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Privacy, security, trust, transparency: how to enable data-sharing in government
At the Global Government Digital Summit, digital leaders set out the barriers to government data sharing – from citizens’ suspicions to systems that disincentivise departments – and shared ideas for making it as easy as in the private sector “People are very willing to give their data and their personal information in exchange for private sector…
UN hails leap forward in global climate action transparency
Ninety nations have formally reported progress towards meeting their Paris Agreement commitments, in what the UN called a “critical effort… [towards] ensuring transparency in global climate action”. The cornerstone of the Paris Agreement – a legally-binding international treaty on climate change that was adopted in 2015 and signed the following year – is a bid…
Defeating disinformation: how to create a healthier national conversation
Bad actors are poisoning the information well from which populations drink in the democratic world. In the final part of our investigation into overseas interference in elections, Matt Ross asks how those waters can be cleansed – and how electorates can be helped to spot tainted drinks Over recent years democratic nations have been subjected…
‘Radical incrementalism’: new APS commissioner details 10-year reform agenda
Priorities for reform of the Australian Public Service (APS) will include a focus on people, behaviours and strengthening laws and institutions to ensure that the APS can sustain delivering and achieving outcomes for the Australian government. In his first public speech in the role, recently appointed APS commissioner, Gordon de Brouwer, stated that “everything in…
Letter from Ottawa: an exhausting year shows the limits of foresight and the comfort of hindsight
Accountability in government is important – but hindsight must be used to help build resilience and capacity in the public sector, not make politicians and public servants even more risk averse The end of the calendar year typically brings with it occasions to take stock and look back. Across Canada, this is the season for…
A tale of two countries: why has state capture seen China boom and South Africa bust?
Government structures in South Africa struggle under what observers call state capture. Ivor Chipkin, the director of the Government and Public Policy think tank, based in Johannesburg, sets out what this means, and why other countries in a similar situations seem to have thrived After the democratic transition in South Africa in 1994, the ruling…
UK government seeks international best practice on civil service accountability
The UK government has begun a review into the best governance and accountability models for the civil service, with the aim to identify examples from around the world that could provide more joined up and strengthened decision-making. In an update provided to a parliamentary committee, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay announced that…
Friends in NED: why the UK government needs independent non-executive directors
Growing allegations of cronyism have raised questions about non-executive directors’ influence and put pressure on the UK government to be more transparent about their appointment. Jack Aldane hears from current and former NEDs about why government still needs them and the case for greater diversity of selection. Public interest in the relationships between ministers and…
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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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