The First International Conference on Digital Transformation, with official local, regional and international participation and international experts, recommends the need for cooperation among all parties and sectors to advance progress and investment by promoting the use of modern technology in all walks of life and the need to develop policies and strategies which regulate the process of digital transformation.
Ramallah - Palestine - The First International Conference on Digital Transformation was successfully concluded being held under the auspices of His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas on the AAUP campus in Ramallah on 20 and 21 June, 2023. The conference was organized by the Arab American University in partnership with the Palestinian government represented by the Ministry of Communications and Technology Information, with major support from the Bank of Palestine Group, Quds Bank, the National Bank, and Ooredoo. The conference brought together international experts, policy makers, government officials and representatives of various sectors to discuss the transformative power of digital technologies in today's rapidly evolving world.
The conference stressed the strategic tendency of the State of Palestine in devoting the digital capabilities of government and advancing digital transformation in all sectors, as well as the importance of cooperation between the public and private sectors, academic institutions and civil society in supporting and implementing digital transformation strategies.
During the conference, the speakers discussed various topics, including the future of education in the digital age, ways to benefit from digital technologies for sustainable development, and the advancement of digital government initiatives. The sessions dealt with four main themes: digital inclusion and bridging the digital gap, digital security and privacy, the institutional role in advancing digital transformation, the role of universities in the future of employment in the digital age. The sessions were concluded with a discussion on the future of education in the digital age.
The conference highlighted the importance of bridging the digital gap and ensuring equitable access to digital technology and educational opportunities. Efforts to reach out the marginalized communities, rural areas and underserved populations, and provide them with equal opportunities to benefit from digital developments, were emphasized. The participants unanimously agreed that innovation, entrepreneurship and contemporary education are the key engines of digital transformation, and that they need supportive ecosystems which enable startups and small and medium enterprises to grow and contribute to the digital economy.
During the conference, the participants recommended that future measures should be directed towards effective digital transformation, including strengthening partnerships between the public, private and academic sectors as they are crucial for the advancement of digital transformation, with the need to focus on exchanging experiences, resources and best practices to jointly develop innovative solutions and promote digital initiatives. The participants stressed the importance of investing in education and research institutions to promote the culture of digital innovation, including providing the educational institutions with the necessary resources, encouraging multidisciplinary research, and establishing centers of excellence for digital transformation.
The participants and specialists also stressed the importance of developing frameworks and policies to address the ethical, legal and security challenges associated with the digital age, in addition to setting clear guidelines to ensure the responsible and ethical use of digital technologies preserving privacy and data protection.
Looking ahead, the conference identified several steps, the most important of which are the need to form a national team for digital transformation that includes all relevant sectors and forming specialized task teams that include representatives from various sectors to advance the implementation of digital transformation strategies, exchange knowledge and pay efforts to enhance continuous cooperation between the relevant authorities. This includes creating a community platform for digital transformation, holding regular conferences, workshops, and seminars to facilitate learning, continuous communication, and knowledge transfer, with an emphasis on the need to develop a solid framework for monitoring and evaluating the impact of digital transformation initiatives, measuring progress in implementing digital transformation at the national level, and identifying areas for improvement and development in addition to sharing success stories in group learning and advance digital transformation practices.
Due to its absolute belief in the importance of digital transformation and the role of educational institutions, including universities, in supporting national efforts in this regard, the Arab American University announced the establishment of the National Center for Digital Transformation to contribute to achieving the goals of the Palestinian digital agenda.
It is noteworthy that the first international conference on digital transformation served as a platform for constructive discussion, valuable recommendations, and tangible actions towards advancing the digital transformation process to complete the shaping of the digital landscape in Palestine and the region.
