ReSPA Interoperability Academy Montenegro 2024, a two and half day event, is an opportunity for public officials at the operational level and policymakers from the Ministry of Public Administration, Ministry of Interior Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, Ministry of finance, Ministry of health; Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare; Data protection Agency and other relevant institutions, lecturers, and technologists to connect meaningfully between peers as well as with lecturers, and technologists to break through some of the biggest challenges related to interoperability nowadays in Montenegro.

Through the planned work and communication that will be encouraged and fostered, our cutting-edge program is designed to empower public officials of various provenience at operational and decision-making levels (lawyers, IT workers, economists)  with the information and additional knowledge needed to navigate the complexities of interoperability as well as to discuss and come up with possible venues to follow for improving the interoperability and data exchange in Montenegro. 

Based on specific inputs about the application of the national interoperability framework in Montenegro and identified areas for improvement from UNDP ICT Workshop, at this Academy, we would like to host information sharing and discussion between public officials working on different aspects of interoperability on how to improve the deployment of the existing law provisions, policies and significant developments already made in practice for better interoperability and sharing of data for the benefits of citizens and other users.

To this end, the Academy's Program will encompass the topics relevant for the successful functioning of interoperability that will be presented, jointly reviewed and discussed. The participants and lecturers will look more closely into the following main topics in the order shown below:

Interoperability framework - what is the importance, what problems interoperability can solve, how the good model functions, how it works in Montenegro;

• EU Interoperability Framework (EIF) and key policies
• National Interoperability Framework in Montenegro - the alignment of Montenegro's policies and legal framework with interoperability goals, identifying areas for improvement;
• How interoperability works or fails - technology and aligned practices, cooperation between the normative side and IT workers, breaking down silos, and promoting interoperability between entities that may have different systems and technologies.

Case Studies from EU and Montenegro - good practice :

• Successful interoperability initiatives or projects in EU and in Montenegro, providing practical insights and lessons learned

Data Governance and Privacy Compliance:

• Effective data governance and ensuring privacy compliance in Montenegro's legislation and interconnected systems.
• Strike a balance between ensuring data security and privacy while also fostering an environment that encourages the exchange of information across platforms.

e-Government Services and Interoperability:

• Low level of interoperability of databases managed by various public sector entities as main barriers to the development and use of public e-services
• Development of citizen-centric e-government services through interoperability and strategies to enhance citizen engagement.

The importance of aligned approaches and actions by leaders, top managers and operational level for improving and supporting the implementation of interoperability and data exchange (horizontally and vertically):

• Clear governance mechanisms are essential to define roles, responsibilities, and rules governing interoperability initiatives, fostering collaboration and accountability.
• The decisions and guidance of policymakers and top management can significantly assist in achieving interoperability. By establishing clear aligned policies, promoting standardization, allocating resources, fostering collaboration, and creating a conducive regulatory environment, the seamless exchange of information and improved connectivity between different systems can be assured and/or improved.
• Fostering collaboration and engagement of different stakeholders with diverse perspectives and expertise can enrich the dialogue of stakeholders and lead to impactful outcomes and continuous improvement.

The Interoperability Academy will be held in the Montenegrin language.