Albany to be Host City for Global Conference on Technology and Government Innovation

ALBANY, N.Y. (April 23, 2012) -- Leaders at the Center for Technology in Government at the University at Albany have announced they will be hosting the 6th International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV) in Albany, from October 22nd - 25th, 2012. The conference draws over 350 attendees from over 60 countries representing academia, government, industry and not-for-profit sectors. This is the first time the international conference is to be held in the United States, with previous editions being held in Estonia, China, Colombia, Egypt and Macao.

Center for Technology in Government Director Theresa Pardo said, "We're honored to be the host for this year’s ICEGOV conference. Bringing ICEGOV to Albany, demonstrates our commitment to providing academia, government and industry valuable resources that drive innovation.” This year's conference program calls attention to the role that openness plays in fostering transparency, participation and accountability in government. Pardo said, "We have an impressive line-up of speakers that include SUNY Chancellor, Dr. Nancy Zimpher, and conference co-chairs David Ferriero, Archivist of the United States, National Archives and Records Administration, and Haiyan Qian, Director of the Division for Public Administration & Development Management (DPADM), United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)"

Representatives from UAlbany's CTG and capital region leaders announce that ICEGOV 2012 will be hosted by the city of Albany.

"The University at Albany is a hub for innovative ideas, community engagement, and government interaction," said George Philip, President, University at Albany. "We are proud to have the Center for Technology in Government, one of our leading research centers, serve as the host for ICEGOV2012."

Deputy U.S. Chief Technology Officer for Government Innovation and a member of the ICEGOV National Advisory Committee, Chris Vein, said "International conferences such as ICEGOV support the White House's commitment to open government. This is an important event that will bring together thought leaders from around the world to share new ideas in the area of electronic governance. I am excited that ICEGOV is coming to the United States and look forward to being in Albany in October."

This year, Vein was again named to the top 50 public sector CIOs by InformationWeek. He has been a key driver in the Obama Administration’s open innovation agenda, which has been aimed at finding, testing, and scaling new ideas that change the way government conducts business and delivers services through engagement with the American people.

Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings was at today’s kickoff event and said, "The Capital Region is increasingly becoming a viable option for global forums such as the ICEGOV conference. We are proud to be the host city for ICEGOV and look forward to welcoming our international attendees this October."

Michael Tucker, President for the Center for Economic Growth said, "Tech Valley is emerging as a leader in the advancement of new technologies and innovation from nanotechnology to information technology. Events like ICEGOV demonstrate to companies that want to either expand in the Capital Region or relocate here that we have the infrastructure and support services necessary for high tech companies."

ICEGOV involves participation from members of academia, government and industry. Former General Manager of IBM's Global Public Sector division and current member of New York's Spending and Government Efficiency (SAGE) Commission Robert Samson is also a member of the ICEGOV National Advisory Board. He had this to say, "ICEGOV plays a critical role in bringing together new opportunities for companies that provide innovative solutions to governments around the world and provides a forum to discuss how research in electronic governance is put into practice."

This year's ICEGOV conference will feature a government innovation exhibit that will showcase how public-private partnerships are developing innovative solutions with a focus on accountability and transparency in ways that create public value and streamline processes to help improve government services to citizens.

About ICEGOV:

The International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV) series focuses on the use of technology to transform relationships between government and citizens, businesses, civil society and other arms of government (Electronic Governance). The Series looks beyond the traditional focus on technology-enabled transformation in government (Electronic Government), towards establishing foundations for good governance and for sustainable national development.

The ICEGOV conference series was established six years ago by the United Nations University International Institute for Software Technology located in Macao, China. Their mission is to support governments in developing countries in strategic use of technology to transform the working of public organizations and their relationships with citizens, businesses, civil society, and with one another.

About the Center for Technology in Government:

The Center for Technology in Government at the University at Albany fosters public sector innovation, enhances capabilities, generates public value, and supports good governance. CTG carries out this mission across the globe through applied research, knowledge sharing, and collaborative problem solving at the intersection of policy, management and technology. 

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