Release

UAlbany's Center for Technology in Government Receives $1 Million to Create International Digital Government Research Community

Contact: Catherine Herman (518) 437-4980

ALBANY, N.Y. (October 21, 2005) -- The University at Albany's Center for Technology in Government (CTG) has received $1 million from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Digital Research Program (DG) to build and sustain an international digital government research community of practice. Over a span of four years, CTG will create opportunities and venues for international research discussions and enable U.S. researchers and educators to advance their work through international collaboration.

"The Center for Technology in Government is broadening the reach of UAlbany by pursuing exciting international opportunities to address digital government from a global perspective," said University at Albany President Kermit L. Hall. "By fostering collaborative partnerships, CTG will be expanding the knowledge base of researchers and create an important new community of practice. We are grateful that the National Science Foundation has acknowledged the leadership of CTG in the international research community."

"Most funded research around the world addresses digital government challenges within the context of a single country; only a few investigations have compared results across national boundaries or tackled problems that are transnational in scope," said CTG Director Sharon S. Dawes. "The most damaging result of this situation is that comparative and transnational issues in digital government, which are of growing importance in an increasingly networked world, are not receiving the attention they deserve."

The project will support a long-term strategic approach to digital government research that will make possible a stable infrastructure for future generations of researchers. The work will include a six-month reconnaissance study to identify and summarize the state of international digital government research; the development of three topical working groups, each of which will produce a white paper discussing research challenges, recommended strategies for undertaking this research, and the accomplishments within its sub-domain; the creation of an international summer institute on digital government research; and the support of U.S. participation in international digital government research conferences.

The results of this project will enable the U.S. to extend its scientific leadership role in digital government by systematically studying, understanding, organizing, and facilitating a global research community of practice in the DG domain. CTG expects that the connections and collaborations developed between U.S. and international institutions and researchers will result in new knowledge discoveries, new lines of intellectual inquiry and sustainable support for future international digital government research relationships and projects.

The project will be carried out in partnership with the Digital Government Research Center (DGRC) at the Information Sciences Institute, University of Southern California. "We are excited to partner with CTG in this challenging endeavor. The time is ripe to prepare a solid foundation for the next generation of global DG researchers and the DGRC is committed to making this vision a reality," said Valerie Gregg, DGRC Assistant Director for Development.

The Center for Technology in Government is an applied research center devoted to improving government and public services through policy, management, and technology innovation. The Center, located at the University at Albany, works with government to develop well-informed information strategies that foster innovation and enhances the quality and coordination of public services. For more information visit www.ctg.albany.edu.