Egoverntech

🏆 TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology presented the Digital Project of the Year Award at the Digiauhinnad 2026 Gala!

TalTech Programme Director Jaanus Riibe had the honor of presenting the Digital Project of the Year award at the Digiauhinnad 2026 Gala. The award was presented to the Ministry of the Interior’s Life Events Digital Service, which makes administrative processes related to marriage and name changes significantly simpler, more efficient, and user-friendly for citizens.

For the first time, Digiauhinnad 2026 highlighted individuals, teams, and organizations that have made an outstanding contribution to the development of Estonia’s digital society. Among the laureates were Kayvo Kroon, Indrek Kald, Ott Velsberg, Linnar Viik, Kaspar Jüristo, the Ministry of the Interior’s Life Events Digital Service, Stefan Kivvistik and Thomas Lepik, Tiina Leetmaa, Nortal, Andres Kütt, and the team of Kadrina Municipal Library.

TalTech values innovation, digital transformation, and collaboration that help create better and smarter public services for people.

Congratulations to all laureates, and thank you to everyone contributing to the continued development of Estonia’s digital society!

More information: https://lnkd.in/dNpz8WKz

Photos: Aron Urb

We had the pleasure of welcoming a delegation from Astana IT University, Kazakhstan, to TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology.

The visit provided an excellent opportunity to strengthen existing ties and explore new avenues for collaboration in digital governance, education, research, and innovation. Discussions focused on future joint initiatives, including curriculum development, research cooperation, project partnerships, and student mobility opportunities.

Reflecting on the growing partnership between our institutions, Dr. Riina Palu, Head of the Next Gen Digital State Research Group, noted:
"We are very happy to expand our cooperation with Astana IT University, which began through consultations as early as 2019, when the university was still in its establishment phase. Today, we see significant potential for collaboration in joint curriculum development, research, and international projects. We also warmly welcome Kazakh students to participate in TalTech's Summer School in Digital Innovation."

Learn more about the Summer School in Digital Innovation:
https://lnkd.in/dzvCGtq3

We thank our colleagues from Astana IT University for the productive discussions and look forward to building impactful initiatives together.
Dr. Riina Palu
Jaanus Riibe
Dr. Symbat Issabayeva
Rymkul Ismailova
Nurgul Yesmagulova

On May 13, we had the pleasure of welcoming a 20-member delegation from Stanford University to Tallinn for a day of meaningful academic, cultural, and professional exchange.
Our BA students from the IT School, together with TalTech - Tallinn University of Technology's e-governance experts, engaged with Stanford students in discussions on the future of digital transformation, innovation, and governance. Led by UNESCO Chair Dr. David Ramiro Troitino and Stanford delegation leader Dr. Uli Brueckner, the visit combined academic dialogue with a guided tour of Tallinn’s historic Old Town, creating an inspiring setting for international collaboration and networking.
As we explore new opportunities for cooperation between TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology, Stanford University’s California campus, and its strategic hub in Berlin, we remain committed to building partnerships grounded in rigorous, sustainable, and interdisciplinary research.
Reflecting on the visit, Dr. Riina Palu, Head of the Next Gen Digital State Research Group, highlighted the broader significance of this collaboration:
"Hosting the Stanford delegation was a powerful reminder of how vital it is to bridge our academic communities across continents. As we look toward potential cooperation with both California and Berlin, we see a unique opportunity to integrate our CIGET framework - focusing on Connectivity, Infrastructure, Governance, Environmental Impact, and Technologies - into our global research missions. By aligning these pillars with Stanford's innovation ecosystem, we are uniquely positioned to shape the next generation of digital transformation through an inclusive and interdisciplinary lens."
A sincere thank you to everyone who helped make this visit a success: Dr. Riina Palu, Dr. David Ramiro Troitino, Erik Kangilaski, Vanessa Simuste, Kairi Lesnõh, and Nora Eensalu.
We look forward to the next chapter of collaboration and the opportunities these new connections will create.

Excited to see strong representation from our Next Gen Digital State research group at the Africa Business Forum 2026.

The discussion highlights a critical reality: digital public infrastructure initiatives rarely fail because of technology alone. Sustainable transformation depends on trust-based partnerships, local understanding, shared ownership, and long-term institutional collaboration.

As Dr. Riina Palu noted during the discussions, making GovStack successful means ensuring it works not only for governments implementing digital transformation, but also for the service providers supporting delivery, interoperability, and long-term sustainability. Dr. Eric Jackson also emphasized that sustainable digital ecosystems depend on collaboration models that create value for all stakeholders involved.

We are especially proud to see Josephine Lusi as one of the panellists, alongside leaders including Paul Ndungutse, PMP®, PRINCE2® (World Bank), Riho Pihelpuu (ADM Interactive), and moderator Chidi Afulezi. The session reflects the growing importance of Africa–Estonia collaboration in shaping resilient, inclusive, and scalable digital governance ecosystems.
Also excited to see our researchers Norbert Nahayo N. and Florian Marcus, as well as our E-Governance Technologies and Services programme alumni Haruna Muasang and Salum Mnuna.

🚀 Last chance for EU applicants!
Applications for TalTech’s MSc in e-Governance Technologies and Services close on 1 June 2026 - only a few days left to apply.

Study where digital transformation is not just discussed, but built in practice.
From digital identity and interoperability to AI in government and public sector innovation, this international Master’s programme explores how modern governments design smarter, more seamless digital services for society.

Why TalTech?
✨ Learn in Estonia, one of the world’s leading digital societies
🌍 Study with an international cohort of professionals and future innovators
🤝 Gain practical insights from real-world governance and transformation challenges
📘 Explore service design, e-governance law, data-driven decision-making, AI, and digital public infrastructure

If you are interested in the intersection of technology, governance, and societal impact, this programme offers a unique opportunity to learn directly from one of the world’s most advanced digital governance ecosystems.

📅 EU application deadline: 1 June 2026
Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/dFuxz2Bm

Last week, the Next Gen Digital State research group had the pleasure of welcoming participants of the PhD Overseas Training Program at TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology as part of a broader doctoral mobility initiative led by Tohoku University and partner universities in Japan. The initiative supports PhD students interested in deep-tech innovation and startup creation through international collaboration, entrepreneurial training, and global exposure.

The TalTech Program: Digital Society Infrastructure Innovation focuses on connecting doctoral researchers with Estonia’s internationally recognized digital governance and innovation ecosystem. Working together with TalTech’s E-Governance Research Lab, participants explored how research in digital social infrastructure, AI, and DX can be translated into impactful and feasible commercialization pathways.

Dr. Riina Palu reflected on the discussions by emphasizing that “Estonia’s experience demonstrates that digital transformation succeeds when technological innovation is combined with societal understanding, interdisciplinary thinking, and long-term resilience building.”

Dr. Matsush*ta Stephane Yu highlighted the broader vision of the initiative: “The PhD Overseas Training Programs are designed to help master's and doctoral students transform cutting-edge research into globally competitive startups through intensive international collaboration, entrepreneurial learning, and engagement with innovation ecosystems in Europe and North America.”

The program combined mentorship from experienced faculty, engagement with local digital transformation companies, and network-building opportunities across Estonia’s thriving startup ecosystem. Participants also gained insights into Estonia’s pioneering role in digital government and society-wide digital transformation.

Thank you to everyone involved for the inspiring discussions and collaborative spirit throughout the program.
Dr. Riina Palu, Dr. Matsush*ta Stephane Yu, Dr. Mahtab Shahin, Arkhid Chakma Joy, Jeyoon Choi, Aditya Nerpagar, Jaak Kapten, Doris Kaljuste, Parviz Salmanov, Tatsuki Ishikawa

Last week, our Next Generation Digital State research group had the pleasure of meeting with Margot Recter, Sr. Policy Officer for Sustainability in Non-Residential Construction, Rimmert S., Sr. Policy Officer for Strategy for Digitalization, and Fiona Isoska, Sr. Policy Officer for Sustainability in Non-Residential Construction.

The conversation highlighted the importance of connecting research, policy, and education to support the next generation of digital governance and resilient public-sector innovation.

Dr. Eric Jackson brought out that we had an engaging discussion on digital resilience, the role of digital transformation in building more sustainable and future-ready public systems, and our e-governance educational ecosystem.

Dr. Riina Palu summarizes: "In our discussions with the young Dutch civil servants, we concluded that navigating this new world demands true interdisciplinarity. To build genuine sustainability and resilience in the era of AI, engineers must also be grounded in arts and philosophy, ensuring that as machines evolve, human insight advances right alongside them."

Thank you to Anna-Maria Nizovtseva, Margot, Rimmert, and Fiona for the insightful exchange and for contributing to such a meaningful discussion.

We were pleased to host Dr. Katarzyna Kosior (Instytut Ekonomiki Rolnictwa i Gospodarki Żywnościowej PIB, Warsaw) for a research visit at TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology within the Next Gen Digital Society Research Group (eGov at TalTech).

Her work focuses on farmers’ interactions with digital technologies and conversational AI systems, with a strong emphasis on trust, usability, and the role of AI in agricultural decision-making across European contexts. During her stay, she engaged with our team on Estonia’s digital ecosystem and explored how interoperable infrastructures such as X-Road enable secure and efficient data exchange.

The visit also included participation in research group activities and applied field exposure (including Maamess), providing valuable comparative insights for her ongoing research on agricultural digitalisation and data ecosystems.

Many thanks for the exchange and collaboration:
Dr. Katarzyna Kosior
Dr. Riina Palu
Anastasiia Dudko
Josephine Lusi
and the Next Gen Digital Society Research Group, TalTech

We look forward to future collaboration in digital governance, AI in agriculture, and sustainable data ecosystems.