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OECD warns ‘institutional incoherence’ is undermining members’ digital ambitions
Report identifies five challenges to digital transformation and a “common thread” of a lack of join up across individual initiatives, policy instruments and digital components The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said in its first digital government outlook report that member states risked falling short of their service modernisation goals if key capability gaps remained unaddressed. The aim of the OECD Digital Government Outlook was to assess and measure the progress members states and accession candidates had…
Future-proofing government digital capability
For more than a decade, governments have treated digital capability as a strategic priority, with access to digital expertise repeatedly framed as central to effective transformation. Significant progress has been made: specialist digital professions have been created, new approaches to recruitment and pay have been introduced, training programmes have been established, and governments have reformed…
US government launches Tech Force to bring in digital talent
The US has announced a new cross-government initiative to “recruit top technologists to modernise the federal government”. Through the US Tech Force, an initial cohort of around 1,000 technology specialists will be hired by agencies on two-year employment contracts, with annual salaries expected to be in the range of $150,000 to $200,000. The primary focus will…
Research identifies top skills that support innovation in government
When asked about the top skills for civil servants to develop so they can better drive innovation, adaptability to change is viewed as the most essential, with nearly 60% of respondents emphasising its importance. Collaboration and teamwork follow closely, as almost half of the participants deem these skills crucial. The findings are from Global Government…
Australian Public Service to release digital workforce plan in 2025
The Australian Public Service (APS) plans to release a strategy next year for attracting and retaining digital talent in the government workforce. Speaking after the publication of the APS’s 2024 reform update earlier this month, Katy Gallagher, Australia’s minister for finance, women and the public service, said that the strategy would contain a comprehensive plan…
AccelerateGOV 2023 as it happened
AccelerateGOV 2023 brings together public service leaders from around the world to explore how public servants in all relevant disciplines and roles can best promote digitalization and transformation.
AccelerateGOV conference returns to spur digital transformation in government
AccelerateGOV is back for its second year, bringing together civil and public servants from around the world to Ottawa, Canada, on 3 October for an agenda packed with sessions on how best to promote digital transformation across government. Hosted jointly by Global Government Forum and the Government of Canada, the free-to-attend conference will provide insights…
Digitising Europe’s economies through Digital Country Partnerships
Governments across Europe have bold aspirations when it comes to harnessing technology to advance the digital transformation of their economies. The EU’s Digital Decade policy programme aims to equip 80% of the bloc’s population with “basic digital skills”, 90% of SMEs with a “basic level of digital intensity”, and deliver 100% of “key public services” to citizens…
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Discover independent research reports, surveys and in-depth studies from Global Government Forum and knowledge partners, exploring the most important issues facing governments and the public sector. Our research provides practical insights and evidence-based recommendations for senior civil servants, policymakers and public sector leaders. Our reports combine exclusive survey data, expert analysis and interviews with government leaders from around the world to help public sector organisations improve performance, inform policy and deliver better outcomes for citizens.
Empowering Public Servants to Make Confident, Informed Decisions with Data and AI
Governments around the world are working hard to extract – and act upon – the insights held in their vast data stores, and to embrace AI and the promise it holds for innovation and transformation. At the same time, economic pressures and constrained budgets are compelling public servants to do more with fewer resources, while governments are called to respond quickly and effectively to complex challenges.
Against this backdrop, data and AI can help those working in government both to streamline their workflows and make fast, informed decisions. This in turn drives efficiency and can unlock productivity gains – and ultimately lead to improved performance and better services for citizens.
Global Government Forum surveyed over 600 civil servants worldwide to understand how data and AI are being used in government decision-making and where there are further challenges and opportunities.
Read this report for insight into how governments are using data and AI in decision-making today and the potential for the future; the major challenges to using data and AI in decision-making and how to overcome them; and how AI agents can be used in decision-making.
The report includes examples of data and AI in decision-making from countries including the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Singapore, the US, and more.
(Published September 2025)
Making Government Work: Five Pillars of a Modern, Effective Civil Service
Around the world, governments are dealing with substantial challenges – from economic stagnation to the transition to net zero, military conflicts and cyber threats. Governments are also grappling with shifting geopolitics and the rise of populism – and all of these factors are set against the emergence of new technologies, including generative AI, which have the potential to fundamentally transform every aspect of society, but which also pose huge ethical, security and regulatory questions for the public sector.
The Making Government Work: Five pillars of a modern, effective civil service report was undertaken to help identify the key characteristics needed in a modern public service, with priorities ranging across leadership, digital service delivery, workforce development, cross-departmental integration, and citizen trust.
This report has been covered by publications around the world including the Financial Times, BBC Radio 4’s PM programme, Ottawa Citizen, Fed Manager, the Mandarin and the i newspaper.
(Published August 2024)
The Future of the Finance Ministry
From setting tax rates and financial regulations that create the ground rules for national economies, to allocating – and tracking – spending for public services, finance ministries occupy an essential role at the centre of government. Geopolitical crises have reinforced the importance of finance ministries, as they tackle both immediate shocks and long-term trends such as ageing populations, the digital transition, and the impact of moves to net zero.
Against this backdrop, this global research explores what the future finance ministry looks like and how to prepare for it.
Based on interviews with 10 senior leaders from finance ministries – led by John McCarthy, chief economist in Ireland’s Department of Finance, working with Ian Hall, editor, Global Government Finance, and Richard Johnstone, executive editor, Global Government Forum – the study identifies four key themes: the evolving role of the finance ministry in response to uncertainty; the shift to more flexible finance systems that support outcomes; digital transformation and the growth of AI; and the battle for talent and trust.
(Published May 2026)
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