Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering IESEA Digital Ecosystem for rural counties in Germany
The goal of the reference project “Smarte.Land.Regionen”, in which Fraunhofer IESE plays a central role, is the digitalization of public services in rural areas.
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Reference Project: Smarte.Land.Regionen
With the model project “Smarte.Land.Regionen”, the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture is driving forward digitalization in rural areas. The use of digital technologies is intended to significantly improve living and working conditions for the population. The use of new technical possibilities is crucial to keeping the living and working environment attractive, especially in rural areas.
For this purpose, Fraunhofer IESE is establishing a digital platform (“Digital Ecosystem”) on which new prototypical solutions will be developed and existing solutions will be interconnected. In this context, research will be conducted, for example, on the role that a rural county can play in a Digital Ecosystem and on how the transfer of knowledge among the stakeholders can best succeed.
The platform in its central function as an open-source Digital Ecosystem will ensure the future transferability of the digital solutions into widespread use – beyond the application in the model regions.
In order to be able to actively involve the citizens and other stakeholders in the developments in the model regions, the counties are also provided with possibilities for participation via a participation platform.
Process support commissioned by Fraunhofer IESE serves as a link between the counties and the research project. Among other things, the counties are advised on the implementation of their digital solutions and on the design of processes for citizen participation, competence transfer, and strategy implementation.
Challenge
- Lack of coherent digital solutions to support citizens in rural areas
Contributions of Fraunhofer IESE
- Overall project management
- Conception of a Digital Ecosystem and the underlying platform and solutions in Smarte.Land.Regionen
- Conception of continuity models
- Technical implementation of the Digital Ecosystem “Smarte.Land.Regionen”
- Development and operation of the participation platform CONSUL in seven model regions and another 14 rural counties (special projects)
Goals / Results
- Development of a digital platform for the ecosystem “Smarte.Land.Regionen”
- Development of 4 central solutions running on the platform; integration of further solutions
- Close cooperation with seven selected rural counties in Germany
- Up to 30 additional rural counties as users of the services
- Attraction of 10 additional players that will offer their solutions on the platform
- Organizational development of the rural counties in terms of digitalization