Data Dialogues
The datafication of society, resulting from digital transformation and computational advances, has generated a set of externalities such as increased data asymmetries where data is not equally accessible to those that need it. To advance access and reuse of data for public interest purposes we have explored a variety of new partnership models where (often privately held) data is made accessible to generate insights that can help address societal challenges, such as a pandemic. The challenge however is that setting up such data collaboratives still involves large transaction costs and many of these never go beyond the pilot stage, are hard to sustain, and often lack a robust governance structure. This talk will consider a few foundational elements needed to make data collaboratives more systematic; sustainable and responsible, and share experiences on how they can be achieved.
Stefaan G. Verhulst is Co-Founder and Director, Data Program of the Governance Laboratory (The GovLab) at New York University (NYU), an action research center focused on improving governance using advances in science and technology - including data and collective intelligence. He is also, among other positions and affiliations, the Editor-in-Chief of Data & Policy, an open access journal by Cambridge University Press; the research director of the MacArthur Research Network on Opening Governance; Chair of the Data for Children Collaborative with Unicef; and a member of the High-Level Expert Group to the European Commission on Business-to-Government Data Sharing. In 2018 he was recognized as one of the 10 Most Influential Academics in Digital Government globally (as part of the Top 100 in Digital Government) by the global policy platform Apolitical.
