Digital Glasgow

What is it?

Launched at the end of 2018, the Digital Glasgow Strategy set out our priorities and commitments to developing Glasgow's digital economy and transforming our public services through the use of digital technology. The strategy represents a step change in our approach to digital, and it was developed in collaboration with a broad range of partners from across the public, private, third, and academic sectors. It is a bold, ambitious, and comprehensive plan that recognises the extraordinary opportunity that digital technology provides to our city, but also the challenges that we all face as a consequence of the rapidly evolving digital world we live in.

Ambition

Our vision for Glasgow is to be:

"A world class city with a thriving digital economy and community, where everyone can flourish and benefit from the best digital connectivity and skills, where technology is used to improve everyone's quality of life, drive businesses' innovation and service design and improve our city, its neighbourhoods and its success"

Underpinning this vision are two principal aims, supported by a set of goals that each defines the outcomes that we all want to achieve, and some of the key actions that we all commit to undertaking:

Our First Aim is:

"We want businesses across all of our sectors to realise the potential that digital provides, to stimulate innovation, and to establish Glasgow's tech sector as a top 20 global digital economy."

Our Second Aim is:

"We want Glasgow to be recognised as one of the most pioneering and innovative smart cities in the world, and we want to apply this innovation to transforming our public services."

Achievements to Date

A review of the progress made in delivering the strategy was published in November 2020. The review highlighted key successes and achievements, reflected on some of the challenges faced. Highlights include;

• Delivery of over 52,000 iPads to school children across Glasgow,
• Deployment of over 260km of optical fibre wide area network,
• The creation of a new Telecoms Unit to drive investment in digital connectivity,
• Deployment of over 3,700 Internet of Things (IoT) enabled Intelligent Street Lighting across the whole of the city centre,
• The continued delivery of a smart street project through the Horizon 2020 Ruggedised project,
• The development of a 3D urban model,
• A review of digital skills within the city,
• A broad range of digital inclusion activities, including the DigiPals programme, the Glasgow Code Learning  programme,  and the coordination of the Connecting Scotland Programme in Glasgow,
• A number of innovative projects delivered in response to the COVID19 pandemic
• Delivery of a  number of open innovation projects delivered through the Centre for Civic Innovation  including;
  • "Understanding Child Poverty in Glasgow"
  • "Independent Living"
  • "Ending Homelessness in Europe"
  • "Climate Change"

Current Focus and Priorities

The review sets out the following next steps and priorities for 2021-2022;

1. Align Focus with COVID-19 Recovery and Renewal Plans,
2. Increase focus on partnership working
3. Support and develop Glasgow's Tech Cluster,
4. Implement the digital skills recommendations,
5. Continue to focus on improving digital inclusion,
6. Continue to focus on attracting investment in digital connectivity,
7. Renew the focus on Open Data and Open Innovation,
8. Implement the Action Plan to improve Glasgow's Digital Maturity Score
9. Evolve the transformation portfolio
10. Enhance the ecosystem for smart city innovation

Working Groups

Three working groups have been established with public, private, voluntary and academic sectors to foster a city-wide approach to delivering against some of the current priorities. The working groups are as follows;

• Digital Inclusion and Participation
• Open Data and Open Innovation
• Smart City Innovation

Governance

The delivery of the Digital Glasgow Strategy is governed by the Digital Glasgow Board which in turn reports to Glasgow City Council's City Administration Committee.

More information about the Digital Glasgow Board, including Terms of Reference, Membership, and actual papers from the board can be found here.

Digital Rights

Underpinning the whole of the strategy is a commitment to digital rights. Glasgow is a signatory of the Declaration of Cities for Digital Rights which includes the following five principles;

1. Universal and equal access to the internet, and digital literacy

Everyone should have access to affordable and accessible internet and digital services on equal terms, as well as the digital skills to make use of this access and overcome the digital divide.

2. Privacy, data protection and security

Everyone should have privacy and control over their personal information through data protection in both physical and virtual places, to ensure digital confidentiality,security, dignity and anonymity, and sovereignty over their data, including the right to know what happens to their data, who uses it and for what purposes.

3. Transparency, accountability, and non-discrimination of data, content and algorithms

Everyone should have access to understandable and accurate information about the technological, algorithmic and artificial intelligence systems that impact their lives, and the ability to question and change unfair, biased or discriminatory systems.

4. Participatory Democracy, diversity and inclusion

Everyone should have full representation on the internet, and the ability collectively to engage with the city through open, participatory and transparent digital processes. Everyone should have the opportunities to participate in shaping local digital infrastructures and services and, more generally, city policy-making for the common good.

5. Open and ethical digital service standards

Everyone should be able to use the technologies of their choice, and expect the same level of interoperability, inclusion and opportunity in their digital services. Cities should define their own technological infrastructures, services and agenda, through open and ethical digital service standards and data to ensure that they live up to this promise.

Glasgow's actions to deliver against these principles are set out here.

https://citiesfordigitalrights.org/city/glasgow