International Training Program on e-Governance, 2 -6 June 2014

The International Training Program on e-Governance for the officials of the Government of India from the National Institute of Smart Government (NISG), Hyderabad, India and the Department of Electronics & Information Technology took place in Ljubljana between the 2^nd and 6^th of June 2014. The one-week international training program was organized by ICPE in cooperation with some Ministries of the Republic of Slovenia, as well as certain organizations and companies. It was attended by 46 participants and 2 coordinators, officials of the Government of India, who deal with e-Governing in diverse fields.

The participants were accompanied by two group coordinators, Dr. Vashima Shubha and Mr. Veerraju Naidu, which gave a brief introduction of e-Government in India at Monday’s welcome reception at ICPE. On behalf of ICPE’s Acting Director General, Mr. Janez Podobnik, the participants of the training program were welcomed by Mr. Tomaž Rogelj, Executive Manager of ICPE, who also gave a brief presentation of ICPE. A welcome address was also given by Mr. Robert Shetkintong, Counsellor of the Indian Embassy in Slovenia, followed by Ms. Jožica Skube, ICPE Program Coordinator. The welcome reception was followed by lectures and presentations, given by Slovenian experts in the field of e-Governance.

During this week, the participants of the training program were acquainted with the Slovenian, as well as European experiences and approaches to e-Governance. The latest trends and developments of the e-Governance system in this region, as well as best practice cases of institutions and other organizations were also presented.

For example, on Tuesday the 3^rd of June, two major e-Government achievements in Slovenia were presented by Mr. Tadej Gabrijel and Mr. Andraž Pernar from the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Slovenia. Both presented Slovenian projects, which won the 1^st and 2^nd UNPSA award. As this training program was organized in an interactive manner, encouraging active participation by presenting own experiences and challenging the issues addressed, the presentation was followed by a fruitful discussion about IT security. Slovenia’s success story of a pioneering service, Moneta, was also presented to the participants. The cutting edge feature in payment transactions as well as mobile technology developed by Telekom Slovenije Group, one of the most comprehensive communications service providers in South-Eastern Europe. The participants also visited DARS Control Center Dragomelj, where they were acquainted with e-Management of roads in Slovenia.

On Wednesday, the 4^th of June, the participants of the International Training Program on e-Governance were hosted at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Slovenia, where the most fruitful debate took place after Mr. Stane Štefančič from the company Genis, d.o.o. presented the Slovenian solution in the field of citizen registrars, provided by Genis. The participants also visited JHL, Public Holding Ljubljana, where a presentation of the Urbana Card – or the Integrated City Payment System was given. Afterwards the participants returned to ICPE, where Mr. Miran Gajšek, MSc, Head of Department for Urban Planning gave a presentation of the Municipality of Ljubljana and urban development of Ljubljana.

On Thursday, the 5^th of June, the participants started the day with lectures at ICPE, given by Mr. Tomaž Perše, Deputy Director General and Dr. Tomaž Kralj, from the Tax Administration of the Republic of Slovenia. They presented to the participants the case of e-Governance in Finance and Tax in Slovenia. For their next lectures the participants visited the Employment Service Ljubljana, the Court of Audit, where e-Tools in supervising state accounts, the state budget and all public spending in Slovenia were presented, and the Center for Social Work, where they were warmly welcomed by the Secretary of the Ministry of Labor, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.

On Friday, the 6^th of June 2014, ICPE concluded the International Training Program on e-Governance. However, before the 48 participants were awarded with certificates, they visited the Faculty of Administration of the University of Ljubljana. From the Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Agricultural Markets and Rural Development, Mr. Jožko Fornazarič, held a lecture on e-Governance in Agriculture and Environment, as well as International inter-institutional cooperation and rural development. With this the official International Training Program on e-Governance came to an end. The certificate ceremony followed. ICPE Acting Director General, Mr. Janez Podobnik held a closing speech, expressing his sincere gratitude to the high officials of the Indian government, who actively participated in all the training activities, not only accumulating expertise and know-how of Slovenian experiences of e-Governance but also sharing their own experiences from the field. Afterwards he handed out the certificates to the participants.

ICPE organized lectures and presentations on e-Governance in different subsystems of the public administration, such as the Ministry of Interior, Court of Audit, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Employment Service Ljubljana, Centre for Social Work Ljubljana Šiška, some public sector enterprises- DARS, JHL, as well as lectures on the municipal level scale - presentation of e-Governance in the Municipality of Ljubljana. Participants had the opportunity to establish communication and cooperation with some private sector enterprises. 

ICPE appreciates very much, and thanks all its partners, for their cooperation and help at organizing this event.

Gallery is available here.