Ukraine is one of the global leaders in the field of digitalisation of public services. This process is taking place thanks to the joint efforts of the state, business, and the civil sector, which combine expertise, technologies, and an understanding of user needs. The most effective solutions emerge where there is synergy between all parties and a focus on the practical value of services for citizens.

This was discussed by the participants of the public discussion “Digital Transformation and Innovation,” which took place as part of the demo day of the civic tech projects competition Act to Drive Change.

The future of public services lies in automated services

“The future indeed lies in automated services that are provided without human involvement. Such solutions make it possible to minimise the influence of the human factor, increase the transparency of procedures, and make the delivery of services more predictable and convenient for citizens. However, this is preceded by significant reengineering of all processes,” noted Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine for Digital Development, Digital Transformations, and Digitalisation Olha Riabukha.

At the same time, according to Olha Riabukha, the quality of digital services largely depends on effective cooperation between the state, business, and the expert community, as it is this kind of interaction that makes it possible to find optimal solutions faster and implement innovations.

“The better the cooperation among all stakeholders, the higher the quality of the service,” she emphasised.

The official also noted that state institutions actively monitor the development of innovative solutions and look for opportunities for their further implementation in their activities. In particular, representatives of public authorities pay attention to the results of startup competitions, IT solutions, and civic tech initiatives, where practical tools capable of improving service delivery often emerge.

“We follow such competitions very closely. I can give a real example. I think many have encountered the system of free legal aid. A solution that was once implemented as a startup by a small team with limited resources is now used by us for the further development and scaling of the service,” said Olha Riabukha.

Digitalisation is changing the culture of interaction between the state and citizens

Chief Operating Officer of CDTO Campus Inna Roman drew attention to the fact that digital services have already become part of citizens’ everyday lives: from the birth of a child to entering a university or receiving administrative services.

According to her, digitalisation is gradually changing the very model of interaction with the state.

“Previously, we were applicants for services – we had to ask, and much depended on a person’s mood. Now the culture of cooperation between the state and citizens is changing, and transparency is increasing on both sides,” noted Inna Roman.

Digital tools make it possible to make the process of receiving services more understandable and convenient, and also increase trust in state institutions.

Cooperation between the state, business, and the civil sector as a key to effective solutions

The participants of the discussion emphasised that effective digital transformation is impossible without partnership between different sectors. The state shapes policy and rules, business offers fast management approaches and technological solutions, and the civil sector often has specialised expertise and the ability to respond quickly to challenges.

“It is important to ensure a shared understanding of the context among all participants in the process, as this is what enables the effective development and implementation of solutions,” noted Inna Roman.

One example of such interaction was the civic tech projects competition Act to Drive Change. The selected participants went through an acceleration program that helped teams strengthen their ideas, improve digital product development skills, and prepare solutions for implementation.

During the demo day of the competition, 16 Ukrainian civil society organisations presented digital tools aimed at improving access to services, strengthening interaction between citizens and the state, and developing communities. Based on the pitching results, the jury selected 10 teams that will receive funding of €35,000 each to develop their solutions and will then implement them in their communities. You can read more about the projects that won the competition via the link.

All these projects have practical value—they improve the everyday experience of people’s interaction with public and civil services, expand access to services, and create new opportunities for citizens to participate in decision-making.

The civic tech projects competition Act to Drive Change is part of the project “Phoenix: The Power of Communities,” which is implemented by East Europe Foundation with financial support from the European Union.