“This Summer School has equipped me with advanced knowledge and global best practices in digital transformation and sustainability,” said Daniel Nanghaka, Principal Programme Officer for Industry 4.0 at the Science, Technology, and Innovation Secretariat in the Office of the President of Uganda.

He was one of the policymakers and development professionals from around the world who participated in the ‘Catalyzing the Digital Future for Sustainability’ Summer School in Maastricht, the Netherlands, from 1 to 5 July 2024.

The Summer School was organized by the ITU Telecommunication Development Sector and the United Nations University – Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT), one of the 14 ITU Academy Training Centres globally, and is part of the four-year European Union-funded “Capacity Development for Digital Transformation” project. The project, launched in 2024, seeks to advance digital transformation globally and addresses the development needs of policymakers and government officials through targeted training delivery on key ITU topics, under the umbrella of the ITU Academy. It aims to enhance the knowledge and skills required to make informed decisions and policies in the digital era and support a human-centric digital transformation globally.

Emphasizing the impact of the training program, Dr. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director, ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, said: “This Summer School exemplifies how we are equipping young professionals and policymakers with the necessary skills to drive sustainable digital transformation in their communities. I would like to thank the European Union for supporting this project and UNU-MERIT for hosting it. We welcome this strong collaboration and remain committed to advancing sustainable development for all.”

Through lectures, interactive sessions and case studies, participants explored the intersection of digital technologies and sustainable solutions, discussing and working on important topics such as sustainable farming and e-waste management.

At the start of the training, they were asked to design a poster addressing a relevant digital transformation project in their countries. Each day, they translated the session content into key learning elements related to their chosen project. Throughout the week, participants reviewed each other’s work, offering feedback and suggestions for further development. On the final day, they pitched their posters and proposed solutions.

Wendy Goico Campagna, a counsellor for economic and cooperation matters at the Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations Office in Geneva, said:  “This knowledge equips me to better understand critical issues and contribute to ongoing discussions related to Sustainable Development Goals.”

In addition to the learning sessions, the training program provided opportunities for participants to network and share their knowledge and experiences.

“The best part of this training is the sharing of experiences and challenges from different countries and understanding technology development globally,” said Sharma Sourabh Kumar, Consultant on Sustainability Solutions at TERI Institute of Advanced Studies in India.

“Building this knowledge together with such an amazing and diverse group of people has been the biggest advantage of this summer course,” said Elif Selenay, Lawyer at iGlobalLawyer, Türkiye.

ITU Interviews: ‘Catalyzing the Digital Future for Sustainability’ Summer School

Hear from the participants of the ‘Catalyzing the Digital Future for Sustainability’ Summer School, held in July in Maastricht, the Netherlands.

This is an ITU Development #DigitalImpactUnlocked story

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