Cherkasov, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP Azerbaijan-Ms. Natalia Alhazishvili, Senior Director Global Stakeholder Engagement ICANN-Mr. Patrick Jones, the President of AIF-Mr. Osman Gunduz and Project Manager as well as Event Coordinator-Mr. Nariman Hajiyev each presented policy oriented comments to of icially open the forum. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
These distinguished panelists underlined that, as an open forum, RIGFAZ is part of a movement that promotes multi-stakeholderism in Internet governance, and re lects a trend for countries to establish national and regional platforms to enable study of all aspects of this issue. In addition, these fora help to raise awareness of Internet governance issues on the part of decision makers and all those involved in formulating public policy and law in this area. The objective of the forum was to focus on the exchange of ideas and highlight best practices, all hopefully leading to exploration of new concepts and identi ication of opportunities for innovation. The forum enjoyed the participation of more than 200 persons from Azerbaijan and many other countries, and included representatives from the business sector, from academic institutions, from various civil institutions, and government.
A number of important emerging issues were discussed including (1) how societies are making the transformation to a digital age; (2) how Open Government Data (OGD) can be used in Azerbaijan and regionally for improvement in government services; (3) how e-Participation can be used to accelerate innovation in design and delivery of government services, particularly within the context of post-Soviet societies; (4) what new ICT innovations promise to provide even more opportunities for improvement in society; (5) how e-Education, including Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) can be used to accelerate education in Azerbaijan and the Eurasian region; and (6) what is the role that green ICT can play in promoting sustainable development and a more protected environment. The First Regional Internet Governance Forum (RIGFAZ) was held in Baku during December 2013. This second forum (2014) was the largest ever held in this region of the world.
Mr. Elmir Velizadeh, Deputy Minister of Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
Today’s public servants face a challenging operating environment. Governments are implementing ambitious reforms to service delivery models and administrative systems, while also undertaking short-term cost cutting and revenue raising measures. Yet this agenda also presents government with a signi icant opportunity to re-envision a public service for the 21st century. Transformative efforts—aimed at providing better quality services with fewer resources—are coalescing around a number of broad trends.
Scores of expert speakers focused on the transformation of government in the digital age to understand the relationship between sustainability and responsive citizens and raised their awareness of the importance of using OGD. It was determined that it’s everyone’s job to participate in the future of internet governance. The wide-ranging discussions culminated in main several questions. Taking their cue from a contemporary society, speakers categorically placed a great deal of reliance on social networking and new technologies in promoting the transformation of governance. The irst session provided an opportunity for delegations to voice their convictions, concerns and commitments with regard to the Open Government Data.
The session chairman, Osman Gunduz, opened the session with several compelling questions: What is the current status of OGD in Azerbaijan? What steps can be taken to enhance the ability of governments to implement an effective OGD policy? What best practices are emerging around OGD? What are the most dif icult challenges posed by OGD, and what solutions are emerging?
There was general agreement amongst the panelists that data should be considered a valuable resource, and that advances in ICT have greatly increased the availability to the public of much government data. The amount of data created by governments is rising exponentially, and opening up access to government data is a way potentially to improve delivery of services to citizens. In general, the more data becomes available for use, the better will be decision making. Having access to comprehensive data sets allows policy makers and other decision makers, both within government and outside, to make better decisions. As such, OGD has potential for stimulating innovation, fostering transparency in government, increasing accountability, and enhancing participation by citizens and the private sector in governance and public policy formulation.
There are promises that OGD will help transform long-standing service delivery models, re-engineer processes, lead to an explosion of new opportunities in use of big data, social media, the Internet of things, and even mobile computing. There is a futuristic vision of instantaneous feedback loops between government program delivery, policy development and the use of data instantly to assess the impacts of public policy decisions. But having access to large amounts of data does not automatically lead to improvements in decision-making. Instead, the effect of OGD is dependent upon careful planning and disciplined information resources management. Planning for the most effective use of OGD is a challenge to all governments. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
SESSION 1 TRENDS IN OPEN GOVERNMENT DATA (OGD)
Mr. Osman Gunduz, President, Azerbaijan Internet Forum (AIF) Mr. Edward M. Roche, International Consultant, Af iliate Researcher of Columbia Institute for Tele-Information Mr. Rahid Alekberli, Chief Information Of icer, Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy (ADA) Mr. Patrick Jones, Senior Director Global Stakeholder Engagement, (ICANN) Mr. Uwe Mengel, Team Manager, German Federal Labour Agency Mr. Huseyn Pashayev, Head of Department, Ministry of Industry and Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Alasgar Mammadli, Member, Azerbaijan Internet Forum (AIF)
The irst session of RIGFAZ focused on Open Government Data (OGD). Open data is the idea that certain information should be freely available to anyone to use as they wish without intellectual property restrictions such as copyright. Open government data (OGD) is open data that comes from government sources. Generally, this refers to data produced or commissioned by governments or by government-controlled organizations. This data can be freely used, reused, and redistributed by anyone. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
Position of Azerbaijan
According to Rahid Alekberli, Azerbaijan currently is the regional leader in provisioning of Internet services. It boasts an average Internet speed of 6.93 mbps and by the end of 2013, it enjoyed an Internet penetration rate of 58.7%, or 5,685,805 users. Azerbaijan’s rapid progress in Internet provisioning is part of a broader government policy aiming at economic development. Azerbaijan is constantly looking for synergies that may enhance regional integration, and has developed an aggressive investment program aimed at building out ICT capabilities. The Eurasian Connectivity Alliance is one such effort that will catapult Azerbaijan into a leadership position in high speed Internet switching and network management. Models for Manufacturing of OGD
A different perspective was provided by Edward M. Roche who focused on actions governments might take to encourage the utilization of OGD. Creation of OGD can be thought of as a manufacturing process, like a factory. He identi ied a range of actions that governments might take to manufacture OGD. These variations include: (1) depending on the government to handle the entire process of manufacturing and distributing data; (2) subcontracting data manufacturing to the private sector, but ensuring that all actions taken are controlled by a strict set of government-speci ied guidelines; (3) taking a looser policy orientation and giving out licenses for private manufacturing of data, but imposing rules for how the data might be utilized; or (4) taking a laissez-faire approach by providing access to its data, but leaving a completely free market to emerge for utilization and applications development. He also suggested that different models may exist in parallel at the same time because different types of data and their potential applications may best be served by different approaches. Panelist accentuated that advances in information and communication technology (ICT) will transform the way governments deliver services, make policy, and interact with their workforce and citizens. The ability to digitally integrate soloed information systems, rapidly aggregate and analyze massive and complex sets of data, and bring people together across vast distances through online communities is creating new opportunities for organizations and individuals. Broadband, mobile cloud computing, and big data have already transformed traditional business models around the world—from the recording industry, to banking, publishing, and the news media. Customers who used to visit a video store for a rental now download or stream digital content. Newspaper deliveries and walking into a bank to pay bills are increasingly becoming quaint customs from a bygone era. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
Another issue he addressed was the cost of manufacturing OGD. No matter what type of data is going to be produced, someone will need to pay for its initial manufacturing and continued maintenance. In that connection, governments have a variety of means for making this happen. One option is to provide direct subsidies (payments) to data manufacturing organizations. These payments might be made in the form of direct payments or policies such as tax credits. There also is a potential for licensing speci ic uses of OGD. For example, a license might be issued for a company to use some set of OGD for a particular application, but not for others. If a license is exclusive, then the private company will be guaranteed a revenue stream from selling its data-enhanced service. This is an indirect but powerful way to stimulate the creation of new products and services based on OGD.
There was some discussion of potential trade con licts that might emerge from a government policy that allows only its national corporations to obtain exclusive licenses to government data. It was pointed out, however, that in the scienti ic ield, governments for a long time have built up experience in providing funds for scienti ic research including international collaboration projects linking together scientists around the world, and these projects always generate large amounts of publicly available scienti ic data. OGD for Labor Market in Germany Uwe Mengel from the German Federal Labor Agency presented a case study of a system designed to utilize OGD to facilitate a regional labor market. Job seekers get connected with employers, and employers are able to locate quali ied workers. The system, however, is much more than a simple platform to make matches. It provides visualization of regional data, has a built in social network that allows both employees and employers to exchange success stories, and allows for storage of detailed personal information regarding expert quali ications. The system has a decision support capability that allows detailed analysis of the labor market as a whole, and uses various data models to make calculations regarding employment trends and risks. The Labor Market Monitor provides an estimation of chances for employment for each regional branch of the Labor Agency, and a series of quantitative indicators covering more than 20 regions, encompassing more than 400 counties. The data analysis also allows forecasting of potential labor shortages and projects resulting opportunities for employment. The built-in social network infrastructure allows interaction through groups, the possibility of making comments about various pieces of summary data that are presented as well as exchange of experiences. The Labor Market Monitor is supported by two levels of organization. First, in the headquarters of the Federal Employment Agency, there are two teams. One focuses on network support, editorial services, and general administration of the system including planning for future enhancements. The second is a decision making board which focuses on the technical dimension as regards the quality of data models, and implementation of the best way to collect and summarize the most relevant data. The second group is an advisory board that stands above the entire project and makes recommendations regarding future directions for the service. This board is composed of nine persons with backgrounds in science, security and general administration. Everyone agreed that the Labor Market Monitor represents a best practice and is a model that should be studied by governments around the world. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
Government Role in Digitization of Public Service.
Patrick Jones stressed that the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has a policy of supporting OGD initiatives around the world, but observed that, unfortunately, many e- Government systems have failed to deliver the promised increases in ef iciency and transformation in government services. “Only incremental gains can be achieved from applying new technology to old processes.” He illustrated this point using the example of the massive effort to digitize the Encyclopedia Britannica-even though this project was a success, completely different models of information, such as Wikipedia, have been much more successful. Wikipedia represents not simply a digitization of an existing encyclopedia structure, but the creation of an entirely new model for accumulation and sharing of information.
Jones emphasized that the role of government is crucial and there are a number of strategies it can take. One model is for the government to provide raw data and information to third parties, such as businesses, who then in turn can add value to the data and sell it as a service, or use it to otherwise enhance their products. Another model is for the government itself to become the provider of the service, and harvest the additional revenues that will be collected from users of the information. Another model is for the government to invest heavily in R&D, working under the assumption that this will pay bene its in the future. This is the type of policy that is followed in Estonia and Singapore, which Jones characterized as very “forward thinking” governments. He suggested that each of these different models might be considered by the Government of Azerbaijan as it seeks to improve its provisioning of e-Government systems. In his view, Azerbaijan has not yet fully developed the link between private business and research. As a consequence, it still remains problematical for Azerbaijan to harvest all of the potential bene its of private funded R&D.
Jones also gave a snap shot of future activities in the IGF. He noted that in the immediate future, more focus will be placed on cyber security issues, and the identi ication of best practices for responding to cyber emergencies. He also mentioned that there is a growing concern about how some governments are more frequently resorting to blocking of Internet services. Content blocking is an Internet governance issue that has both a technical and public policy dimension. However, governments are not the only important actors when talking about Internet governance. Quoting Jones, “It’s everyone’s job to participate”. As a consequence, business, technical communities, civil society and especially young people have now the possibility to take part in the shaping of Internet governance’s future. According to ICANN’s representative, the future of IGF will focus even more on security issues, cyber security, and best practices for responding to incidents. Moreover, he became interested in implications of blocking of Internet services, a topic dealt in the last Internet Governance Forum, which took place in Istanbul on 2-5 September 2014. What was interesting for him was the fact that not only does this issue involves a lot of technical aspects, but also some public policies concerns. He is con ident that this is one of the key topics that will be discussed in the next IGF sessions. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
Legal Issues of OGD
Alasgar Mammadli and Huseyn Pashayev commented on the legal issues presented by OGD. (1) How is ownership of data to be established after it has left the government and been transformed in some way by third parties?; (2) What is the difference in the legal status of raw data compared to data that has value-added?; (3) What are the challenges posed by privacy policies in the provisioning of OGD?; (4) What is the government’s responsibility in the face of cyber security problems such as hacking, organized crime, and cyber-espionage?; and (5) Who is responsible if data is inaccurate and the use of this data results in some harm? (Can the harmed party recover money from the government because its OGD is inaccurate?)
The Promise of OGD Rapid advances in information and communication technologies (ICT) are increasing network speeds, computer processing power, and storage capacity, while at the same time bringing down cost. These advancements have led to the ubiquity of high-speed broadband, mobile and cloud computing, and advanced data analytics, giving rise to online social networks, proliferation of apps, and exploitation of big data. ICT is radically changing the way people communicate, share information, do business, make things, and distribute goods and services. These changes have been felt in every industry from entertainment, to inance, to publishing and throughout the news media.
The promise of OGD services from this ICT revolution. There is potential for governments to transform the way they deliver services, the way they make policy, and the way in which they interact with both the government workforce and with citizens. Analysis of a recent UN e-Government survey shows how OGD can be used to improve decision making addressed to complex problems, promote transparency and thus understanding of government actions, lead to innovation by giving non- government actors the opportunity to utilize OGD for the development of new products and applications. In addition, government use of ICT holds the potential to bring people together in online virtual communities regardless of geography. All of this leads to greater opportunity on all sides. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
Experience also indicates actions that should be avoided. Merely grafting new ICT applications on to existing government systems will not produce signi icant change, but may actually make it even more dif icult to innovate. It is foolish to expect meaningful productivity gains when no thought is given to the underlying business process and how it can be transformed. Making progress in this area will require a fundamental re-thinking of how government operates, how it organizes its work, its information systems, its deployment of public servants, and how it translates public preferences into public policy and supporting services.
Too often, public servants operate in silos, separated according to level of government and by department or ministry. Consultations are conducted sporadically and are constrained by time and geography. The identi ication of policy problems and solutions frequently fails to take stakeholder views into account, resulting in suboptimal outcomes that require time-consuming and expensive adjustments. Digitization can reduce logistical barriers, enhance feedback loops and make government more agile. This can only happen, however, if we re-examine the assumptions underpinning the policy process.
This transformation is not easy. The structures, processes, and behaviors that have developed over the past two centuries to support the machinery of government tend to be closed and hierarchical. They frequently clash with the open and networked model of 21st century institutions. Yet we are reaching a tipping point where the bene its of action outweigh the risks. Heightened citizen expectations and the increased complexity and scale of national and global problems are powerful drivers of change. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
Outcomes
In order to grow and sustain open data initiatives, governments may want to consider updating their legal and institutional frameworks, as well as raising awareness at higher decision-making levels; Government agencies need to publish information proactively and be “open by default”, rather than reactively disclose information in response to requests; Existing regulations and laws should be reviewed to support open data initiatives and address privacy and security concerns; Information laws should be updated to specify new datasets to be published in open formats by all government agencies in a proactive way; Government agencies must have processes in place clearly de ining which data to share with the public in which formats, at what time intervals and under which licenses, ensuring no restrictions on reuse of government information; Design of OGD projects should take into consideration ideas from citizens and civil organizations so as to ensure that the effort and investment is made in high payoff applications; Countries undertaking open data initiatives need to closely monitor them to encourage usage, but also to improve internal processes; Policy makers aiming to bene it from open data can also foster an atmosphere of exchange and collaboration among government agencies, citizens, civil society organizations and other stakeholders; Training and capacity building of stakeholders and potential re-packagers of OGD ought to be given high priority in order to broaden the impact of open data initiatives; A premium should be placed on ensuring data quality; A government has an important role in providing funds for scienti ic research, including acceleration of international collaboration projects linking national scientists with counterparts in other countries. Attention should be paid to the linkages between government supported and business supported R&D. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
SESSION 2 E-PARTICIPATION IN POST-SOVIET SOCIETIES
Mr. Fariz Jafarov, Deputy Director, the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of Azerbaijan Republic (ASAN) Mr. Leonid Todorov, Deputy Director, Coordinator Center for the Russian TLDs Mr. Simon Delakorda, Executive Director, Institute for Electronic Participation Ms. Maarit Palovrita, European Regional Affairs Manager, Internet Society Ms. Ellada Mustafayeva, Manager, Azerbaijan Internet Forum (AIF) Mr. Ilkin Hasanov, Executive Of icer, Ministry of Taxes of the Republic of Azerbaijan e-Participation is the generally accepted term referring to “ICT-supported participation in processes involved in government and governance”. These processes may concern administration, service delivery, decision-making and policy making itself. This session focused on a number of dimensions of e-Participation: What are the main challenges to increase user take up of e-Participation opportunities? What steps can be taken to ensure that all social groups take advantage of e-Government services? What is the relationship between e-Participation and Open Government Data (OGD)? Are there any unique aspects of post-Soviet societies that will in luence the speci ic nature of e- Participation? THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
Leonid Todorov introduced the topic of broadening e-Participation in post-Soviet societies by referring to the Ancient Greek’s fear of allowing democracy (“people power”) to degenerate into ochlocracy (“mob power”).¹For Plato, a government should be small and lead by wise men, while for Aristotle democracy is endangered when too many people are involved in the process of decision- making. Passion takes over from reason, and bad or destructive decisions are the result. The Digital Divide Todorov suggested that e-Participation must be stimulated through public awareness programs so that all citizens, not merely elite, have their voices heard. In addition, we should not underestimate the quality of human capital that exists today. In the developed world, perhaps e-Participation is less dangerous than in ancient times because the level of literacy and appreciation of basic human rights and freedoms are high. Nevertheless, this is not true in the developing world. Although in Western countries a good number of citizens are currently engaged in e-Participation, in the Eurasian region, governments may be hampered by “ ictitious mechanisms that might provide the illusion that e- Participation is in place” when actually it is not. Todorov cited the situation in Russia where there is a vast digital divide between Internet access in metropolitan areas such as Moscow and Saint Petersburg compared to other regions of the country, including remote areas “some located well beyond the Polar Circle”. What would be the meaning of e-Participation when there is such a vast difference in the ability of citizens to provide input depending on their geographical location? Todorov emphasized that the issue of a digital divide inside a nation should be considered by all developing countries in assessing their potential for e-Participation. He also noted that in Azerbaijan, much work is being focused on modernizing the country, and there is clearly an agreed upon recognition that addressing the digital divide is a high priority.
Panelists mentioned that Governments understand that they must embrace digitization more aggressively. And citizens demand governments to do so. Yet progress is often slow. Transformative IT projects often encounter unexpected dif iculties or deliver less than promised. One reason that implementation of digitization efforts has been so challenging for governments is that their structures, processes and culture are not well-aligned with the assumptions and expectations of digital policy-making or service delivery. Too often, digitization efforts, even ambitious ones, are grafted onto existing bureaucratic structures without an appreciation of how resistant those structures are to the assumptions inherent to the digital world and how incongruous they are with the expectations of digital processes.
However, governments that are operating in secrecy are out of step with the realities of the digital age. People are getting used to interactivity, a shrinking world and a high pace of change. At the same time, there’s an increased disconnect from government. Rates of participation in traditional politics (such as voting and party membership) have been declining in part due to citizens being cast as consumers choosing between inished public “products”, rather than as an integral part of their creation.
¹ Greek: (δῆμος) demos = people; (ὀχλος) okhlos = mob; (κράτος) kratos = power. Ochlocracy is a form of democracy that has been spoiled by demagoguery and the rule of passion over reason. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
The tools needed for effective citizen participation in 21st century government are still half-formed. The most popular, such as Twitter and Facebook, are still used primarily as broadcasting platforms rather than for “meaningful, satisfying debates, online.” These platforms have stoked the demand for more participation in policy, but cannot yet satisfy it. Instead we look to emerging possibilities, such as interactive forms of data presentation using tablets or other touch-sensitive technology that can educate and elicit feedback simultaneously. Azerbaijan’s ASAN Service
Mr. Fariz Jafarov presented a case study of Azerbaijan’s ASAN service. This e-Government initiative was established only two years ago (2012) as part of a presidential modernization initiative. The project is managed by the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations. The ASAN system operates through a number of service centers that render more than 200 types of service transactions to more than 2,500 citizens per day. Services include issuing of of icial identi ication papers, granting of passports, residence permits, work permits, all manner of notarized documents, renewal of driver licenses, and payment of ines. It is interesting that the ASAN system includes not only government services, but also services of private companies. For example, a service center also offers commercial banking, insurance, utilities, translation and even medical services, all from the private sector. The infrastructure of ASAN service centers has been designed by Azerbaijani specialists, and this has ensured that the customer experience its the unique nature of the national culture. It represents a leading example of government and private sector cooperation. All ASAN personnel must undergo intensive training in customer service, corporate ethics, time management and how to cope with stress and frustration.
ASAN tries to reach all social groups with the aim of allowing them to use e-Government services through several means, among them: Mobile ASAN Service; Social Networks: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube; and Call centers. Moreover, citizens are asked to actively participate trough evaluating public services with online applications, comments, and criticisms. By doing this, citizens are engaged in decision-making, as well as in administration and policy-making processes. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
The ASAN team goes to great lengths to raise citizen awareness of its services, not only in metropolitan areas, but throughout the country. For example, there is a mobile Internet ASAN service that provides access through mobile phones or other digital devices such as tablets or PCs. Social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube are harnessed to reach out to citizens. ASAN’s Facebook page has more than 250,000 followers. In addition, a number of call centers have been established to answer questions and perform service delivery for those unable to travel. In an astonishing move, the government provides well-equipped large busses to offer services to citizens living in remote areas and regions that do not have an ASAN service center. These mobile services are provided free of charge to persons with disabilities and children needing medical care. If a citizen is unable to move, they may call and have services rendered at their home.
The ASAN model also is designed to allow citizens to evaluate public services by providing feedback online through survey forms and comment fora. Each service center has an exit poll machine designed to get feedback. Citizens also may use video call machines and toll-free calls to provide suggestions or lodge complaints. This feedback, some of it criticism, is used by the government to continuously improve how it makes decisions and delivers service. Citizens are also permitted to in luence administrative decisions and provide feedback before policy decisions are inalized. Because the system is so open and transparent to the public, red tape and corruption has been substantially reduced. The main focus for us today is raising even further the ef iciency of service delivery and remaining a step ahead of public expectations.”
By continuing discussion on essential topic panelists noted that digitization provides a transformative opportunity to tackle policy problems in a way that involves networked partners who possess different kinds of information and expertise and generate creative ideas and processes to continuously improve outcomes. Breaking down the traditional barriers that have existed between governments and the public due to bureaucratic structures is at the core of this opportunity, and is fundamental to a digitally- luent policy formulation process. Taking advantage of the ways that digitization can promote openness and transparency is critical to re-designing collaboration. Digital technology opens up new ways for people to participate in government. It can enhance existing consultation measures and inspire new ones, chie ly by reducing the expense of creating and maintaining public communities of interest. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
Top Down and Bottom Up e-Participation
Simon Delakorda (Institute for Electronic Participation), using Slovenia as a reference point, discussed how e-Participation systems can encounter stiff challenges. In many countries, the distrust in government is so high that no matter how good the technology, citizens will not easily place their faith in e-Participation. In Slovenia, for example, “political parties are very distrustful”. Societies can be heterogeneous, with different sub-groups presenting con licting historical, economic, sociological, religious, and cultural backgrounds. As a consequence, e-Participation systems and how they are used risks merely digitizing pre-existing divisions and con licts in society. When faced with a high degree of skepticism about e-Participation, some governments may design “fake” systems characterized by a lack of a transparent mechanism for how citizens can actually have an effect on policies. There may be a restriction or even complete absence of a feedback mechanism. When topics are put up for discussion, they may be “pre-established” according to a government-controlled agenda instead of being lexible and open. Access by many civil-society organizations may be curtailed, and some social groups may be marginalized or even excluded. Finally, the government may neglect to engage in any type of evaluation of ef iciency or cost-bene it.
In Delakorda’s view, there are two models of e-Participation. In the top-down model, the government unilaterally designs the system with little or no consultation, and then stands it up for use. For example, the government may start by providing access to a signi icant amount of government information. In the bottom-up system, there is spontaneous formation of interest groups based on social media and other forms of non-governmental organizing. Ironically, this bottom-up phenomenon is often stimulated by initial government efforts at e-Government that fall short of expectations. Delakorda sees these two models in con lict with each other, and considers that a key question is how they can be reconciled. There must be a type of “communication channel” linking spontaneously formed citizen groups with that part of government involved in provisioning services. In the end, e-Participation systems will be best when each is adapted closely to the unique nature of the people being governed, otherwise the inherent mistrust in government in many cases will remain or even become intensi ied. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
Each country is facing these dilemmas sooner or later but of course on different levels, because of different historical, economical, sociological and anthropological background. e-Participation is highly connected with wholly understanding of democratic system as one of political systems and variations between democratic systems. And then it implies how we use Internet technologies. e- Participation started very strongly with this e-Government perspective, meaning it is a top-down approach. The government is putting something online services and citizens may participate. That was the key, how it started. What we now see is the other-side development, when e-Participation issue is coming from the citizens, from NGOs, especially in the Open Data area. Panelists underlined that the level of e-Participation differs greatly among the post-Soviet countries. The differences among those countries depend on different environments for e-Participation. The factors that in luences the enablement of an effective environment for e-Participation are the followings: Local content; Internet infrastructure; Internet prices; General economic performance; other factors such as demography, education, geography, etc. Only by considering the differences in those countries that lead to such differences in e-Participation it is possible to ind effective solutions for implementing it.
Crowdsourcing e-Participation
The approach to e-Participation in Finland was presented by Maarit Palovrita. In order to set the foundation, Finland developed a national broadband strategy to provide universal access to the Internet. This was accompanied by a revised regulatory framework, and a strategy to roll out local computing and hosting installations. This tended to lower prices of services, and reduce the interactive response time of transactions. The government also promoted media literacy programs with the objective of gaining trust and increasing potential for citizen engagement. Currently, e- Participation in Finland is considered to be a successful model. It is a web-based environment that provides mechanisms to organize participation of groups, host online discussion fora, and collect feedback through questionnaires or online polling covering a range of topics that span from local issues to national policies that will have an effect on every citizen. The system allows bottom up approaches such as citizen initiatives. There is a “special citizen jury” that regularly evaluates the goals and administration of e-Participation services. “Have your say” blog platforms are easy to set up so that each stage of a government project might receive real-time feedback. Efforts to stimulate citizen participation are made through campaigns in radio, print and social media. It is understood that the government is obligated to take into consideration the feedback and ideas generated through this platform. Finland seeks the wider wisdom of crowdsourcing to keep its public policy on track. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
ICT in Azerbaijan ICT in Azerbaijan. Ellada Mustafayeva and Ilkin Hasanov underlined that information and communication technologies (ICT) play a crucial role in Azerbaijan’s efforts to diversify its economy. ICT is viewed as a strong stimulant to growth of other economic sectors. The ICT sector in Azerbaijan has been on the cutting edge of economic innovation. These innovations have spread across nearly every industry, increasing ef iciency and driving change in the way they operate, and the goods and services they produce. With annual growth rates between 20–25 percent, ICT has become the fastest growing sector in Azerbaijan. It is now the second largest recipient of foreign investment, after the oil industry. The presence of US companies such as Microsoft, HP, IBM and Oracle has contributed immensely to the development of ICT in Azerbaijan. Over the past decade, more than $3 billion has been invested in the ICT sector, and the trend is upward.
In 2013, Azerbaijan launched its irst telecommunications satellite. It was the irst country in the region transitioning to a digital ixed telephone network that links together residences with a iber optic backbone network spanning regional centers. Azerbaijan is now committed to taking part in a transcontinental optical information highway that will link Europe and Asia directly overland. Observations on Post Soviet Societies
Panelists underlined that the level of e-Participation is uneven among post-Soviet countries. These differences can be explained by variations in the types of local content made available; de icits in the universal availability of the Internet, and the persistence of high telecommunications tariffs. Other factors such as a nation’s demographic pro ile, the general level of education, and the underlying geography also lead to differences in the overall level and effectiveness of e-Participation.
Although governments seem to recognize that moving towards e-Participation is crucial, and it is clear that citizens welcome this trend, progress remains stubbornly slow. It is common for major ICT projects to run over budget, take far longer to realize than planned for, and in the end deliver much less than was promised. Another factor remains the inherent dif iculty in matching the potential for ICT to the pre-existing bureaucratic structure and its way of delivering services. Clearly, expectations far exceed the capacity of many governments to deliver what is needed. Public servants no longer have a monopoly on advice to decision makers because anyone with Internet access can ind relevant information concerning a public policy issue. Many governments continue to operate in secrecy and these places them out of step with the realities of the digital age. Social media such as Twitter and Facebook have greatly enabled horizontal communication between citizens, and resulted in the spontaneous organization of interest groups. Citizens expect to be able to offer their opinions, but they are often ignored. In a world of high-paced interactivity, governments seem to be deaf. When this happens, there is a pronounced alienation of citizens. An alienated citizen gives up hope of in luencing policy, and many even stop voting because they consider the process to be meaningless.
The tools needed for effective citizen participation in 21st century government are still half-formed. These platforms have stoked the demand for more participation in policy, but cannot yet satisfy it. The only solution is to break down the traditional barrier between government and the public. Government bureaucracy needs to be re-thought, and ICT should be harnessed to revolutionize not only delivery of services, but also change the processes through which policy is made. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
New technologies can promote the needed openness and transparency. They can host completely new forms of collaboration. In the end, e-Participation systems promise to open up new ways for people to be citizens. Adopting a more open ended consultation process will provide the greatest bene it to government, because it serves as a way to collect timely information from the citizenry regarding what should be done and why.
Systems in general work better when they have precise and rapid feedback, and governments will work better when they keep their ingers on the pulse of civil society. As policy-makers become more comfortable interacting with outside participants, mid-course corrections will be smoother and less costly.
Outcomes:
The digital divide in many countries makes e-Participation problematical because large segments of the population may be cut out of the process; The ASAN system in Azerbaijan demonstrates how public and private sector services can be integrated so as to better service the citizenry; e-Participation will not work unless it is accompanied by an awareness campaign that shows citizens the possibilities they may take advantage of; e-Participation, if done correctly, will increase transparency in government and reduce corruption; The design and operation of e-Participation systems can be neither completely neither top-down nor bottom-up. Instead, an integrative process encompassing both perspectives should be used, e.g., neither the “mob” nor the government should completely dominate the process; e-Participation can be thought of as a type of crowdsourcing that allows government policy makers to take advantage of the broadest possible range of ideas and opinions; In general, post-Soviet societies still suffer from a digital divide, and a surplus of counter-productive attitudes amongst government servants; Proliferation of ICT has raised the expectations of citizens that their government will operate more ef iciently and make smarter decisions, but when citizens are cut out of the process, there is a risk they will become alienated, drop out and withhold their support; Special citizen jury for commenting both goals and execution of e-Participation services; Campaigning in radio, print media and social media; Need for marketing varies between services; Tailoring e-government services to the needs of citizens; Dissemination & awareness rising about e-government services in partnership with NGOs; Collaborating with civil-society organizations having access to marginalized/excluded social groups. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
SESSION 3 INNOVATION IN ICT
Ms. Michiko Enomoto, Economic Affairs Of icer, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Mr. Edward M. Roche, International Consultant, Af iliate Researcher of Columbia Institute for Tele-Information Mr. Yuri Misnikov, International Consultant Mr. Uuno Vallner, Head of e-Government Unit, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications of Estonia Mr. Ulvi Aslanov, Member, Azerbaijan Internet Forum (AIF) Ms. NailaValiyeva, Deputy Director Institute of Applied Mathematics, Baku State University
The third session focused on new ICT developments that may have important applications in e- Government. What are important new trends in ICT that might bene it government? What progress has been made and how is it measured? What can we learn about best practices from advanced countries? THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
In a landscape of public policy problems with many stakeholders, perspectives and interconnected factors, complexity is also driving the search for more collaborative forms of government. The more complex the issue, the more important quality and depth, rather than just quantity, become in consultation and deliberation. In the past, deep, high-quality consultations meant high cost. The impact of these innovations has both short and long term implications for policy development. In the short term, interactive technology and inexpensive networking are enlivening policy discussion and opening up existing channels to more people in different formats. In the longer term, digital collaboration holds the potential for sustained, open-ended conversations that foster and support communities.
There may be another limit to how much collaboration digital technologies can introduce into government: the interest of citizens themselves. Not everyone is eager for more involvement in government decision-making; perhaps they just want public services to work, invisibly and cheaply. Additionally, some groups may take advantage of more channels to participate and become obstacles to implementing or designing policy solutions rather than partners. The risks of derailing an engagement process by opening it up to consultation are real, and must be managed skillfully. These limitations create the impression that initiatives to increase engagement are perfunctory and have no effect on decision making. In the worst cases, governments ask questions after the decision has been made. Online participation in policy-making runs into other roadblocks. Early e-Participation initiatives suffered from low overall levels of use due to a lack of feedback tying participation to results, and an absence of interactivity (such as policy-modelling, discussed above) with relevant background information. While social media represents a potential solution to some of these drawbacks, so far it is mostly used in a non-interactive way, to push out messages to the public without engagement or interactivity.
Big Data
Michiko Enomoto discussed the use of big data in a government context. Big data is an all- encompassing term for any collection of large data sets that were once dif icult to process. Data is everywhere. The world’s technological per-capita capacity to store information has roughly doubled every 40 months since the 1980s. As of 2012, every day 2.5 exabytes (2.5×1018) of data were being created. Big data usually includes data sets with sizes beyond the ability of commonly used software tools to capture, format with a comprehensive data dictionary, manage, and process within a reasonable amount of time. Big data “size” is a constantly moving target, but at this time, it is in the 50- terabyte to 50-petabyte range. In addition to being very, very large, big data refers to data sets that are complex and diverse in their structure. Analysis of these giant data sets involves a set of techniques and technologies that require new forms of integration to uncover hidden values. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
Big data holds the potential to predict future human behavior, check assumptions, detect future problems, clarify choices, prioritize resources, and identify solutions. There is a potential for big data to aid in provisioning of government services. In 2012, the Obama administration in the United States announced a Big Data Research and Development Initiative. Its purpose is to explore how big data can be used to address important government problems. Currently the initiative involves 84 different big data programs spread across six departments of the US government. The US government owns 6 of the 10 most powerful supercomputers in the world.
Data is streaming in at unprecedented speed and must be dealt with in a timely manner. Many factors contribute to the increase in data volume. Transaction-based data has been stored through the years. Increasing amounts of sensor and machine-to-machine data are being collected. RFID tags, sensors and smart metering are driving the need to store and process high volumes of data in near-real time. Data today is complex and comes in many formats. Some data is highly structured, such as numeric data in traditional databases. There also is a vast amount of unstructured data in the form of text documents, emails, video, audio, and streams of real-time inancial information, such as the stock ticker. Since data comes from a variety of sources, and in a number of different formats, the challenge is how to link, match, cleanse and transform data across multiple systems. How to connect and correlate relationships, de ine meaningful hierarchies, establish multiple data linkages is a key challenge. Big data is proving itself in agriculture. This technology has made it possible to predict with startling accuracy a crop yield. Such a big data problem might include information regarding soil moisture, nature, composition, as well as weather and climate statistics that farmers can use to decide what their next major decision or purchase will be. These analytics can help a farmer identify the best way to grow and harvest a certain crop. It can take the guesswork out purchasing seed, providing the right amount of irrigation or using the best fertilizer so as to produce the optimum crop.
Big data is a popular term used to describe the exponential growth and availability of data, both structured and unstructured. And big data may be as important to business-and society-as the Internet has become. Why? More data may lead to more accurate analyses. More accurate analyses may lead to more con ident decision making. And better decisions can mean greater operational ef iciencies, cost reductions and reduced risk. Many factors contribute to the increase in data volume: transaction-based data stored through the years, increasing amounts of sensor, and machine-to- machine data being collected. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
In the past, excessive data volume was a storage issue. But with decreasing storage costs, other issues emerge, including how to determine relevance within large data volumes and how to use analytics to create value from relevant data. Big data transforms life in rural areas: New uses for big data are found all the time - whether it's for a commercial or for the betterment of mankind, cloud computing has revolutionized the way major research is done and the speed at which this data can affect the world around us. Here are just a few ways that some of the most powerful business sectors in the world are changing for the better thanks to a complex infrastructure that allows mass amounts of information to be stored and analyzed. Big data technology has boosted the accuracy to which a yield can be predicted with startling accuracy. The big data process includes information regarding soil moisture, nature, composition, as well as weather and climate statistics that harvesters can pore over to decide what their next major decision or purchase will be.
Panelists mentioned that emerging markets that are not highly digitalized, small data has largely become the information backbone for data analytics. Paper-based data and social media reports on the ield are the irst step for companies active in markets in the developing world. Social media reports assist companies in understanding the needs and consumption levels in rural areas in developing countries, and vital business information (such as balance sheets and inventory) is most likely to be found in spreadsheets and paper-based iles and reports. Major corporations that are entering emerging markets are discovering as they advance small data approaches while waiting for the big data analytics and sophistication that will be available in the future. As these companies wrestle with makeshift analytics and work through paper-based documents and social media reports from the far reaches of developing countries, they are also developing insights and business savvy in these markets that will put them ahead in their future analytics that one day will use both the currently unstructured information that is available to them and the structured information from newly installed systems of records that are bound to appear as these emerging economies and countries grow in their data sophistication. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
The e-Estonia Project
“e-Estonia" is the term commonly used to describe Estonia's emergence as one of the most advanced e-societies in the world. This success story grew out of the partnership between a forward-thinking government, a pro-active ICT sector, and a switched-on, tech-savvy population. Uuno Vallner provided an enlightening perspective on how it operates. More than 90% of Estonians have government-issued identi ication documents. This special document has dual use: it provides identi ication for travel throughout the European Union, but also serves as a security device for access to e-services. Each card has a microchip that contains two certi icates, one for authentication of the holder’s identity, the second to supply a legally binding digital signature. The card can be used in most web environments, in Internet banking, for voting in elections, for purchasing public transportation tickets and for many other purposes. Estonia has also deployed a technology that allows one’s mobile telephone to serve as identi ication for access to online services.
By going through comprehensive presentations panelists noted that Digital consultation often retains ixed timelines and “dead-tree deliverables”. However, living documents and open-ended communities enabled by digitization can sustain broader policy conversations beyond the end of a particular process. There may be a need for trusted public-interest spaces outside of government, such as public broadcasters, who are themselves reexamining the role they will play in a digital era. The degree to which government should cultivate demand for greater engagement where interest is initially limited is an open question. Greater individual freedom and autonomy from government goes hand-in-hand with looking beyond the government only as the provider of solutions. Citizenship confers responsibility as well as privilege and citizens could be encouraged to see themselves as part of the public service. At the same time, different people will naturally participate at different levels, and favor some issues over others. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ e-Elections in Estonia have been the standard since 2005. Using the electronic identi ication card, any Estonian citizen can cast his/her vote, no matter where they are at the time, even overseas. The vote remains anonymous because veri ication of the voter’s identity is stripped away from the actual vote. Approximately one-quarter of the population uses this technology during elections. Estonia has also revolutionized its taxpayer system. Using the Internet, a citizen can check a tax iling that has been automatically assembled by the tax authority system. They can make changes, and then approve. More than 95% of Estonians use this system for iling their taxes. Barriers to innovation in Estonia have been reduced through a re-engineered process to register new companies. The complete process of incorporating a company and getting it properly registered takes only 18 minutes. The system also recognizes identi ication cards from other countries so that even non-Estonians can quickly register their company. An astonishing 98% of all banking transactions in Estonia take place via the Internet. Tickets purchased for public transportation are virtual, not paper. They are simply registered in the microchip of the personal identi ication card. A similar system has been developed in the health sector. All prescriptions are now done electronically through a centralized database. All health information on each citizen is stored centrally, and is available using the identi ication card. In the ield of education, the e-School project has extended classroom activities into a web-based communications environment that facilitates the work of teachers, and also allows parents and others to participate along with the student. All records of achievement including diplomas are available in electronic form and easily may be retrieved. In Estonia, more than 77% of persons age 16- 74 use the Internet on a daily basis. 71% of homes have high-speed Internet services. All schools in Estonia are connected to the Internet. High speed Wi-Fi is available in more than 11,000 public places, and is provided free of charge. Citizens are able to monitor all government expenditures in real time. All government meetings are paperless and have been transitioned to a web-based document system. The entire telephone network is digital. The system has been so well received that Estonia has established an e-Governance Academy. This is a non-pro it organization that trains persons from other countries in e-Government best practices. More than 700 individuals from 36 different countries have graduated from the course.
Digital Communities of Interest
Naila Valiyeva discussed the emergence of digital communities of interest in Azerbaijan. A community of interest is a group of persons who share a common interest or passion. In a digital community, these persons use social media and other ICT technologies to exchange ideas and thoughts about their interest. Some communities of interest are characterized as being “sticky”. In sticky communities, participants return frequently to participate in online discussions and tend to remain in the group for longer periods of time, sometimes for years. Since digital communities of interest are not de ined according to a geographical location, the only factor they may have in common is their shared interest. Since they are not de ined by space, digital communities are a form of virtual organization. In her analysis, digital communities of interest create “ecosystems” for discussions regarding public policy. The fact that these communities are virtual leads to a lower cost for participation. Digital communities work best when they are lexible, as this lowers the barrier for citizens to exchange ideas. One important aspect of digital communities is that consultation and education become intertwined. That is, at the same time participants are exchanging information and ideas, they are learning important information and insights from others. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
This leads to a type of synergy that increases the overall quality of the results. By constantly allowing for feedback, digital communities of interest move more rapidly to useful conclusions than perhaps any other type of organization. Panelists concluded that governments should aim to develop and cultivate these communities of interest so as to widen responsibility and promote cross-pollination of ideas between government, its citizens and other stakeholders. Managing e-Participation
Yuri Misnikov identi ied several of the dynamics inherent in e-Participation. This raises the issue of how to plan for the transition from speci ic time-limited consultations to an ongoing social media presence for a digital community. Even if they are digital and virtual, communities of interest may have many characteristics of brick and mortar groups. For example, there is a risk that vociferous sub- groups may co-opt control of the deliberation process. Sometimes there may be a temptation on the part of the government to favor one position or another when there is a strong disagreement between group members. Another risk is that groups may feel more secure if they use a collaboration space that is away from the government, which they might view at least temporarily as being biased. In other words, government provided solutions for e-Participation should not automatically exclude other platforms, and the opinions from a group operating on one platform should not be favored over opinions coming from communities using other platforms. Governments should remain sensitive to the digital divide, and not automatically follow the recommendations of a digital community of interests if at the same time it is clear that other citizens do not enjoy the same ease of participation in the virtual community. Above all, governments should not engage in the ruse of providing for consultations on an issue, and pretending to participate and listen, but all the time having already made up its mind regarding the direction policy is going to take.
Outcomes:
Digital communities of interest are complex ecosystems that allow participants to receive education at the same time they are consulting with others regarding public policy; The lower the barriers to participation in a digital community of interest, and the more lexible is the form of interaction, the more “sticky” it becomes and this leads to more frequent participation for longer periods of time.; Experience in Estonia shows what can be accomplished in e-Government if there is determination to innovate; Merely because the government has provided ICT platforms that allow e-Participation it should not automatically exclude opinions regarding public policy coming from other platforms; Being aware of the digital divide in society means in part that all opinions should be considered, not only those coming out of digital online communities; Big data is a revolutionary ICT that allows the examination of super large sets of data to solve highly complex problems. Some countries are working on applications for government. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
SESSION 4 PROMISE OF E-EDUCATION
Mr. Ismayil Alakbarov, Founder and Chief Executive Of icer, Neuron Technologies Mr. Royal Gulusoy, Senior Adviser, State Students Admission Commission (SSAC) Mr. Yuri Misnikov, International Consultant Ms. Christina Juan Carrión, President, Libertas NGO Ms. Sabina Izzetli, Member, Azerbaijan Internet Forum (AIF) Mr. Emin Akhundov, Education Project Manager, Microsoft Azerbaijan Mr. Ayaz Abushov, Deputy Head of Department, Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan e-Education (e-Learning) is the use of electronic educational technology in learning and teaching. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
It encompasses a number of related terms including: information and communication technology (ICT) in education, EdTech, learning technology, multimedia learning, technology-enhanced learning (TEL), computer-based instruction (CBI), computer managed instruction, computer-based training (CBT), computer-assisted instruction or computer-aided instruction (CAI), Internet-based training (IBT), lexible learning, web-based training (WBT), online education, virtual education, virtual learning environments (VLE), learning platforms, m-learning, and digital education. A closely related development is the massive open online course (MOOC) that is designed for unlimited participation and completely open access. It is commonplace for a single MOOC classroom to have more than 15,000 students at one time from all parts of the world.
The fourth session of RIGFAZ 2014 examined building capacities for e-education in Azerbaijan and the Eurasian region. Some the questions considered included: Best practices for e-Learning worldwide. What are general challenges? Possibilities of e-Education for traditional school education (for young generation) in Azerbaijan and the region. Can e-Learning become a practical tool for occupational education? Can e-Learning help to empower disadvantaged groups (rural population, poor people, women, etc.)? Economics of e-Learning
According to Yuri Misnikov, e-Learning is a vibrant, dynamic, and exciting way to learn new skills and concepts. E-Learning is all about learners-capturing their attention with content speci ically designed to meet their immediate needs in a self-paced and comfortable environment. E-Learning is interactive, holding learners’ attention by involving them in the learning process every step of the way. E-Learning allows students to learn by doing, by being involved, by receiving immediate feedback, and by allowing them to monitor their progress with quizzes, tests, and hands-on activities. Governments around the world all face tight iscal challenges, and education is rarely on the top of the agenda for spending. At the same time, the accelerated penetration of ICT into all aspects of society has led to an assumption on the part of most citizens that their government will be competent in delivery of all manner of e-services. Expectations are high, but the widespread use of social media guarantees that any missteps by a government in delivering public services quickly are known to everyone. A key factor in e-Learning is cost of delivery. On a per student basis, e-Learning is at least an order of magnitude cheaper to deploy. Once materials are posted online, they are downloaded for reading by the students, but there is no associated cost of purchasing expensive textbooks, or paying shipping charges. Usually the professor records a number of lectures that are delivered in the form of online lectures. Accompanying these lectures, there are slide presentations to illustrate the concepts. Social media is almost always used by students to self-organize themselves into groups for exchange of information. Most e-Learning environments also make use of discussion areas so students can exchange ideas and study the homework. All of this is complimented by online quizzes, and sometimes by writing assignments. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
The economic secret of e-Learning is that once a course has been completely prepared for online delivery, like a record, it can be replayed over and over without incurring substantial additional costs. For each new iteration of the course, there usually is a small administrative burden, but this amounts to only a small fraction of the original sunk investment already expended in content creation. In addition, because the content is delivered through the Internet, there is little or no cost to users associated with widespread geographic distribution. There are no brick and mortar facilities that must be built and maintained. All of these factors together are important drivers for the proliferation of e-Learning experiments around the world. Finally, since the cost of a course is proportionally decreased on a per student basis each time it is used, quickly the cost approaches zero, leading in many cases to a zero tuition policy. This in turn greatly facilitates the ability of less fortunate, poorer families, to obtain access to high quality education. e-Learning is education via the Internet, network, or CD-ROM, electronic transfer of skills and knowledge. The component of distributed learning that includes digital content, is experienced through a technology interface, and is Internet-enabled. Governments today are facing an increasingly demanding service delivery environment that is exacerbated by tight iscal circumstances. The lines between private and public sector delivery of services are often blurred in the minds of citizens, let alone the demarcation between which services are delivered by which level of government. Any missteps in the provision of public services run the risk of front-page coverage or inquiries from opposition parties. Against this largely thankless backdrop, the public expects governments to do more, do it faster, do it better and do it with less. Fortunately, there is an unusual convergence of interests in the realization of a more robust digital service delivery realm. For governments, digital services offer the opportunity to realize signi icant savings while also increasing con idence in government’s ability to execute key functions. For citizens, mobile, online and digital services are easier to access, faster and more convenient. Governments in many industrialized nations are making concerted efforts to make their services more accessible and responsive to individual needs by incorporating online and mobile-enabled channels for citizen feedback and the development of clear service standards. There is also a trend towards more individually-tailored services as governments begin to re-think the way they develop programs and services from the user’s perspective. In areas such as child welfare, employment assistance, social housing and business development, governments must address a variety of needs that cannot simply be satis ied through a one-click transaction. As governments expand their online and mobile-enabled service delivery portfolio, expectations continue to rise for more digital services, but governments are left to grapple with messier, more discretionary and complex services that are inherently much more dif icult to migrate. The e-Learning Platform
The e-Learning Platform. Ismayil Alakbarov pointed out that any e-Learning program must be subjected to cost bene it analysis and there should be an agreed upon return on investment. Otherwise, it is not possible to know how effective it is. A number of factors determine whether an e- Learning program is effective. The content supplied in the course must be state of the art, and meet the needs of the end user. Content should not be too lengthy in any learning module, and generally should be broken down into small chunks that are presented one step at a time along with complimentary multi-media assets. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
The ICT platform used to deliver e-Learning content must be stable and robust. A Learning Management System is an ideal platform. From the point of view of both the professors and the students, the platform should be easy to use and accessible 24x7. The delivery system should be lexible enough to allow students to access its services using a number of different devices of their choice. For example, recent studies indicate that the ability to use mobile Internet devices – “m- Learning” – increases motivation of students more than 70% of the time. In addition, any effective e- Learning system has a back-end administrative capability that allows monitoring of trends, tracking of progress for individual students, grading, and all associated record keeping. It should be able to generate data for trend analysis, and for other performance metrics. The learners must be able to satisfy their question ‘What’s in it for me?’ A positive answer to this question will ensure an acceptance of the content and success in learning.
Business Needs
Royal Gulusoy and Ayaz Abushov underlined that the business community is expecting graduates to be highly quali ied with 21st century skill sets. In Azerbaijan, more than two-thirds of companies are reporting a shortage of quali ied workers, and projections indicate that this situation will worsen in the next ive years, unless something is done. The new workforce must be ICT literate to the degree that it is built into their daily lifestyle. New graduates also are expected to have a sense of innovation, creativity, tolerance of failure, and continuous learning. These demands on the new emerging workforce imply that the educational system must be re-oriented. Technology use and e-Learning is one way to make radical changes and to quickly roll-out more advanced and relevant course material. Use of online videos, integration of social media, sensitivity to cultural values and differences, and a strong emphasis on problem-solving, thinking out of the box, and creativity are what is needed going forward. Failure should be viewed as merely a learning step towards future success. Thinking critically, and entertaining radical ideas should be encouraged. It also is important that not only students, but educators as well adopt habits of lifetime learning. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
Massive Open Online Courses
Massive Open Online Courses. Christina Juan Carrión discussed the MOOC phenomena. These courses are high quality, and available for free worldwide.² Prestigious universities such as Columbia, Harvard, Oxford, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, Berkeley, Leiden, Barcelona and the California Institute of Technology have started to offer these “open courseware” environments for learning, and the number of students involved is staggering. The interfaces are user-friendly and there is ample opportunity to interact with lecturers and with other students. These learning experiences provide many international networking opportunities. Many use peer-to-peer review of homework. In most cases, students that are successful receive a certi icate of accomplishment.
On the other hand, from a global point of view, the online education movement faces certain barriers to universal acceptance. e-Literacy is lacking in many places, so potential learners do not understand how to use software. There may be a general lack of knowledge of the Internet and the wealth of information available through websites, although this problem rapidly is being alleviated. For many, the amount of information available is overwhelming, because they do not have adequate training in “information navigation”. In addition, in some parts of the world, seeking overseas information or e-Learning may be considered a political or security risk by states that are more restrictive or violate human rights. Finally, the best applications are available only in popular languages such as English, French and Spanish. In fact, more than 90% of e-Learning available through the Internet is provided only in English.
Nevertheless, in spite of these problems, e-Learning is on the rise, and newer generations of learners, of all ages, are quickly on the uptake. The rapid spread of social media has intensi ied this phenomenon.
Some of the leading providers of MOOC education include Coursera, Udacity and edX. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
Anytime, Anywhere Learning
Emin Akhundov pointed out that the educational system is one of the only sectors in modern society that historically has been resistant to change. As it was the case 300 years ago, professors stand in front of black boards, students sit in groups taking notes, lectures are given, test results are recorded, and all of this happens according to a ixed time schedule. Subject matter remains stubbornly segregated into ields such as physics, chemistry, mathematics, or history, but the demands of modern society place a premium on a more holistic multi-disciplinary viewpoint. It is true that many students are learning how to do word processing, create electronic spreadsheets, generate slide presentations, and build elementary databases, but having these skills is not the complete goal of the today’s education. Basic computer literacy is only a stepping-stone to building a new type of graduate, one who not only is able easily to use ICT, but whose thinking also has a more creative orientation. Society needs innovation, not simply more memorization and wrote learning.
ICT promises to transform education into a completely different form. “Anytime, Anywhere Learning” will become a reality, but only if the educational establishment sincerely re-thinks its mission and the best way to accomplish it. Unless this re-thinking is done, then even though a number of new technologies are put in place, education will remain more or less as it has for the past few centuries. If this happens, then it may be possible to achieve incremental improvements of 5–10%, but this will not be suf icient because quantum changes are needed. According to Akhundov “That’s why we believe that traditional schooling is outdated. It should be changed and technology can support this change. Without technology we cannot make it.”
Social Media and Gami ication. Sabine Izzetli pointed out that social media has created entirely new forms of dialogue between citizens, and increased the potential for interactivity. Communities based around political causes, personal hobbies, common problems and games have never been easier to build and maintain. In fact, although video games in the past have been viewed by many as a waste of time, the reality is that they offer yet another platform with potential to engage learners. Game design theory has reached new levels of both sophistication and mainstream acceptance. The architecture of online gaming now is being built into many education delivery platforms, and this approach is presenting bene its. It is possible that even governments will begin to examine the potential of gaming theory for achieving public policy goals because online gaming makes it possible to get a better understanding of citizens, their values and priorities. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
E-learning strategy plan
Outcomes:
Adaptation of educational programs to ICT in schools using new devices such as tablets will make learning more engaging and attractive to students; Use of video-recording of educational content is being widely used, and is proving to be highly cost- effective because the lectures and content can be reviewed over and over again; The educational establishments should increase its efforts in networking, and exchanging pedagogical methods with counterparts around the world and re-thinking of old forms of education should be encouraged; E-education is a tool to encourage students to create and innovate, enhance the quality of the education process, and improve a student’s overall learning experience; In order for education to be overhauled, multi-stakeholder partnerships of schools, Internet service providers, ICT vendors, as well as parent-teacher associations and educators need to work together to brainstorm innovative approaches going forward; New approaches such as gaming and massive open online courses should be evaluated for possible use. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
SESSION 5 APPLYING ICT TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Mr. Nariman Hajiyev, National Project Manager, UNDP Azerbaijan Mr. Sahib Khalilov, Deputy Director, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ms. Gunel Novruzova, Senior Adviser, the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Ismayil Hasanov, Chief Technology Of icer at ADA University Mr. Leonid Todorov, Deputy Director, Coordinator Center for the Russian TLDs Mrs. Almaz Hasrat, Member, Azerbaijan Internet Forum (AIF) Ms. Elnura Sha izadeh, Baku State University
The concept of green ICT has two dimensions. First, the manufacturing, use, and ultimately disposal of hardware should be done in a way that is least harmful to the environment. Rare minerals in components should be re-cycled, the least possible amount of toxic chemicals should be used in manufacturing, and energy consumption should be minimized as much as possible. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
Second, there is a large ield of work that investigates how ICT can be used to help in environmental management, such as with real-time monitoring or the development of very large-scale simulations useful for predicting underlying environmental trends.
The last session focused on one of the pivotal challenges facing humanity-the environmental crisis. What is the relevance of ICT in solving this problem? Key questions included:
How can ICT use promote ef iciency and sustainability? Does ICT present any possibilities for environmental improvement across public infrastructures, such as in waste management, energy production and distribution, and availability of clean water? What best practices can be adopted in Azerbaijan and across the region? First, Second, and Third Order Systemic Effects
As the moderator of the last session, Nariman Hajiyev prompted discussion by noting that we are unlikely to avoid major environmental damage because unsustainable practices persist. The most prominent example, climate change, is already disturbing agriculture and food production. Forest ires have increased, there are more loods, drought patterns have changed, invasive species have started to migrate, and the planet’s biodiversity has suffered. Only if there is clear understanding of the nature of the problem can appropriate management strategies be created. As a consequence, there is an urgent need to improve capacity for tracking environmental change and making accurate predictions about the future.
In this context ICT promises to be a transformative and essential tool. The literature is full of examples showing how ICT can improve practices in agriculture and forestry; monitor air and water pollution; aid in disaster warning and relief; and improve the ef iciency of energy use in transportation. Careful energy management will change how goods and services are delivered. In addition, social media and networking has increased awareness of environmental problems, and served as a platform for developing community responses. On the whole, there is an increased awareness of the danger posed by unbridled consumption, including the risk of electronic waste.
The relationship among ICTs, innovation and the environment is often examined in terms of three effects. First-order effects are direct. They arise from the design, production, distribution, maintenance and disposal of ICT goods and services. Second-order effects are indirect. They arise from the widespread use of ICT throughout society at all levels including across the economy, inside government and public institutions, in R&D, in private households, and in academia. Third-order effects are systemic. They arise from changes in the fundamental organization of the economy and the society it supports. These changes are driven by increased availability, accessibility and widespread application of ICT in every sector. These effects have a strong in luence on the attitudes, expectations and behavior of individuals in their role as consumers, citizens, and community members. The large- scale economic and social choices made by individuals and societies will determine if there is a successful global response leading to more sustainable development. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
It was recognized that the largest gains in improving the environment will come from ICT use in the power generation, transportation, manufacturing, and smart-building sectors, as these are the source of most greenhouse gasses. ICT also has much latent potential to have a positive effect on water management, biodiversity, and pollution. If used intelligently, ICT will lead to greener growth and development around the world. The Four Dimensions of Green ICT Leonid Todorov addressed the issue of how ICT itself is a source of pollution. First of all, computers, electronic devices and ICT infrastructure in general (servers, power supplies, storage media, switching devices) consume large amounts of electricity, and generate a great deal of heat. This places a heavy burden on electric grids, and unless the electricity is hydroelectric or solar, it contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. In 2007, the total footprint of the ICT sector including personal computers (PCs) and peripherals, telecommunication networks and data centers was 830 metric tons of CO2 emission, equivalent to 2% of the world’s human-generated emissions. The use of ICT causes about the same amount of pollution as the aviation sector.
Second, each stage of a computer’s life causes problems for the environment-from its manufacture, throughout its use, and up to the time of its disposal. Manufacturing of computers and all of their components consumes vast amounts of electricity, raw materials, chemicals, and water. Manufacture and disposal of ICT also results in large amounts of toxic waste (lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, cadmium, brominated lame retardants).
In order to alleviate this problem, companies are working on developing ICT that has minimal or no impact on the e nv i ro n m e n t . T h i s i n c l u d e s c o m p u te r s , s e r ve r s , telecommunications systems, as well as peripherals such as monitors, printers, data networking equipment, and storage devices. The development of Green ICT addresses the economics of energy ef iciency and the total cost of ownership, including disposal and recycling. Green design, Green manufacturing, Green use, Green disposal all are complementary paths to Green ICT. Only by focusing on each of these four dimensions we can hope to achieve total environmental sustainability for ICT. Everyone’s Responsibility Elnura Sha izadeh and Almaz Hasrat emphasized that the ICT industry itself has a responsibility for protection of the environment and reduction of power consumption. Practical guidelines should be adopted to encourage recycling of components and minimize power consumption. In addition, consumer awareness needs to be increased so that everyone is knowledgeable about the environmental impact of the products they purchase and use. Simply by being more careful in the use of ICT, a signi icant and positive impact on the world’s environment can be realized. On their behalf, Ms. Novruzova and Mr. Khalilov indicated that improving environmental performance, reducing greenhouse gases and tackling global warming are high on the list of global challenges that must be addressed urgently by governments, industries, businesses, and individuals alike. Some governments have already introduced schemes to tackle these challenges as part of their economic stimulation packages, such as Australia, Germany, and USA. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
Recycling and Reuse of ICT Ismayil Hasanov emphasized that since it is well-known that ICT contains a number of toxic materials, it is imperative to keep outdated ICT equipment from simply being dumped into land ills. ICT products often are replaced before the end of their productive lives. Product replacement should not be automatic, but instead should be managed with reference to the environment. Re-use of ICT should be prioritized; “Reusing working computers is up to twenty times more energy ef icient than recycling them. Reuse has lower resource depletion costs than recycling.” In addition, reuse brings additional bene its, such as providing access to persons who are unable to purchase new equipment. In the European Union, for example, the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (2002/95/EC) set collection, recycling, and recovery targets for all types of electrical goods, with a minimum rate of 4 kilograms per head of population per annum recovered for recycling by 2009.
Panelists underlined that Information and Communication Technologies continue to transform, around the world how we live, work and play. As a key contributor to growth and employment, ICTs increase ef iciency and productivity, creating jobs and supporting business models which recognize the portability of information, workforce mobility and distribution of resources. The power of ICTs as an economic enabler is particularly true in the context of increased availability of high-speed Internet. The Internet, which is an excellent example of the application of ICTs, has also been a major driver of globalization, multiplying the positive effects of innovation in management and operational processes, and the distribution of wealth and opportunities for employment. Generally speaking, for every dollar invested in broadband IP (Internet protocol) technologies and collaborative tools, another four dollars are generated in return. And, the World Bank has estimated that for every 10% increase in high-speed Internet access, economic growth rises 1.3%. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
Panelists concluded that boosting sustainable economic growth is a top priority for Azerbaijan. Current patterns of growth will compromise and irreversibly damage the natural environment. At the same time, economies and populations continue to grow with accelerating global rates of production and consumption. Technologies will play a key role in addressing these challenges. Boosting sustainable economic growth is a top priority not only in Azerbaijan, but in the region as a whole. Current patterns of growth will continue to compromise and irreversibly damage the natural environment; ICT offers at least part of the solution to this complex problem.
Outcomes:
ICT itself is a major contributor to environmental pollution because of its use of toxic materials in its manufacture. When ICT equipment is disposed of, these materials enter the environment unless there is an appropriate recycling program in place; A major concern regarding ICT use is power consumption; The total CO2 footprint of the ICT sector is equivalent to the aviation industry; Not only manufacturers, but also consumers have an important role to play in reducing the environmental impact of ICT; The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive in the European Union might be studied as a prototype for adoption of similar laws elsewhere; Refresh cycles for ICT should be assessed with an environmental perspective; It is more environmentally friendly to hand used ICT equipment to the needy rather than simply throw it away; Best practices in Green ICT can be enhanced by use of a certi ication or “Green ICT” sticker on equipment so that consumers are aware of the environmental impact of their choice. THE 2ⁿ REGIONAL INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN WWW.RIGF.AZ
CONCLUSION
Consequently, based on the above mentioned pivotal points the 2nd RIGFAZ 2014 was titled as “Multi- stakeholder Platform for Regional Economic Growth and Cultural Development via ICT” where it served as the unique opportunity for specialists on ICT to make noteworthy contributions to encourage the transformation of government in digital age. Azerbaijan is a regional hub of ICT development. The meeting provided joint cooperation and exchange of experience between national ICT participants and international specialists. At the same time, it ensured involvement at the regional level. In conclusion, the Second Regional Internet Governance Forum “Multi-stakeholder Platform for Regional Economic Growth and Cultural Development via ICT” in the Republic of Azerbaijan accomplished its mission. It showed that Internet governance issues are highly relevant to all countries. Policy makers emphasized that Azerbaijan will continue to ful ill the role of a trustworthy partner in the international community and, by organizing additional fora and ICT projects in the future, will continue making contributions to the understanding of global ICT issues, including Internet governance.
Group Portrait of the 2nd RIGF 2014 Participants The forum underlined the importance of strengthening Regional Internet Governance Forums (RIGF) as multistakeholder platforms. Internet governance is expected to include all stakeholders in order to take into account the interests on all sides. Governments, the private sector, the technical community, and civil society can use these to work together and create more awareness on important issues such as security. Training and preparation for IPv6 can be improved, and government ef iciency and accountability can be improved through various e-Government initiatives. There is a pressing need for more work in the area of cyber security, including crime detection and prevention, privacy issues, and the building of public awareness of best practices. Much more work needs to be done to increase awareness throughout society of the promise of new applications delivered through the Internet, including e-Education, e-Health, and e-Agriculture. In addition, further exploration should be made of the promise of cloud-based computing, since it promises to both lower costs and improve security. Finally, nations should strive to include ICT in every educational curriculum as early as possible, and to provide universal Internet access, not only in big cities, but throughout the countryside.
RIGFAZ 2014 also pointed to the importance of using quantitative performance metrics to evaluate how ICT is meeting policy goals both nationally and regionally. The spread of ICTs has changed our world where lines of production and communication cut across national boundaries. International mobility is on the rise. RIGFAZ proved to be a unique platform to assess the control and management of these transformations spanning the globe.