The Digital Transformation Council established within the German Heidelberg Institute
Establishing a strong front between educational institutions, civil society and the IT industry in order to support the efforts of public institutions and the private sector in the Western Balkans in order to establish sustainable digitalization that is in the interest of every citizen – this is the basis of the signed Memorandum for cooperation between the Heidelberg Institute (IBMHS) and the Institute for Good Governance and Euro-Atlantic Perspectives (IDUEP).
“The processes led by the German federal government in the post-Covid period, towards which all Western Balkan countries aim, should end in the direction of implementation of digital transformation projects and active participation of citizens, companies and state institutions in the digital transformation process. This is one of the main reasons why we are forming the Digital Transformation Council within the Heidelberg Institute, which we are convinced will greatly contribute to the unification of all the efforts that various entities are tirelessly investing in the digitalization of the Western Balkan countries. We need to draw on the best European and world practices and jointly incorporate them into what will be called a positive digital practice as a new symbol for the Western Balkan countries.” Dr. Sinisa Naumoski, President of the Academic Council of ABIT and a representative of the Board in Skopje at the Institute for Business and Management in Heidelberg.
By decision of the Dean’s Board of Heidelberg Institute, for President of the Digital Transformation Council has been elected Bojan Kordalov, MA – communication specialist – specialist in public relations and new media with many years of experience and head of the Program for Transparency and Digitalization of IDUEP.
“Digitalization can only be successful if it receives support from every person and every entity, and that is only possible if we show its benefits to society as a whole. Just for example, the Macedonian statistics already show that the average salary in IT and related industries is high 73 thousand denars. Also, many young people choose to stay and live in their own countries instead of migrating solely because of the opportunities offered by legal work through online platforms such as Upwork and the like. In fact, if we think well of these young generations, who are the present and future of the region and the world, then we must invest much more together in the process of digital transformation of public services, but also to simplify bureaucratic procedures which are one of the reasons for the system is not functioning, ie motivation for young people to emigrate at any cost.” said Bojan Kordalov, MA after the election for President of the Digital Transformation Council.
The number of members of the Council will not be limited, and will operate on the principle of groups in the form of working bodies, specializing in areas in the field of digital transformation. In addition to lecturers and program managers within the Heidelberg Institute, the beginning will include successful and prominent professionals in the field of IT industry and digitalization, as well as alumni of the Institute and young people committed to the digital transformation of societies in the Western Balkans.
The regional Balkan network of the higher education institution “Heidelberg Institute” based in Skopje was established in 2017 by FORUM – Heidelberg Institute of Management. The mission of the Heidelberg Institute is to create modern concepts of specialized executive postgraduate education and to establish new educational-professional standards based on training through the analysis of a non-formal education system.
The Institute for Good Governance and Euro-Atlantic Perspectives is a regional civil society organization based in Skopje. Established in 2009, IDUEP is actively working in the field of raising public awareness in the area of good governance and Euro-Atlantic integration, and in particular presenting the benefits and advantages of the process of overall digital transformation of societies in the Western Balkans.
