[EGOV LIST] CFP for a new dg.o2026 TRACK 8 - Accountable and Inclusive Digital Ecosystems for Public Value Creation

[Manuel Pedro Rodríguez Bolívar via eGov-list]

dg.o 2026: 27th Annual International Conference on Digital Government Research
 
Conference Theme

Collaborative Digital Transformation for Public Value Creation

University of Nebraska at Omaha, U.S.A.
June 2-5, 2026

https://dgsociety.org/dgo-2026/

  

Title of the track: Accountable and inclusive digital ecosystems for public value creation

Abstract:
Sustainable, and inclusive digital ecosystems, powered by emerging technologies such as AI and data spaces, are reshaping governance, driving innovation, and enable service co-creation. Balancing technical, institutional, and societal dimensions, our track welcomes research exploring ethical governance, inclusivity, resilience, and adaptability of these ecosystems to ensure public value creation.
 

Track co-chairs:

ANASTASIJA NIKIFOROVA, University of Tartu (Faculty of Science and Technology, Institute of Computer Science), Tartu, Estonia, PhD, Anastasija.Nikiforova at ut.ee <mailto:Anastasija.Nikiforova at ut.ee> & Nikiforova.Anastasija at gmail.com <mailto:Nikiforova.Anastasija at gmail.com>
ANTHONY SIMONOFSKI, Namur Digital Institute, UNamur School of Management, Université de Namur ASBL, Namur, Belgium, PhD,anthony.simonofski at unamur.be <mailto:anthony.simonofski at unamur.be>
ANNEKE ZUIDERWIJK, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Delft, the Netherlands, PhD, a.m.g.zuiderwijk-vaneijk at tudelft.nl <mailto:a.m.g.zuiderwijk-vaneijk at tudelft.nl>
MANUEL PEDRO RODRÍGUEZ BOLÍVAR, Department of Accounting and Finance, University of Granada, Spain, PhD, manuelp at ugr.es <mailto:manuelp at ugr.es>
 

Abstract:

Accountable, sustainable and inclusive digital and data ecosystems are transforming data-driven public action, catalyzing innovation, and enabling collaborative “smartification” across cities, regions, and communities. Within these ecosystems, emerging technologies, particularly AI (including generative AI) and interoperable data spaces, are key enablers: AI can extract insight, co-produce services with citizens, and augment or fully automate decisions under robust governance; data spaces enable sovereign, trustworthy and interoperable data sharing across public, private, and civic actors. New research is needed to support managers and policymakers in (1) responsibly implementing emerging technologies and digital innovations, (2) improving public value creation through accountability, transparency, participation, and cooperation, and (3) meeting stakeholders’ expectations, regulatory requirements, and ethical standards while fostering sustainable and inclusive ecosystems.

Contributions may include:

●      conceptual and theoretical frameworks for digital and data ecosystem design and governance (including but not limited to data spaces, AI ecosystems, data marketplaces, etc.);
●      infrastructures supporting sustainable digital and data ecosystems, including reference architectures, interoperability standards, identity and trust frameworks;
●      the role of emerging technologies (incl. but not limited to AI, Generative AI, LLMs, NLP, data-space orchestration, cloud/edge/IoT integration, green computing, Metaverse, etc.);
●      data governance, data quality, ethics, security, privacy, algorithmic accountability, lifecycle/MLOps and FAIR/open principles;
●      institutional and organizational mechanisms supporting sustainable ecosystem management and collaborative governance (capabilities, policies, procurement, regulation-by-design, cross-sector governance);
●      stakeholder-centric approaches to engagement, empowerment, co-creation, trust, value sharing, data sovereignty;
●      human-computer interaction in ecosystems between users and platforms for explainability, transparency, and accessibility;
●      open and public dimensions of digital and data ecosystems (e.g., open data practices, public sector use cases, civic participation);
●      assessment of social, economic, and environmental dimensions of ecosystem sustainability;
●      other public value dimensions of digital and data ecosystems (accountability, sustainability, social and digital inclusion, openness, transparency, environmental footprints, economic resilience, responsible/green AI);
●      case studies of digital and data ecosystems, incl. but not limited to local government–level ecosystems (e.g., smart cities data ecosystems and data-space implementations), and impacts on individuals, organizations, and society;
●      the impact of digital and data ecosystems on individuals, organizations, and society, including public value creation, and measurable outcomes.

Full description: 

Accountable, sustainable and inclusive digital and data ecosystems, including AI-enabled platforms, interoperable data spaces, and emerging technological infrastructures, are increasingly shaping data-driven public action, catalyzing innovation, and enabling collaborative “smartification” across cities, regions, and communities. These ecosystems represent a socio-technical infrastructure where technology, governance, and societal needs intersect, providing the foundations for public value creation through accountability, sustainability, and inclusivity. By connecting multiple actors, including public institutions, private sector organizations, and civic stakeholders, these ecosystems enable co-creation of services, collaborative decision-making, and shared benefits across societal domains.

Emerging technologies, especially AI (including generative AI), machine learning, federated learning, Internet of Things (IoT), cloud and edge computing, and the Metaverse, act as key enablers of such ecosystems. AI can extract insights from complex data, augment or automate decisions under robust governance, and facilitate citizen engagement in service co-production. Interoperable data spaces and platforms allow sovereign, secure, and trustworthy data sharing among actors, enabling new forms of collaborative governance and cross-sector innovation. At the same time, these technologies bring challenges related to ethics, accountability, digital literacy, and inclusivity, which must be addressed to ensure public value is genuinely created.

Designing and maintaining sustainable digital ecosystems requires attention to multiple dimensions: technical infrastructures, data architectures, governance mechanisms, human capacities, and institutional and regulatory frameworks. Stakeholders often have diverse needs, expectations, and capacities, requiring careful consideration of inclusivity, transparency, and fairness. Ecosystems must remain resilient and adaptive over time, responding to internal dynamics and external factors, such as rapid technological developments, regulatory changes (e.g., EU Data Act), or evolving societal demands.

This track invites research that examines the conceptual, technical, institutional, and societal dimensions of accountable, sustainable, and inclusive digital ecosystems. Contributions may include:

●      conceptual and theoretical frameworks for ecosystem design and governance;
Technical infrastructures, standards, and architectures enabling interoperability and trust;
●      data governance, quality, ethics, privacy, algorithmic accountability, and FAIR/open principles;
●      Institutional and organizational mechanisms supporting sustainable ecosystem management and collaborative governance;
●      stakeholder-centric approaches to engagement, co-creation, trust, empowerment, and digital literacy;
●      human-computer interaction, explainability, accessibility, and transparency in AI-driven services;
●      case studies reflecting lessons learned, best or bad practices, and impacts on individuals, organizations, and society;
●      assessment of social, economic, and environmental dimensions of ecosystem sustainability.

By addressing these issues, this track contributes to the broader understanding of how digital ecosystems can transform public sector actions, support collaborative innovation, and generate measurable public value, while remaining accountable, inclusive, and sustainable.

The relevance of this research trend is also highlighted by current studies, events and projects, including but not limited to tracks in IFIP EGOV – Joint conference EGOV-CeDEM-EPart (where CeDEM stands for Conference for E-Democracy and Open Government Conference), Government Information Quarterly (GIQ), UNU-EGOV ICEGOV, EGOVIS, Data for Policy, or the ODECO – Towards a sustainable Open Data ECOsystem project. Dg.o, however, missed such a track that we have proposed and implemented in 2024 and 2025, and would keep as a regular track as studies representing the above area tend to be presented as of high relevance. While in previous years we were focusing on merely open and public data ecosystems, responding to the current trends, this year we revisit the scope, adjusting it to the new realities (although keeping the topics of the last editions as well).
 
IMPORTANT DATES (read more details at the official dgs conference webpage) 

February 7, 2026: Papers, workshops, tutorials, and panels are due 
February 10, 2026: Application deadline for doctoral colloquium
March 25, 2026: Early registration opens
March 31, 2026: Author notifications (papers, workshops, tutorials, panels)
April 7, 2026: Posters and demo proposals due
April 20, 2026: Early registration closes
June 1-4, 2026: dg.o 2026 conference

 SUBMISSION TYPES AND FORMATS

Submissions need to follow the guidelines established for the dg.o conference. Detailed instruction and conference proceedings template are available on the conference website https://dgsociety.org/dgo-2026/submission/  under 'submission guideline'.
 
Submission Site: easychair system