For the next five years, the Municipal Administration and the University of Pisa will work together to support the Municipality in the digitalization of administrative and management processes and in the creation of intelligent services and systems for the local community.
This is the “Pisa Digital City” agreement signed this morning by the Mayor of Pisa, Michele Conti, and the rector of the Pisa University, Riccardo Zucchi. Also present were the Councillor for simplification and public administration technologies of the Municipality of Pisa, Gabriella Porcaro, and Professor Giuseppe Anastasi, the rector’s delegate for digital transition.
“Thanks to this collaboration, we are connecting our Administration with the University – said the Mayor of Pisa, Michele Conti –. The Pisa University has been working on these issues for over fifty years and can support an entity like ours in the process of digitalization. The recent online publication of the new website of the Municipality, to comply with all national and community regulations on transparency and accessibility, has highlighted the difficulties that arise in these cases, especially regarding users. Together with the University, we would like to give new impetus to the digitalization of our services, identify the best practices to carry out this process, in favor of increasingly simpler administrative and management procedures, smart services, benefiting citizens, businesses, as well as students and tourists who come to our city.”
“Agreements like the one signed today fully fall under the commitment made by our University towards the cultural, social, and economic growth of our territory, as expressed in our Strategic Plan,” said Riccardo Zucchi, Rector of the University of Pisa. “Digital transition, moreover, is one of the priorities of our University, which boasts a great tradition and significant expertise in the fields of computer science and digitalization. Expertise that we are now making available to the municipal administration to build together Pisa Digital City.”
The objectives are to “enhance the City’s tradition in digital technologies and boost digital transformation by identifying and implementing the best practices in the digitalization of administrative and managerial processes, and creating intelligent services and systems for the benefit of citizens, tourists, businesses, and local administrations.”
“The local authority must launch the digital agenda without leaving anyone behind. I therefore thank the University of Pisa and the Magnificent Rector. The local authority cannot shy away from a challenge such as digital transformation,” said Councillor Gabriella Porcaro. “This process encounters many critical issues and obstacles, and for this reason, the skills and experiences already developed by our University represent an excellent starting point for investment. We certainly find it appropriate to undertake training activities for employees as well as ‘digital literacy’ for citizens, so they can easily access online services. This collaboration can therefore ensure the success of the digital transition. We are confident that this agreement will be fruitful. The first trial has already been implemented with the new signs equipped with QR Codes, with the intention of adopting a more user-friendly and accessible language in tourism communication. At the same time, we are aware that many other services need a process of technological transition: among these are public works, traffic management, and also the possible creation of a civic museum network, the enhancement of our cultural and artistic heritage.”
“In the next five years, we will collaborate with the City Council on the digitization of administrative and management processes, as well as the creation of smart services and systems for the local community,” explained Professor Giuseppe Anastasi, the rector’s delegate for digital transition. “Together, we will also participate in national and international research projects and programs and organize initiatives to promote and disseminate digital culture.”
The project aims to “establish a collaborative relationship on issues related to digital innovation in the city. This collaboration can be realized through studies and consultations on specific topics, joint participation in research projects and programs, and training initiatives directed at City Council staff.”
In this sense, the University boasts a strong tradition in the field of digital technologies and possesses the necessary knowledge and skills to enable the digital transformation of society, as evidenced by numerous research and technology transfer projects in the Information & Communication Technology (ICT) sector, as well as the leadership position acquired at the national level in the digitization of administrative and management processes related to the various activities of the University.
Therefore, the Municipality commits to involving the University on issues related to the digital transformation of administrative and managerial processes; collaborating in the preparation of joint project proposals. Meanwhile, the University commits to making its expertise in the field of digital technologies and digital transition available, collaborating in the preparation of joint project proposals, and organizing events (conferences, seminars, outreach and promotional activities) of mutual interest.