26/06/2017

From 1 July 2017 onwards, Univ. Prof. Dr. Peter Parycek, professor of E-Governance at Danube University Krems, will head the competence center “Öffentliche IT” (ÖFIT) in Berlin. The think tank is established at the Fraunhofer Institute FOKUS and is sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of the Interior.

The competence center ÖFIT is part of the digital public services business division at Fraunhofer FOKUS (Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems) and addresses all current digital-political and digital-social issues. Approximately 420 employees at Fraunhofer FOKUS are engaged in researching digital networks and their impact on society, business and technology.

Klaus Vitt, State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry of the Interior and Federal Government Commissioner for Information Technology, says “We are very pleased with the choice of Prof. Parycek as head of the Competence Center Public IT. Not only is he a scientifically renowned expert, he is also a person with a proven track record of leading the discourse about digitalizing public services and driving implementation forward.”

Scientific expertise and a broad network

Prof. Manfred Hauswirth, Head of the Fraunhofer Institute FOKUS, is equally delighted: “I’m glad we were able to win Prof. Peter Parycek over to this assignment. He brings along outstanding scientific expertise, a broad and reliable network, and above all, the neutrality the important work at the interface of politics, business, science and civil society requires.”

The future ÖFIT head, Peter Parycek, also looks forward to his new assignment in Berlin: “I am honored and delighted to contribute my international experience at Fraunhofer FOKUS, and to work with the team at the ÖFIT competence center to drive Germany’s digital transformation forward - towards a livable digital future.” In addition to his new role at ÖFIT, the e-governance expert will continue to head the Department for E-Governance and Administration at Danube University Krems.

A lawyer and graduate of the Master program Telematics, Univ.Prof. Mag. Dr. Peter Parycek, MAS, MSc works at the inter- and trans-disciplinary hub of legal policy, social and technological developments. His research focuses on the role of technology in politics and administration, and its effects on existing legal and organizational systems.

Scientific adviser in the Federal Chancellery

In July 2015, Peter Parycek became professor of e-governance and head of the Department for E-Governance and Administration. He was a scientific adviser for the Austrian Federal Government, leading numerous projects and working groups in the fields of e-democracy and e-government. Besides his academic activities, Peter Parycek is also active in civil society initiatives, for example as co-initiator of the data platform for business, science and society; chairman of the ADV and Open3 associations; as well as founding member of the Open Knowledge Foundation Österreich e.V.

ÖFIT competence center sees itself as a point of contact and think tank for questions pertaining to public IT. The competence center is sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of the Interior and is part of the digital public services business division at Fraunhofer FOKUS. Fraunhofer FOKUS has been supporting companies and public administration with designing and implementing digital transformation since 1988. With 420 employees and an annual budget of 31 million euros, Fraunhofer FOKUS is the largest IKT institute in the Fraunhofer organization.

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