New "Network SDS - Sovereign Digital Switzerland" founded
Stakeholders from the public sector have founded a network for professional exchange on digital sovereignty, in which skills and experiences on greater technological independence are exchanged. Other Swiss authorities, companies and other organizations are invited to join the network.
The Institute for Public Sector Transformation (IPST) at Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) has founded the "Network SDS - Sovereign Digital Switzerland" together with the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP), the Organization and Information Technology (OIZ) of the City of Zurich and Swiss Post. Other Swiss organizations are invited to join the network. The "Network SDS" promotes the professional networking of Swiss stakeholders on digital sovereignty. Skills, knowledge and experience are exchanged through events, analyses and other activities. These include the reduction of vendor dependencies, the use and development of open source technologies and the sovereign operation of IT infrastructures. There is also an exchange with foreign authorities, companies and other organizations. A cooperation with the German Center for Digital Sovereignty in Public Administration (ZenDiS) is already being planned in order to establish an official openDesk offering in Switzerland.
Initiative is welcomed
The advisory board of the "Network SDS" is currently made up of Dominika Blonski (Data Protection Officer of the Canton of Zurich), Danielle Kaufmann (Data Protection Officer of the Canton of Basel-Stadt), Werner Kipfer (Head of the Workplace Department at the Organization and IT of the City of Zurich) and Matthias Schmutz (Head of Architecture, Security and Project Management at the FDJP). The "SDS Network" is also supported by key players in the administration. Peppino Giarritta, Federal and Cantonal Commissioner for Digital Administration Switzerland (DVS), welcomes the initiative: "A network like this helps to strengthen professional exchange and build expertise in the area of digital sovereignty." Daniel Markwalder, Delegate of the "Digital Transformation and ICT Steering" (DTI) division of the Federal Chancellery, would also like to draw on the network's expertise: "We will be happy to discuss specific issues with the SDS network."
Open to other organizations
Swiss authorities and other actors in the public sector as well as companies, associations and other organizations headquartered in Switzerland can participate in the "SDS Network". The operational activities of the network are carried out by the IPST of the BFH. A newsletter and the website (www.netzwerksds.ch) inform about the upcoming activities of the "Network SDS".
