Study location	Latvia, Riga (online)
Type	Short duration course, distance learning
Nominal duration	4 weeks (1.5 ECTS)
Study language	English
Awards	Certificate

Entry qualification	Undergraduate diploma (or higher) The entry qualification documents are accepted in the following languages: English. Often you can get a suitable transcript from your school. If this is not the case, you will need official translations along with verified copies of the original.

Territory requirements	Applications are accepted from the following territories (based on citizenship): Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan. Eligible candidates are professionals from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Candidates from other countries are not eligible for this call.

Language requirements	English As a substitute to a test, other proof of language proficiency may be provided (e.g. confirmation by current employer).

Other requirements	At least 1 reference(s) should be provided. The reference should be sought from a current employer. At least 2 years of professional experience in the public sector, non-governmental organisation or academia; Description of present job function (to be filled in the system); Copies of university diplomas; A short video (up to 1 minute) where the candidate states the reasons for applying.

More information	rgsl.edu.lv/..s/specialised-online-courses

Overview

For the first time the specialized course on digital aspects of public sector will be offered throughout February 2022 – “Digitalization and e-governance”. The field of technologies, its application, governance and impact is new and constantly evolving, yet we have to apply it in public sector along the ongoing innovations and evolvement of the technology.
The course will provide an overview and guidance in key sectors for public service to develop its own policy and implementation tools. We will take closer look in existing experience and case studies to practice concrete application of policy and its tools, but also cover some international policy aspects that set the trends globally.

The course is structured in a few blocks beginning (1) with more general introduction in technologies, how the platform economy and social networks developed and shaped society (2) understanding the digital transformation of public sector, its role and organization in various fields like education, health, security and taking closer look at (3) cybersecurity field and (4) information space and civic participation in public policy. Some of the lectures will be joined by guest speakers from the field to share first had experience.
Ieva Ilvesa is MA graduate from the University of Latvia specializing in international relations and security policy and MIPP graduate from the Johns Hopkins University. In addition, she has graduated certified course on Cybersecurity from Harvard and Digital Transformation course from MIT.

She has worked for public sector more than 25 years starting with career in foreign and security policy and focusing on digital aspects for the last decade. She led the drafting of the first national cybersecurity strategy and headed the team setting up the NATO Strategic Communications Center of Excellence. Currently she works as Advisor to the President of Latvia on digital policy and is board member of Electronic Communications Office of Latvia. She advocates for tech-savvy public sector serving its citizens, responsible use of technologies in private and public sector as well as advancing the digital skills of people. She is mentor of Riga Tech Girls to advocate for digital education among women and leads the project “Computer for every child” in Latvia. Ieva Ilves writes on digital policy regularly in national outlets, she shared her COVID tracing app experience to the Guardian and has recently published a study on the same topic in the Cyber Security Peer-Reviewed Journal.

Programme structure

Each month has its own designated specialisation such as European Union Law, Good Governance or European Political Economy, etc. The students may only complete one course.

Each course has 32 teaching hours consisting of lectures and seminars. Within each course, the selected participants will undergo intensive studies and earn 1.5 ECTS credit points upon passing the exam.

Course sessions will take place on specified days via the Zoom platform. In total, the participants will meet about three times a week. All course participants will also have access to the RGSL study portal, where course materials will be available.

Participants are expected to fulfil the assignments as well as pass an exam upon completion of the course.