Saxony: Digital pilots project to be extended

With the digitalization of processes and services, cities and municipalities are facing major challenges in order to offer citizens and companies digital access to administrative services. However, these tasks only form part of the virtual town hall. For example, the processing of digitally submitted applications and inquiries is only possible if the administration itself can also work digitally without media discontinuity. Digitalization therefore means a fundamental change in administrative working methods. In order for municipalities to be able to actively shape this change in a self-determined manner, they need employees who are sensitized and informed in dealing with digital topics. This is why the Free State of Saxony and the Saxon Association of Towns and Municipalities launched the Digital Navigators and Digital Pilots project in 2021. Funded by the Free State of Saxony, this program gave municipalities in Saxony the opportunity to bring digital expertise into their own administration and secure the support of a digital pilot.

To ensure that this transfer of expertise continues to be possible locally in the administrations, the second “Funding agreement for the implementation of the Digital Pilots Saxony concept” came into force in February 2023. Funds of 1.1 million euros per year are available for this purpose until 2024. In future, the focus will be on building networks of digitally skilled employees in the municipalities. Since the start of the project, four digital pilots have been established at the Saxon Association of Towns and Municipalities, who have now coached over 100 digital navigators and made them digitally fit. In various courses, the pilots impart key basic knowledge of digital processes and best practice approaches, which are then transferred into ready-to-use digital solutions in individual projects by the local digital navigators.