Nairobi
Kenya
- Progress Chisenga Mwanza
- MWENYA MUTALE
- Ghazi Mabrouk
- Angel Draev
- Jonathan Mwakijele
- Liyuan Xiao
- Annitah Rodah Natwati
Intermediate
Event organizer(s)
Description
This third edition of the face-to-face training course is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of how digital technologies can revolutionize public service and governance from a centre-of-government perspective. This edition will focus on how digital transformation and interoperability enhance service delivery and operations in the social protection sector. Through theoretical insights, practical examples from global initiatives and hands-on exercises, learners will explore strategies for implementing digital changes within their organization. This course aims to equip learners with the skills and knowledge to effectively lead and participate in digital transformation.
The third edition of the training is implemented by ITU, AFRALTI in partnership with the Digital Convergence Initiative led by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
With the generous support of the European Union and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, participation in this training is provided free of charge for selected applicants. This includes accommodation, meals, training, and extracurricular activities. Participants or their organizations are responsible for covering their travel expenses to Nairobi, Kenya and if necessary, visa application costs.
This training is intended for government officials and policymakers in the social protection and related sectors who are keen on applying a whole-of-government approach to leverage digital technologies to enhance service delivering, operational efficiency and governance both within and cross institutions.
The maximum number of participants is limited to 35 people.
Members of the above-mentioned target population are invited to apply for the training if they meet the following criteria:
- Hold an undergraduate degree in a relevant field or have a minimum of three years of experience in the field of digital transformation if they do not hold a university degree.
- Possess a fluent level of English.
- Complete the application questionnaire and attach an up-to-date CV, a recommendation letter from their employer, or a motivation letter.
Government officials and policymakers from developing countries working in social protection or related government entities/sectors are invited to apply. Applications from female candidates are particularly encouraged.
Selection will be conducted by the course organizers, who will consider the above entry requirements along with an analysis of the application questionnaire and the recommendation/motivation letter of each applicant.
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Define digital transformation and distinguish it from digitization.
- Identify opportunities for implementing digital transformation and interoperability in their organization.
- Craft strategies to manage organizational change which promote digital culture and address resistance to digital initiatives.
- Promote digital transformation and interoperability in their digital ecosystems.
- The training will be designed based on adult learning principles, incorporating active learning methods, real-world case studies, and group discussions.
- The ITU Academy platform will be used for self-paced e-learning modules, assessments, and resource sharing.
- Instructors will act as facilitators, guiding participants through learning and providing personalized feedback.
Participants in the course will be graded based on the following criteria:
- Four end-of-day quizzes: 20%
- Final test: 30%
- Group Assignment: 50%
A total score of 70% or higher is required to obtain the ITU certificate.
Day 1 - Foundations and Strategic Vision
Module 1: Understanding Digital Transformation in Social Protection
Learning outcomes:
- Describe the concept of digital transformation, its importance in the public sector, and distinguish it from mere digitization.
- Examine digital transformation in the context of social protection, highlighting the evolution from isolated digitization efforts to comprehensive, system-wide change.
- Discuss the role of digital technologies in advancing universal social protection, enabling more inclusive, efficient, and responsive systems.
- Identify key building blocks for successful digital transformation, including integrated information systems and inclusive service delivery models.
- Recognize critical enabling factors such as supportive policy frameworks, legal and institutional arrangements, and robust technical infrastructure.
Module 2: Strategy, Governance and Legal in Digital Transformation
Learning outcomes:
- Develop skills to create and implement digital transformation strategies that align with organizational goals and governance structures.
- Design and implement national digital transformation strategies for social protection that are aligned with institutional goals, governance structures, and sector priorities.
- Apply multi-agency governance and coordination mechanisms to support coherent and cross-sectoral digital transformation.
- Examine legal and regulatory frameworks that enable secure, ethical, and effective data sharing and interoperability across institutions.
Day 2 - Designing Inclusive and Interoperable Digital Services
Module 3: Human-Centric Design and Inclusion
Learning outcomes:
- Design and deliver digital services that focus on user needs, ensuring accessibility, usability, and engagement.
- Analyze conditions to ensure inclusion for all, with particular attention to the needs of vulnerable and hard-to-reach groups.
- Promote offline, mobile-first, and assisted service delivery channels to increase reach and equity.
- Establish user engagement mechanisms and feedback loops to continuously improve service design and delivery.
Module 4: Digital Technologies in Social Protection
Learning outcomes:
- Explore key digital tools and systems, including social registries and integrated beneficiary databases, and their role in enhancing delivery and coordination.
- Analyze interoperability frameworks and their application in linking systems across programmes, institutions, and sectors.
- Examine emerging technologies—such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and digital ID—and their potential (and limitations) in transforming social protection.
Day 3 - Organizing, Financing, and Managing Transformation
Module 5: Change Management and Digital Culture
Learning outcomes:
- Equip learners with practical strategies to lead and manage change in social protection institutions undergoing digital transformation.
- Foster a digital culture by promoting leadership engagement, innovation mindsets, and cross-functional collaboration.
- Strengthen institutional capacity through digital skills development, continuous learning, and workforce adaptation.
- Address resistance and overcome institutional inertia, identifying common barriers and enablers for successful digital adoption.
Module 6: Financing and Organizing for Digital Transformation
Learning outcomes:
- Explore financing strategies for digital transformation in social protection, including domestic funding, development financing, and donor coordination mechanisms.
- Develop and apply costed digital transformation roadmaps, aligning investments with national priorities and implementation capacity.
- Clarify institutional roles and responsibilities, ensuring effective coordination, accountability, and sustainability throughout the transformation process.
Module 7: Project and Portfolio Management for Digital Social Protection
Learning outcomes:
- Apply principles and tools from previous modules to plan, implement, and manage digital transformation projects in the social protection sector.
- Manage large-scale IT and digital initiatives, with a focus on risk, scope, timelines, and stakeholder coordination.
- Utilize agile and iterative delivery approaches to enhance responsiveness, user involvement, and project adaptability.
- Establish effective governance mechanisms for overseeing digital project portfolios, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and institutional capacity.
Day 4 - Security, Ethics, and Real-World Lessons
Module 8: Data Privacy, Security and Ethics
Learning outcomes:
- Apply core cybersecurity and data protection practices, fostering a security-conscious mindset and a culture of shared responsibility within social protection institutions.
- Promote ethical, inclusive digital service delivery, addressing algorithmic bias and aligning technology use with public sector values of equity and accountability.
- Build public trust through transparency and responsible data stewardship, advocating for citizen-centred digital transformation in social protection systems.
Module 9: Case Studies and Best Practices
Learning outcomes:
- Examine real-world examples of digital transformation in social protection from global, regional, and country contexts.
- Identify key success factors and common challenges, drawing lessons on what works—and what doesn’t—in different institutional and policy environments.
- Apply practical insights to inform context-specific strategies for digital transformation in participants’ own institution.
Module 10: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Impact
Learning outcomes:
- Understand how to measure the impact of digital transformation initiatives in social protection, with a focus on both outcomes and system performance.
- Identify and apply key performance indicators (KPIs) related to inclusion, coverage, efficiency, and service quality.
- Leverage digital tools for real-time monitoring and evaluation, enabling data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement.
Day 5 - Consolidation and Next Steps
Module 10: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Impact (Cont.)
Learning outcomes:
- Develop concrete national and institutional action plans to advance digital transformation and interoperability in social protection.
- Identify opportunities for regional cooperation and peer learning, fostering cross-country collaboration and shared progress.
- Consolidate key insights from the training to inform strategic next steps and sustained implementation.
Final Plenary and Action Planning
Learning outcomes:
- Develop concrete national and institutional action plans to advance digital transformation and interoperability in social protection.
- Identify opportunities for regional cooperation and peer learning, fostering cross-country collaboration and shared progress.
- Consolidate key insights from the training to inform strategic next steps and sustained implementation
Registration information
Unless specified otherwise, all ITU Academy training courses are open to all interested professionals, irrespective of their race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, economic status and other diverse backgrounds. We strongly encourage registrations from female participants, and participants from developing countries. This includes least developed countries, small island developing states and landlocked developing countries.