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The Singapore OpenGov Leadership Forum 2021 – Virtual Edition was held over two days. This article covers Day 2. Read about Day 1.
COVID-19 has progressed digital transition by years and has foundationally altered the way both the public and private sector across the world deliver services, products and programmes. Government agencies and institutions have fast-tracked digitisation of internal operations and delivery of citizen services. Businesses made temporary solutions, that are morphing into more permanent ones, to meet changing and new demands – far more quickly than was thought possible before the crisis.
Indeed, a digital revolution is underway.
However, this is a daunting journey – stories of problematic projects abound. Organisations and agencies in government, healthcare and education that get digital transformation right are proving that the effort and investment reap significant rewards when done right.
This was the focal point of the discussion during the Singapore OpenGov Leadership Forum 2021 – Virtual Edition Day 2 that brought the key decision-makers and influencers together in one forum.
Convening the brightest digital minds for a strategic level discussion on the issues that matter the most, the Singapore OpenGov Leadership Forum offered a unique way of tackling challenges in its virtual edition. Intentionally planned, every activity and facet of the event was designed to let delegates garner exclusive insights from the digital leaders as well as demonstrate their thought-leadership.
As always, the forum provided intimate interaction between key ICT leaders from the Public Sector and leading technology providers who influence and determine digital strategies across agencies and organisations.
Apart from informative presentations from renowned speakers, this year’s Forum continued its award-winning OpenGov Gamification Table (OGT) format in the new OpenGov Gamification Virtual Rooms (OGVRs). Every OpenGov Gamification Virtual Room was a virtual heuristic exercise allowing delegates to learn from varying decision-making scenarios just as they would in the physical world.
Digital Government: Building for the People
The day started with a keynote address from Pascale Elvas, Senior Director, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat who talked about how a digital government builds for its people.
Canada has nearly 38 million people and is the second-largest country in the world with ten provinces, three territories, two official languages – diversified and multicultural. The country also has its share of indigenous people as well as immigrants.
Canada is one of the most connected countries in the world with 94% of Canadians having internet access at home. Canadians are used to working, shopping and banking online and expect the same from their government’s services.
A total of $7.5 billion was spent on Federal Annual IT Expenditures in the following areas:
- $2.6B Applications
- $1.4B Telecommunications and networks
- $1.2B Distributed computing
- $1.2B Production and operations computing
- $0.7B Programme management
- $0.4B Security
In 2009, the Government of Canada launched a project to replace the system it had been using for 40 years to process payroll for its 290,000 employees in 101 departments and agencies.
The Office of the Auditor General of Canada concluded that the Phoenix project was an “incomprehensible failure in project management and oversight”. The Standing Committee on Finance referred to the project as an “international disgrace”. The pay system failed users, cost hundreds of millions of dollars and caused financial hardship to tens of thousands of employees.
The Overview of the Phoenix Project:
- Mega contract: A tech giant won the sole-source contract – $5.7 million initial contracts but eventually the company was paid $185 million.
- Unforeseen costs: The original budget in 2009 was $309 million, with projected savings of $70 million per year. The system has already cost taxpayers over $1 billion, with unforeseen costs estimated at $3 billion by 2023.
- Serious consequences: By June 2018, Phoenix had caused pay problems for almost 80% of federal public servants, or 232,000 people, with over 600,000 cases in arrears. Phoenix led to the suicide of a federal public servant in 2017.
- Pascale enumerated the causes of the project’s failure:
- Waterfall management: Largely pre-defined IT project with 300-400 contract requirements. Tech developer left alone for several months to design and develop the project. Unveiled very late, near the end of the contract
- No tests: Budget and timelines prioritised over functionality, testing and security. Launched without a pilot project or end-to-end testing
- Culture of “yes”: Culture where the risks of IT project failure are not discussed
To bounce back from past mishaps and to combat the effects of the pandemic, the government launched an online info-service platform on COVID-19.
In mid-March last year, the coronavirus pages canada.ca had peaks of 13 million visits per day. Google steered 90% of the traffic, showing that people were looking for reliable and authoritative information prompting them to launch the digital info-service for COVID-19. Since its launch, the service has sent more than 5.8 million notices to more than 56,000 subscribers.
The Overview of the COVID-19 information service platform are as follows:
- An email subscription service that provides information to help better manage health and wellness, and combat misinformation.
- Uses the open-source code from the GOV.UK Notify service, adapted for Canada by the Canadian Digital Service.
- Minimum viable product launched based on initial hypotheses regarding subscriber numbers, network load and minimum viable product, without planning all the features of future iterations.
- Launched one month before the press release and promotional campaign to test, improve and build a subscriber base for the service.
Pascale said the success factors of the platform include being informed by data where the content of the emails is based on the analysis of popular search data. Emails are written in a simple and accessible manner so that a grade 8 student can understand them. The platform uses existing tools and services.
The Canadian Digital Service’s Notify platform and the Canada.ca publishing platform made it possible to launch a turnkey service in two weeks. Lastly, it has an open-source code. The service is available in the Open Call for Code for Canada, a catalogue of free digital tools to answer common questions about COVID-19.
Smarter, Safer, and Resilient Cities: Re-opening Our Cities in the Face of COVID-19
The delegates next heard from Sameer Sharma, Global General Manager Smart Cities, Intelligent Transportation & IoT, Intel Corporation. He talked about learning how the Internet of Things and data can be leveraged to monitor, alert and protect citizens in modern cities as they begin to re-open.
Data clearly shows there is an explosion in populations in major cities all over the world; 55% of the world’s population lives in cities and is expected to rise to 68% by 2050. With this surge, governments have been striving to find ways to make urban systems and infrastructure more efficient and effective. However, with COVID-19 hitting the world at the end of 2019 Q4, it has created a major pause in city innovation in specific areas.
The rapid spread of the virus affected countries globally on a massive scale. It severely hit areas like trade where the value of global exports increased by 4,000% in the last century; and the travel industry where 4.5 billion passengers boarded flights in 2019 pre-COVID. And on a personal level, human interaction was also reduced by the pandemic.
The pandemic made governments and policymakers looked at their vision for cities – such as better access to education, better healthcare and more opportunities for their citizens – in a whole new light.
Across the world, there are currently 33 megacities (>10 million people), 4,000 cities with 100K+ population and 2.5M towns. Serving this global population are 1.4 billion cars, 246 million trucks, 17 million buses, over 50,000 ships, 25,000 commercial planes and 1.3 million kilometres of railways.
All of these must be and can be managed even in an ongoing crisis. Improving and strengthening cities where the working society is in will be the key and, in the age of COVID-19, Sameer is convinced, that resilience will be critical; new threats and challenges must be anticipated and planned for.
Agencies and organisations across the board have tried to mitigate the effects of the pandemic by using technologies and new operational frameworks. Sameer reminded the delegates that legacy infrastructure cannot scale but disruptive technologies can make everything possible. Digital technologies must overlay the physical world, especially cities.
COVID-19 created shifted the focus specific sector improvement to overall infrastructure upgrade – that is, transforming ‘spaces’ to ‘smart spaces. It is imperative to learn how to adopt technologies like AI, Cloud, 5G and IoT.
With the re-opening of the economy, safety and sanitisation will take precedence. Automated air filtration systems will be the norm in offices, commercial spaces, and industries where the physical presence of people is a must.
Organisations that use these spaces can utilise technology to upgrade their infrastructure. There are a plethora of tech-based solutions that enable smarter spaces: automated room access, keyless and touchless entry, touchless and on-demand elevators, ambient temperature control, fresh air circulation and quality monitoring, UVD disinfecting robotics, face mask and fever detection using AI, people-counting and spacing-analytics and digital contact tracing initiatives just to name a few.
With fears of the virus in public transport, for local, shorter commutes, most likely, people will use personal vehicles. Where longer travel is necessary by air, road, rail or sea, security agencies will add healthcare checks and screenings.
Schools and universities will opt to use online tools; hotels and restaurants will transition to digital menus, delivery models and contactless payments; retail will be increasingly driven online.
Intel’s Smart City Vision, Sameer shared, is built on effective policies, governance and financing. Transportation, buildings and energy, environment, healthcare, public services and homes stress citizen wellbeing and safety. Intel is a strong advocate for and champions the use of sensors and edge computing, wireless tech, access and core networks, cloud and analytics and AI and Automation to achieve their dreams of a Smart City.
Nations must understand that resiliency is the key and technology enable it. Decision-makers should think big, not just thinking about smarter cities, but better cities. The mantra is to start small and get going with obvious projects and opportunities; then learn, adjust, and iterate.
Sameer urges governments and organisations to find the right partners across the industry to build sustainable cities for citizens.
In closing, he quoted Nelson Mandela, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
Digitally Automated Citizen Services
Dan Ternes, Chief Technology Officer, APAC, Blue Prism was the presenter and talked about ways on how to serve citizens better with digital automation. He began with the key factors that drive the public sector to change its disciplines and practices. At the helm is to be able to serve citizens better, mostly with robotic process automation.
Government agencies are under pressure to improve the user experience to meet growing expectations and to help improve the lives of citizens. Public sector leaders are being urged to leverage new and innovative digital technologies like AI and automation.
Security and fraud detection are significant considerations as well. Governments must have higher levels of security and be innovative in fraud detection to address the pressures of rising fraudulent and cybersecurity activities.
Regulatory compliance, too, plays a key role in these changes. Increased levels of governance and compliance requirements are needed to address the pressures of stricter regulations and privacy of data.
Lastly is the public sector’s future operating model. Current operating models are proving unsustainable in the face of dramatic changes in the expectations of citizens.
The public sector’s path to value in terms of automation starts with the back office – automating high volume and high-value back-office processes, financial data tracking, updating HR and payroll and IT data migration.
It then transitions to citizen services. New account and account renewals, automatic invoicing and billing, lowering contact centre wait times, automated benefits processing and efficient public service matching.
The public sector must create capabilities that free up staff time and enable them to be re-skilled for higher value-added services on the front line. Notably, the government must transition from legacy and avoid constraints of legacy systems. It must create digital agility while reducing risk and complexity and enable simplification and modernisation.
Dan enumerated four samples of success stories that the public sector achieved by automating processes:
- Revenue NSW, 80,000 hours returned to the business; 1.1M transactions across 40 process automation
- Luton Borough Council, 90% of benefits cases processed by digital workers and 5x faster than temp workers
- South Kesteven District Council, 3 weeks backlog reduced for critical housing applications
- Suffolk County Council, 2,000 monthly audits on prepaid card spending for Special Educational Needs & Disabilities children
The current state of adoption of intelligent automation in government as follows:
- 33% piloting right now
- 28% has no plans
- 23% moving into production
- 11% unsure
- 6% scaled-up and industrialised
Dan conceded that going digital must build on the promise of a new E.T.H.I.C. of public services. It must be Efficient, capable of increasing productivity as well as being a good steward of the taxpayer’s money. It must be Trusted where security and compliance are the top priorities. The government must practice transparent, non-inclusive engagement. Government must also be Highly responsive through cross-silo integration and invisible bureaucracy. Public services should be Inclusive, driven by personalisation and equitable services. Lastly, a digital government must provide Convenient, omni-experience and seamless access to its services.
Critical Services Resiliency
The delegates heard from Soh Kiat Hiong, Head of Systems Engineering, Asia, Rubrik on ways to keep critical services resilient in the age of cyber threats.
Digital transformation must focus on leveraging data as a strategic advantage. Organisations must modernise and reduce complexity and cost. Digital adopters must learn how to automate infrastructures and how to utilise a hybrid cloud setup. The transformation must be secure, compliant and resilient. Lastly, digital processes and platforms must be able to harmonise with existing assets to have a seamless management system.
With the current surge in digitalisation from both the private and public sectors, cyber extortion is growing too. For example, while some simple ransomware may lock the system so that it is not difficult for a knowledgeable person to reverse, more advanced malware uses a technique called crypto-viral extortion. It encrypts the victim’s files, making them inaccessible, and demands a ransom payment to decrypt them. In a properly implemented extortion attack, recovering the files without the decryption key is an intractable problem.
Soh Kiat Hiong conceded that there are additional challenges with ransomware. Foremost, quick recoveries are a pipe dream and on average take over 7 days to recover. An organisation’s last line of defence is no longer enough – more is needed with additional backup. Finally, users cannot determine the blast radius of the attack.
He also mentioned the following to build a Ransomware remediation plan:
- Immutability (Safeguard Backups)
- Impact Visibility (Reduce Data Loss)
- Instant Recovery (Lower RTOs)
Government agencies and organisations must implement an integrated experience for IT Ops and SecOps with a unified management system for data protection and integrated intelligence in security information and event management (SIEM)/security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR) dashboards.
Soh Kiat Hiong conceded that a resilient and intelligent data management platform must be able to mitigate data risk by leveraging backups for cyber-resiliency and data privacy. It must also be equipped for modernisation and automation. Lastly, the platform must be extended to the cloud to earn benefits from cloud economics and mitigate the risk of cloud data loss.
Power Talk
After the informative presentations from the speakers, the session shifted to a Power Talk discussion where Mohit joined panellists Leong Mun Kew, Director, Graduate Programmes, Institute of Systems Science, National University of Singapore and Terence Ng, Director, Policy & Technology Innovation Office, Health Promotion Board.
On the agenda was public services in the new normal and what does the word “reboot” mean. Open for a discussion was the kind of transformation the panellists were expecting to see and how did they think technology would support the reshaping of the world with lessons learned from COVID-19.
Terence Ng said that society should relook instead of rebooting. People should look at the tools and platforms to improve on and continue to build on that going forward. However, he noted that the lack of physical contact such as face to face interactions put a strain on some people. Therefore, he believes that a more hybrid setup may work and bear benefits in the future.
Leong Mun Kew emphasised that the world must take advantage of the current mindset aided by the lessons that the pandemic. The area that needs a reboot is the overall governance to consider what the new normal is truly about and what are the initiatives needed to improve citizen services and organisational capacities.
Interactive Discussion
After the informative presentations from renowned speakers, the forum moved to an interactive discussion – a time of high-level engagement with delegates from various government agencies, FSI, education and healthcare organisations.
Aided by polling questions, this session is designed to provide live-audience interaction, promote engagement, hear real-life experiences and impart professional learning and development for the participants. It is an opportunity for delegates to gain insight from subject matter experts, share their stories and take back strategies that can be implemented in their organisations.
The opening poll inquired about delegates’ primary objective in their digital transformation strategies. 34% of the delegates said their digital transformation is meant to improve their business processes while 34% also said it is for the improvement of citizen and customer experiences.
On the question about the biggest challenges delegates face in implementing digital strategies, 38% voted legacy systems and technologies that lack integration capabilities were the biggest. A quarter (25%) signalled that the inflexible business processes and teams are the main challenges.
Participants were asked how they measure the success of their digital transformation efforts. Almost two-thirds (63%) of the delegates said that they are still looking for ways to measure it effectively while 29% indicated they already have qualitative and quantitative methods in place.
Delegates were asked about their most important IT priorities. Three quarters (75%) said digital transformation and innovation are their top priorities while 19% said that improving efficiencies and reducing maintenance costs were the most pressing aspects of their IT strategies.
Exploring IT structures, delegates were asked how AI and Data Analytics impact or improve their current digital transformation strategies. About 41% voted faster access to data to improve pre-emptive analysis can be achieved using AI and Data Analytics while 36% said that they need AI-ready infrastructures to manage large sets of data.
On being asked to share their organisations’ biggest pain points in the Big Data value chain, 46% went with data accessibility and sharing as their biggest pain points while 26% said data integrity was the real problem for their organisations.
Regarding the maturity of their data strategies, 49% conceded that it is evolving and they are building a Data Lake for democratising data. Just over a quarter (26%) indicated that a traditional approach with a central team managing data with all the analytics drivers through their data warehouse.
When asked to rate their organisations’ use of data and data analytics tools for decision-making purposes, 42% said that they needed improvement and better tools while 32% said they were doing good with adequate tools were in place.
Differentiating cloud providers for various workloads, 31% said services is important while 31% said that integration is the key for evaluation.
This led to delegates being asked how much of their organisations’ mission-critical/data-sensitive workloads are to be put onto public clouds this year. About 62% said that less than half of their workloads are set to be put onto the public cloud while 28% said more than half is earmarked for public cloud adoption.
On the issue of cloud adoption, delegates were polled on the biggest challenge CIOs face when complying with the government’s direction to go on the public cloud. More than half (54%) of the delegates agreed that security poses the biggest challenge, 32% said governance was an issue and 7% said skills to mitigates are lacking.
Close to half (48%) of the delegates’ main concern for security operations in their organisations are advance and zero-day attacks. A fifth (20%) said cybersecurity skills shortage is concerning while another fifth (20%) voted for actionable threat intelligence.
Respondents were asked to rate their current level of security operations efficiency to detect and respond to attacks. Almost 34% said their security operations are currently based on log management, correlation aggregation, and basic reporting, while 39% said it was very good in terms of a partial mapping of the prediction, detection and response areas, but needs improvement.
Questioned on what drives their cyber resilience plans, an overwhelming 84% indicated compliance and incidents were critical factors for their cybersecurity strategies and programmes.
With COVID-19 still making its presence felt in most parts of the world, the delegates were asked about the areas most impacted by the ongoing pandemic. Over 57% said the well-being of their staff took a hit, 37% said they were able to launch new initiatives because of COVID-19 while 6% said their productivity was greatly affected.
Knowing that the pandemic accelerated the digital transformation especially for the working sector, delegates were asked about their perceived outcomes of a digital and automated workplace. About 31% believed that there will be an improvement in employee engagement. The remaining votes were divided into higher productivity, greater collaborations, greater digitalisation, and resource savings.
On the current challenges they face in the adoption of a digital workplace, 42% said the lack of effective technologies to optimise staff productivity and performance is an issue. Over 38% said the lack of executive leadership to drive a culture of process improvement and effective change management is their biggest challenge. Only 21% said that no clear articulation of digital workplace benefits and a supporting business case hinder their adoption of the new working setup.
Finally, delegates shared their organisations’ capabilities in supporting a remote workforce. Exactly half (50%) said they already have the tools to implement a seamless remote working setup. Over a quarter (27%) said they are not looking to implement a fully remote workforce while 23% indicated a lack of collaboration tools for seamless remote work (but they are looking for solutions).
Conclusion
The Singapore OpenGov Leadership Forum – 2021 ended with a closing address from Mohit. He thanked the delegates, speakers and sponsors who joined the virtual session.
Mohit believed that with the unprecedented pace government agencies and industries are tackling the effects of a global crisis, he is positive that the world will soon return to its former self.
However, there will be a glaring difference. Going forward, government agencies, organisations, industries and communities are now more equipped with the appropriate knowledge and innovative capabilities that we all gained from our many battles with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Singapore OpenGov Leadership Forum 2021 – Virtual Edition was held over two days. This article covers Day 2. Read about Day 1.
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The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) recently unveiled the pivotal insights gleaned from its inaugural Singapore Cybersecurity Health Report 2023. Conducted between May and August of the previous year, the survey canvassed the opinions of 2,036 organisations spanning various sises and sectors.
The objective was to gauge the landscape of cybersecurity readiness across local entities and inform CSA’s strategic initiatives. The importance of bolstering cybersecurity resilience within these organisations cannot be overstated, as they play a critical role in shaping the digital experiences of Singaporeans through their services and products.
The findings unveiled a mixed landscape: while the majority of organisations demonstrated an awareness of cybersecurity imperatives, there remains substantial room for improvement in adoption rates. On average, organisations reported implementing around 70% of essential cybersecurity measures across various categories. Additionally, a significant proportion, approximately 75%, acknowledged CSA’s cybersecurity certification programmes, Cyber Essentials and Cyber Trust, which serve as national standards for prioritising cybersecurity measures.
Despite these positive indicators, CSA sounded a cautionary note, emphasising the inadequacy of partial adoption. Without the full spectrum of essential measures, organisations remain vulnerable to unnecessary cyber risks. Alarmingly, only a third of organisations had fully implemented at least three of the five categories outlined in Cyber Essentials. This underscores the urgency for comprehensive adoption to fortify cybersecurity posture effectively.
A prevalent challenge cited by organisations hindering full adoption was a lack of knowledge and experience, echoed by 59% of businesses and 56% of non-profits. This is compounded by the rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape, exacerbated by a shortage of skilled cyber professionals. Moreover, a prevailing perception of being unlikely targets of cyber-attacks and resource constraints further impedes progress in bolstering defences.
The consequences of inadequate cybersecurity measures were starkly evident, with over 80% of organisations reporting encountering cybersecurity incidents annually, including prevalent threats like ransomware and social engineering scams. These incidents invariably inflicted a negative business impact, with disruptions, data loss, and reputational damage among the most commonly cited consequences.
While the cost of implementing cyber hygiene measures may seem daunting, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), it pales in comparison to the potential financial ramifications of cyber incidents. CSA emphasises the importance of viewing cybersecurity investment as essential insurance against potentially catastrophic losses.
In response to these challenges, CSA has rolled out a comprehensive suite of initiatives aimed at bolstering organisational cybersecurity resilience. These include cybersecurity resources to raise awareness, tailored health plans delivered by cybersecurity consultants, and certification programmes such as Cyber Essentials and Cyber Trust. Additionally, the collaboration with the Infocomm Media Development Authority has led to the introduction of the Cybersecurity Health Check, providing organisations with a self-assessment tool to benchmark their cyber hygiene and access remedial resources.
Mr. David Koh, Chief Executive of CSA, stressed the imperative for organisations to prioritise cybersecurity and leverage available resources and funding support. Delaying proactive measures until after an incident occurs, he cautioned, would prove significantly more costly in the long run.
The release of the Singapore Cybersecurity Health Report underscores the urgent need for organisations to fortify their cybersecurity posture comprehensively. By embracing a holistic approach to cybersecurity and leveraging available resources and support, organisations can mitigate risks and safeguard against the increasingly sophisticated cyber threats of the digital age.
The Singapore Cybersecurity Health Report 2023 is available at www.csa.gov.sg/cyberhealthreport and the Cybersecurity Health Check can be accessed at https://www.csa.gov.sg/cyberhealthchecktool.
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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has called upon the youth to take the lead in propelling Vietnam’s digital transformation, emphasising their crucial role in shaping the nation’s future amidst the burgeoning digital economy. The Prime Minister made these remarks during a dialogue held in Hanoi on March 26, where he engaged with 300 outstanding young individuals from various regions of the country.
With the digital economy projected to contribute 30% to the gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030, PM Chinh underscored the urgency for Vietnam to embrace digitalisation as an indispensable global trend. He highlighted digital transformation as a cornerstone alongside the green economy, circular economy, sharing economy, and intellectual economy, essential for realising the nation’s development objectives of transitioning into a modern, upper-middle-income country by 2030 and achieving developed, high-income status by 2045.
In his address, PM Chinh urged the youth to champion digitalisation by raising public awareness, advocating for policy reforms, driving administrative modernisation through digital technologies, and advancing research and development efforts in the digital domain. Emphasising their role as pioneers, he expressed confidence in the youth’s ability to contribute, innovate, integrate into society, and pursue personal growth.
Moreover, PM Chinh called upon the youth to collaborate with the government in establishing a digital government, digital economy, digital society, and nurturing digital citisenship. This collaborative approach is deemed essential for harnessing the full potential of digital technologies to address societal challenges and drive inclusive growth.
Responding to the Prime Minister’s call, the youth presented recommendations to the government, emphasising the need to refine the legal framework governing digital platforms and establish effective communication channels to engage citisens in the digital transformation process. They stressed the importance of inclusivity and transparency in policymaking to ensure the successful implementation of digital initiatives.
During the dialogue, PM Chinh addressed queries from the youth regarding data protection, cybersecurity measures, integration of public services with the national population database, and strategies to preserve cultural identity in the digital age. Acknowledging these concerns, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding data privacy, enhancing cybersecurity, and promoting cultural heritage preservation in the digital era.
Furthermore, PM Chinh instructed relevant ministries, authorities, and localities to expedite the implementation of the National Digital Transformation Programme, refine existing mechanisms and policies, and create an enabling environment for youth-led initiatives. This concerted effort aims to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital literacy among the younger generation, thereby ensuring their active participation in shaping Vietnam’s digital future.
The dialogue served as a platform for meaningful exchanges between the government and the youth, highlighting the importance of collaborative efforts in driving Vietnam’s digital transformation agenda. With the youth at the forefront, Vietnam is poised to harness the opportunities offered by digital technologies to achieve sustainable development and prosperity for all.
As reported by openGov Asia, Vietnam is undergoing a digital revolution, characterised by concerted endeavours to advance the country’s digital transformation. With aspirations to attain high-income status by 2045, Vietnam’s digital technology sector focuses on mastering technology, fostering innovation, and developing domestic manufacturing capacities.
In this context, inclusivity and collaboration are essential, serving as key drivers to unleash the transformative power of technology and foster economic expansion, ensuring broad societal participation and contribution to the nation’s advancement.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) stands at the forefront of technological innovation, promising transformative solutions to complex challenges across various domains. Recognising its potential to revolutionise industries and improve societal well-being, the National University of Singapore (NUS) has inaugurated the NUS AI Institute (NAII). Led by Professor Mohan Kankanhalli, NAII aims to accelerate AI research and its practical applications, fostering collaboration, innovation, and societal impact.
In an era marked by rapid technological advancements, AI has emerged as a powerful tool with the capacity to reshape diverse sectors, ranging from healthcare to finance, education, logistics, and beyond. The establishment of NAII underscores NUS’s commitment to harnessing AI for the greater good, addressing critical issues facing Singapore and the global community.
At the core of NAII’s mission is the advancement of fundamental AI research, aimed at pushing the boundaries of AI capabilities and exploring novel applications across various domains. Through foundational research initiatives, scientists at NAII will tackle complex AI problems, spanning hardware and software systems, AI theory, responsible AI, reasoning AI, and resource-efficient AI. By delving into these areas, the institute seeks to develop cutting-edge AI technologies that address real-world challenges and drive innovation.
Moreover, NAII will prioritise research into the ethical and societal implications of AI, aiming to develop robust governance frameworks that ensure responsible AI development and deployment. This includes examining issues related to transparency, accountability, and ethical decision-making in AI systems. By fostering dialogue and research on AI ethics and governance, NAII aims to guide the responsible use of AI technology and mitigate potential risks.
In addition to foundational research, NAII will spearhead applied research initiatives, focusing on developing AI-driven solutions for specific application domains. Collaborating with experts from diverse fields, including healthcare, logistics, manufacturing, finance, urban sustainability, and education, the institute will tackle pressing challenges and explore opportunities for AI-driven innovation. From optimising supply chains to improving healthcare outcomes and enhancing urban infrastructure, NAII’s applied research efforts aim to deliver tangible benefits to society.
Furthermore, NAII will serve as a hub for AI talent development, providing comprehensive education and training programs for students, professionals, and policymakers. By offering hands-on learning experiences and internships, the institute seeks to nurture the next generation of AI leaders and entrepreneurs, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to drive innovation in AI.
To support its research and educational endeavours, NUS has allocated significant resources to NAII, including external research grants and institutional funding. Moreover, the institute will collaborate closely with government agencies and industry partners to amplify its impact and drive innovation. Strategic partnerships with leading companies such as IBM and Google Cloud will enable NAII to leverage industry expertise and resources, accelerating the translation of research outcomes into real-world applications.
In alignment with Singapore’s Research, Innovation, and Enterprise (RIE) strategy, NAII aims to contribute to the nation’s AI ecosystem by fostering collaboration, innovation, and talent development. By positioning NUS as a global leader in AI research and application, the institute seeks to drive positive societal change and economic growth.
The establishment of NAII represents a significant milestone in NUS’s journey towards harnessing the power of AI for societal benefit. Through cutting-edge research, education, and collaboration, the institute aims to unlock the full potential of AI and pave the way for a more innovative, sustainable, and inclusive future. With its interdisciplinary approach and commitment to excellence, NAII is poised to make a lasting impact on Singapore and the global AI landscape.
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The Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) has reached a significant milestone with its artificial intelligence (AI) platform, VNPT eKYC, logging over 1 billion user authentication requests. This accomplishment solidifies VNPT’s position as a pioneer in electronic identification and verification solutions within Vietnam.
Since its inception, VNPT eKYC has been at the forefront of electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) services for over five years, serving a diverse range of clients including banks, financial institutions, telecommunications companies, and e-commerce entities. With over 100 organisations utilising its services, VNPT eKYC has facilitated electronic identification for more than 40 million individuals across the country.
On average, the VNPT eKYC system processes an impressive 600,000 requests daily, with peak days witnessing over a million requests being handled seamlessly. This demonstrates the platform’s robustness and reliability in managing high volumes of authentication transactions efficiently.
The significance of VNPT eKYC extends beyond its technological capabilities, particularly in the context of evolving regulatory requirements. The State Bank of Vietnam’s decision mandating biometric authentication for transactions exceeding 10 million VND (approximately 416 USD) and other significant transactions from July 1, 2024, underscores the critical role of advanced authentication solutions like VNPT eKYC in ensuring compliance and security in financial transactions.
Moreover, the platform’s success highlights the increasing importance of domestically developed solutions in the banking and financial sector. Domestic solutions such as VNPT eKYC offer several advantages, including rapid implementation, cost-effectiveness, adherence to global technology standards, scalability, and high readiness to meet evolving regulatory requirements.
Central to the effectiveness of VNPT eKYC is its advanced AI models, which enable the verification of facial biometric data with an impressive accuracy rate of up to 99.99%. This high level of accuracy not only enhances the security of authentication processes but also contributes to building trust and confidence among users and regulatory authorities.
As Vietnam’s digital economy continues to grow and evolve, the role of advanced authentication and verification solutions like VNPT eKYC becomes increasingly indispensable. Beyond facilitating seamless and secure electronic transactions, these solutions contribute to enhancing the overall digital infrastructure and ecosystem of the country, paving the way for further innovation and economic growth.
Looking ahead, VNPT remains committed to advancing its AI platform and expanding its capabilities to meet the evolving needs of its clients and the regulatory landscape. With a strong focus on innovation, reliability, and security, VNPT eKYC is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of electronic identification and verification in Vietnam’s dynamic digital economy.
VNPT’s achievement of logging over 1 billion authentication requests with its AI platform, VNPT eKYC, marks a significant milestone in Vietnam’s journey towards digital transformation.
Amid a swiftly changing global landscape, Vietnam emerges as a frontrunner in a digital revolution, strategically positioned to harness technology’s transformative power for economic progress and societal development.
It is embracing its digital transformation journey, highlighting collaborative efforts to drive the nation’s digital transformation. The nation’s digital technology industry aims to propel Vietnam towards high-income status by 2045 through technology mastery, innovation, and indigenous manufacturing capabilities.
Moreover, the nation is working to harmonise its regulations, streamline laws, and promote consistency in its legal framework to foster a more favourable and appealing cyber environment.
As the country continues to embrace technology-driven solutions to address emerging challenges, VNPT eKYC stands as a testament to the potential of domestic innovation in driving progress and excellence in the digital era.
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In a significant scientific breakthrough in a space sector, Dr Sarah Kessans has developed hardware designed to operate autonomously in orbit, transforming the study of protein crystallisation in microgravity. This technology provides scientists on Earth with unprecedented insights into protein behaviour, with far-reaching implications for developing more effective medicines and vaccines, among other applications.
Minister for Space Dr Megan Collins lauds Dr Kessans’ research as an inspiring example of how space technology can drive innovation on Earth. This achievement follows the recent successful launch of MethaneSAT, a satellite designed to track and monitor global emissions from space, highlighting the significant potential of space technology in addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges while bolstering our globally competitive space sector.
The MethaneSAT satellite will be equipped with a highly sensitive spectrometre that can detect concentrations as low as two parts per billion, and it will have high-spatial resolution coupled with a broad, 200-kilometre view path, allowing it to quantify even small emission sources over large areas.
Dr Kessans’ research culminated in successfully launching her hardware on a rocket from the Kennedy Space Centre at Cape Canaveral, USA. This mission also included protein experiments from leading New Zealand universities, including Canterbury, Otago, Victoria, and Waikato, showcasing the collaborative efforts of the country’s academic institutions in advancing space science and technology.
The launch of Dr Kessans’ project results from a strategic agreement between the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and the US commercial space company Axiom Space. This partnership aims to facilitate New Zealand researchers’ advancement in space science and technology, fostering innovation and driving collaboration between academia, government, and private enterprise.
Dr Kessans’ project has also received government funding for further development through the MBIE-administered Endeavour Fund, highlighting the government’s commitment to supporting cutting-edge research and innovation in the space sector. This collaborative effort between academia, government, and private enterprise is a testament to New Zealand’s growing presence in the global space economy, positioning the country as a key player in space research and technology development.
Previously, New Zealand had collaborated with several countries, including Australia, to advance space research, as reported by OpenGov. The collaboration between SmartSat and the New Zealand Space Agency (NZSA) is an important development. The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two entities aims to accelerate the growth and technological advancement of the Australian and New Zealand space industries, marking a pivotal moment in the evolution of space exploration and innovation in the Australasian region.
This partnership is underpinned by a shared commitment to fostering innovation, driving research and development (R&D), and nurturing a skilled workforce capable of propelling technological breakthroughs in the space sector. The MoU, ceremoniously signed at the NZSA headquarters in Wellington, signifies a strategic alignment between SmartSat and NZSA to leverage their combined resources and expertise.
At the core of this collaboration, it is designated to support joint research initiatives in three key technological domains: Earth Observation, Space Situational Awareness, and Optical Communications. These areas represent the forefront of space exploration, offering immense potential to revolutionise humanity’s perception and interaction with the cosmos.
Minister Judith Collins, New Zealand’s Minister for Space, praised the new agreement as a testament to the enduring collaboration between Australia and New Zealand in space exploration. In a statement on her official website, she reiterated her commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration, recognising the transformative potential of space technology in addressing global challenges.
Minister Collins reaffirmed the government’s dedication to developing the country’s space sector, promoting innovation, and strengthening partnerships with the New Zealand research community, international space agencies, and commercial collaborators. These collaborative approaches underscore New Zealand’s commitment to advancing space science and technology to benefit society and the economy, paving the way for future breakthroughs in the field.
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Mudik is a tradition of returning to one’s hometown that is widely practised by the Indonesian community, especially when Eid al-Fitr celebrations approach. This tradition involves a massive population movement from big cities to their origin areas or hometowns to celebrate the holiday with family and relatives.
The phenomenon of mudik also shows the importance of family values and togetherness in Indonesian culture. It becomes a moment to reconnect social and cultural ties among family members who might have been separated by distance for various reasons, such as work or education.
The Indonesian government often takes special measures to accommodate the travel surge during the mudik period, such as increasing public transportation capacity, providing emergency health services on the mudik routes, and maintaining and repairing road infrastructure.
This year, as a State-Owned Enterprise, the cellular operator Telkomsel provides 4G networks on 14 mudik ships operated by the Indonesian National Shipping Company (Pelni).
Over the years, mudik travellers choosing to travel by sea have faced significant obstacles related to internet access. This condition has left them disconnected from the outside world. At the same time, in the middle of the sea, thus unable to access up-to-date information, communicate with family, or even enjoy entertainment.
“With this latest development, we can provide high-quality services to our customers, ensuring that they remain connected even while in the middle of a sea journey,” said Saki Bramono, Telkomsel’s Vice Director of Corporate Communication and Social Responsibility.
Further, Telkomsel’s 4G service has now successfully reached as many as 1,100 shipping routes served by 14 ships and 83 ports across Indonesia. This innovation results from a strategic collaboration with Telkomsat, a Telkom subsidiary specialising in satellite internet services. Through this collaboration, Telkomsel and Telkomsat present a strong and stable 4G LTE signal on ships, allowing passengers to stay connected to the internet during their mudik journey.
Telkomsat uses the Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) Landing Rights to ensure broad and reliable satellite internet coverage. Saki stated that the initiative to provide 4G internet services on ships, chosen by the community for mudik, is the first time Telkomsel has implemented satellite internet technology. This move not only revolutionises the sailing experience for mudik travellers by sea by ensuring smooth and continuous communication access but also marks a new chapter in Telkomsel’s efforts to overcome connectivity challenges in Indonesia, especially in hard-to-reach locations like the middle of the sea.
To improve service quality and customer experience during the crucial mudik Lebaran period, Telkomsel focuses on upgrading and optimising telecommunications networks and proactively expands and strengthens its network infrastructure. As part of these efforts, Telkomsel strategically increased the 4G network capacity at 70 existing Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) and took a significant step by building 325 new 4G BTS.
These measures ensure that customers enjoy smooth connectivity and high-quality communication in urban areas and mudik routes that often cross areas with limited telecommunications access.
Telkomsel estimates a 15.22% increase in internet traffic during the Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr 2024 period compared to regular days. Of the total increase in internet traffic, the cellular operator estimates the highest increase comes from the areas of Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara, popular mudik destinations, at 26.25%.
The second highest increase is estimated from Sumatra, at 16.99%. An increase in internet traffic is also expected in Papua, Maluku, Sulawesi, and Kalimantan by 13.11%. Meanwhile, the increase in internet traffic in the Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi, and West Java areas is estimated to reach 4.28%.
Telkomsel has prepared a customer service team that works tirelessly, ready to serve customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Customers can easily access this service through various channels, including social media, customer service calls, the MyTelkomsel mobile app, and a virtual assistant named Veronika. Customers can also visit GraPARI outlets spread across various locations for face-to-face services.
These comprehensive measures affirm Telkomsel’s commitment to providing high-quality and reliable telecommunications services, especially during important moments like the mudik Lebaran, where smooth and fast communication is critical.
With the improvement of network infrastructure and strong customer service support, Telkomsel strives to ensure that every customer can connect with family and loved ones without obstacles, making their mudik journey safe and enjoyable.
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Da Nang, a central city in Vietnam, is gearing up to bolster its semiconductor industry with a targeted focus on human resource development. The Vietnam–Korea University of Information and Communication Technology (VKU) recently launched a comprehensive programme aimed at training professionals in integrated circuit (IC) design.
The initiative underscores the city’s commitment to advancing its semiconductor sector. In 2024, Da Nang will concentrate on cultivating a pool of qualified teaching staff through collaborative efforts with the Viet Nam-Korea Information Technology (IT) and Communications University, the Institute of Information Technology under the Viet Nam National University – Ha Noi, and the Da Nang Semiconductor and Artificial Intelligence Centre for Research and Training (DSAC). Support from Synopsys Vietnam Company will further bolster these endeavours.
The training programme, spanning six months, comprises both theoretical learning and project-based training. It encompasses four modules covering Very-large-scale integration (VLSI) Design, SystemVerilog/Verilog/Very High-Speed Integrated Circuit Hardware Description Language, basic digital integrated circuits, and basic analog circuit design.
The inaugural training course for lecturers will host 25 participants selected from prestigious institutions including the Viet Nam-Korea Information Technology (IT) and Communications University, Da Nang University of Science and Technology, University of Technical Education, Duy Tan University, and FPT University. A significant highlight of the programme is the access granted to lecturers to Synopsys’ extensive library and teaching materials, enabling them to develop practical IC design curricula upon completion.
Huynh Cong Phap, Principal of VKU, emphasised the programme’s objective of equipping students with practical IC design skills to facilitate training deployment at universities in Da Nang. Additionally, the university plans to offer short-term training courses in semiconductor circuit design for junior and senior students pursuing majors such as computer engineering, technology, embedded systems and IoT, and technology information.
Speaking at the event, Ho Ky Minh, Standing Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, hailed the programme as a significant stride in the city’s strategy for high-quality human resource development. He commended the collaborative efforts between DSAC, VKU, Synopsys Group, and the Information Technology Institute under the Vietnam National University in swiftly launching the city’s inaugural IC circuit design instructor training course.
In line with the city’s ambitions, Ho Ky Minh, the Standing Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Da Nang, welcomed Susan Burns, the US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, expressing his aspirations for enhanced collaboration with the United States within the semiconductor industry.
Susan Burns lauded the programme as a testament to the robust cooperation between government bodies, private enterprises, and universities in nurturing high-tech talent in Vietnam. This collaboration aims to fortify Vietnam’s position in the global semiconductor supply chain. The United States acknowledges Vietnam’s pivotal role in fostering flexible semiconductor supply chains and extends strong support for the industry’s development in the country.
In tandem with the programme launch, the university unveiled the VKU – SSTH centre, dedicated to semiconductor circuits and smart technology. Equipped with 30 computers and proprietary circuit design software from Synopsys, the centre is poised to serve as a hub for training and research in semiconductor circuits and smart technology.
OpenGov Asia reported that Da Nang inaugurated the Da Nang Semiconductor and Artificial Intelligence Center for Research and Training (DSAC) in January this year, marking a significant stride in technological advancement. This initiative underscores Da Nang’s dedication to enhancing its capabilities in integrated circuit (IC) design and artificial intelligence (AI).
The decision to establish DSAC was announced on January 26 by Le Trung Chinh, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, highlighting the centre’s role in realising the city’s strategic objectives. DSAC is poised to engage in research, training, and technology transfer in microchips, semiconductors, and AI development, while also fostering international cooperation in these critical domains.