First Stakeholders’ Meeting in Spain

The meeting took place in person at the Assembly Hall of the Provincial Training Center Cortijo de Cuarto of the Provincial Council of Seville. The main purpose of the meeting was to bring together political and technical representatives of stakeholders considered relevant to improve public-private technological cooperation and the use of open innovation in the development and implementation of research and innovation in advanced data-based technologies.

The meeting included the local presentation of the OD4GROWTH project and proceeded according to the scheduled agenda. It began with welcoming remarks from the Provincial Council of Seville, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and innovation in the field of open data.

The team responsible for implementing the OD4GROWTH project presented the project in detail, including its objectives and expected results. During this presentation, initial results of the state-of-the-art analysis in Andalusia were shared, along with planned activities for the coming months.

The meeting delved into what Open Data means and how it can improve the lives of citizens. Key barriers to Open Data adoption in Andalusia were identified, such as data fragmentation, lack of awareness, limited resources, legal and regulatory challenges, accessibility and digital literacy, and organizational culture.

Examples of best practices at the international level were shared, along with a local best practice related to current Open Data policies and strategies at the regional level, including the Open Data Portal of Andalusia.

The stakeholders' meeting allowed participants to introduce themselves and share the situation in their territories regarding Open Data. Common barriers in different provincial councils were highlighted, leading to variations in the maturity of Open Data policies and activities.

Additionally, the project has expanded to address other areas, including the installation of intelligent irrigation systems, digital information displays, and Wi-Fi access points in public spaces. Each participating municipality will have its own control center to monitor traffic and environmental data, allowing for more effective resource management and data-driven decision-making. The initial project phase also promoted citizen participation and transparency in municipalities by installing a geographic information system, an asset management platform, and tools for citizen participation and transparency. The Provincial Council of Granada continues to work on expanding and maintaining the system, demonstrating a long-term commitment to innovation and technology for the community's benefit.

Subsequently, the political instrument aimed at integrating Open Data into the Smart Specialization Strategy (S4) of the Andalusian Government was presented, and mechanisms necessary to overcome the identified barriers and achieve the project's objectives were discussed.

The meeting concluded with the presentation of a third local best practice by the Institute of Statistics and Cartography of Andalusia (ICAE). 

Finally, it's important to note that this is a dynamic project, as dynamic as the population itself, which leaves its mark on the territory.

The event concluded by highlighting the importance of surveys in the process and opened a question-and-answer session to define the most relevant aspects that the project should address to enable stakeholders to overcome existing barriers and unlock the full potential of Open Data:

1. Fostering collaboration among entities:

Collaboration is essential to address the data fragmentation that often occurs among various government entities and departments. This proposal suggests the creation of collaborative networks where public organizations can share data, experiences, and knowledge. Interdepartmental collaboration facilitates the identification of opportunities for joint projects, avoids duplicating efforts, and promotes cohesion in data management.

2. Organizing events and training workshops:

To enhance understanding and interest in open data, organizing events and workshops is proposed, targeting both public officials and the general public. Public officials can benefit from training programs that provide them with the necessary skills to work effectively with open data, including data management and its use in their daily tasks. Additionally, this aims to promote digital literacy and raise awareness of how open data can benefit society as a whole.

3. Collaboration with external partners:

Collaborating with external partners, such as private companies and civil society organizations, is another key strategy. Working together with external actors allows for the sharing of resources and knowledge, accelerating the development of user-friendly data visualization applications and tools for the general public. This collaboration not only enriches innovation in the field of open data but also expands the reach and impact of initiatives.