Digital governance in the age of AI:
evolving policies, regulations, and practices

PROGRAMME

Programme (.pdf)

WEDNESDAY, 6 MARCH 2024

Venue: CAAS premises, Don Frana Bulića 4, Dubrovnik

19:00 – 21:00  Conference opening & reception 

• Welcome by Ivan Koprić, dean of the Faculty of Law University of Zagreb 

• Welcome by Anamarija Musa, vice-rector of the University of Zagreb 

• Welcome by Mato Franković, mayor of the City of Dubrovnik 

• Welcome by Eka Akobia (President of NISPAcee) 

• Welcome by Jean-Michel Eymeri Douzans (President of EGPA)  

THURSDAY, 7 MARCH 2024

Venue: CAAS premises, Don Frana Bulića 4, 20000 Dubrovnik

09:00 – 09:30 Registration

09:30 – 09:45 

Welcome addresses by Eka Akobia (President of NISPAcee) and Prof. Jean-Michel Eymeri Douzans (President of EGPA)  

09:45 - 11:00 

Session 1:  COLLABORATIVE DIGITAL INNOVATION IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 

Keynote speaker: Professor Dr William Webster, University of Stirling, UK: The Governance of AI and Big Data: Promises and Pitfalls for Public Policy and Services

Chairs/discussants: Professor Dr Ivan Koprić, University of Zagreb, Croatia / Professor Dr Sabine Kuhlmann, University of Potsdam, Germany

Topics: Collaboration in digital governance

• digital governance concepts and practices 

• transformation of governance in digital setting 

• effects of digital governance on organisational processes and concepts 

• relationship between public and private sector 

• politics and digital governance 

• reform and digital transformation 

11:00 -11:30 Coffee Break 

11:30 - 12:45 

Session 2: People and digital governance: AI, awareness, and education 

Keynote speaker: Associate Professor Dr Marius Bertolucci, Aix-Marseille University, France: The AI and diminished man: the civil servants and citizens in the context of digital governance

Chairs/discussants:  Associate professor Bogdana Neamtu, Babes-Bolyai University, Romania /  / Professor Dr Jean-Michel Eymeri-Douzans, University of Toulouse, France and EGPA president 

Topics: human vs. machine effects on public administration and its internal and external actors • HRM in digitalised public sector • AI and civil servant • trust and digital governance • education in the context of digital governance • new tools, skills and knowledge of civil servant and citizens • integrity and AI •  corruption, AI and public officials • teaching digital governance and AI • • digital universities and schools 

12:45 - 13:45 Lunch 

13:45 - 15:00 

Session 3: Designing and implementing digital programs effectively and efficiently

Keynote speaker: Associate Professor Dr Mila Gasco Hernandez, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, University of Albany, SUNY, USA: Determinants of successful adoption of AI in public organisations 

Chairs/Discussants: Associate Professor Dr Eka Akobia, Caucasus University, Georgia and NISPAcee President / Professor Dr Juraj Nemec, Masaryk University, Czech Republic 

Topics: determinants of effectiveness and efficiency of digital programmes • success of digital transformation • digital and policy innovation • digital governance and public policies • public administration and business smart cities • digital re-branding of countries, cities and public institutions 

15:00 - 15:30 Coffee Break 

15:30 - 16.45 

Session 4: Regulation & digital governance 

Keynote speaker: Associate Professor Dr Mihael Mišo Mudrić, Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, Croatia : AI regulation in the European union: Taming the tiger through dialogues and trialogues  

Chairs/Discussants: Associate Professor Dr Anamarija Musa, University of Zagreb, Croatia & Professor Dr Giovanni Fattore, Bocconi University, Italy 

Topics: regulatory framework for digital governance and AI • societal and economic interests in regulation processes • the EU digital governance and AI regulation • data innovation: transparency, open data, big data • data challenges: privacy and security • ethical issues surrounding digital governance and AI • digital justice and responsiveness • regulatory risks of digital governance and AI • digital regulatory practices 

16:45 - 17.30 

Wrap up of the 1st day of the conference 

Chair: Professor Dr Calin Hintea, Babes-Bolyai University, Romania 

19:30 Dinner 

Dinner for the participants at the restaurant Marangun, Ulica Iva Vojnovića 7a, Dubrovnik 

FRIDAY, 8 MARCH 2024

Venue: CAAS premises, Don Frana Bulića 4, 20000 Dubrovnik

09:00 - 11:00 

Session 5: Agile Government: innovation and flexibility in digital public sector 

Keynote speaker: Professor Dr Joep Crompvoets, KU Lueven, Belgium: AI in the public sector – hype or hit? 

Chairs/discussants: Professor Dr Maja Klun, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia & Professor William Webster, Stirling University, UK 

Topics: agile government based on digital governance and AI • society, business, and government in the AI context • AI maniacs and fashionists • digital governance, flexibility, adaptation • innovation and development • technology enthusiasm • technocratic tendencies in digital governance  • digital entrepreneurs in public sector 

11:00 - 11:30 Coffee / Tea Break 

11:30 - 13:00

Session 6: Conclusions & follow up: Assessing effects of AI and digital governance on public administration: can traditional theories provide an orientation for the future?  

Chairs: NISPA and EGPA presidents and Organisation Committee members 

Venue: 

Inter-University Center (IUC) Dubrovnik / Centre for Advanced Academic Studies University of Zagreb  / Don Frana Bulića 4, 20000 Dubrovnik, Croatia  

Trans-European Dialogues (TED) are series of scholarly conferences on timely topics of public administration, jointly organised by the European Group for Public Administration (EGPA) and the Network of Institutes and Schools of Public Administration in Central and Eastern Europe (NISPAcee). TED2024 is high level conference bringing together senior public administration experts – academics and high-level practitioners – from across different regions – with the aim to discuss current research results and practices as well as future research opportunities in digital governance and the use of artificial intelligence in the public sector. The emphasis of the conference is on broad debate among all invited participants based on their research based and practical experience.