B4DPA: Students Challenged to Create Innovation in Public Administration

University students are leading the way to help modernize Public Administration. The competition promoted by Bocconi University, B4DPA – Bocconi for Digital Public Administration Award, will ask students from all universities – in Italy and abroad – to develop ideas that transform Italian Public Administration and help it be more innovative. The team that is named the winner will receive an award of €35,000. This initiative has been made possible with the media partnership of Corriere Innovazione and the sponsorship of the City of Milan.

"The idea behind the competition, which has also received important input from the Digital Transformation Team of the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers, came from the realization that creative and talented university students can come up with innovative ideas to transform Public Administration. Simple but effective solutions that can also have an impact on society," explains Greta Nasi, director of reasearch for Government - Government, health and not for profit Division at SDA Bocconi. "This objective is pursued by Bocconi University in its research: making a difference by transforming PA."

Groups, which must include at least one student duly enrolled in a Bocconi degree program, can present two types of projects: innovative solutions (using technology) to well-known problems in PA, or projects that aim to create a more radical transformation of Public Administration by improving its functioning using emerging technologies.

Each group must register within 27 November 2017 by completing this form and sending a proposal that contains their project's objectives, content, expected results, steps and timeline.

Groups who have presented the most interesting projects will go on to the second stage (from 11 December 2017 to 20 February 2018), during which – with the support of Bocconi faculty, professionals and startuppers – their proposal will be further developed. The winning group for the 2017-2018 edition will be awarded a cash prize of €35,000. The panel also reserves the right to award a second group, allowing each member to participate in one of the four tracks of the Master of Public Administration at the SDA Bocconi School of Management in spring 2018.

"Non-conventional approaches are also needed in the digital transformation of Public Administration," said Diego Piacentini, Government Commissioner for the Digital Agenda, "including the competition launched by Bocconi University. I am certain that the creativity and collaboration between students from different campuses will produce highly innovative technological solutions for PA. I can't wait to see the results."

"At the City of Milan," said City Council Member for Digital Transformation and Civic Services, Roberta Cocco, "we have decided to sponsor this initiative and be more directly involved because we believe that young Italian and international students will be able to come up with new ideas that can contribute to the city's digital transformation process. The students we have met have been enthusiastic and eager to take on the challenge that has been set, and we are certain that they will provide a valuable contribution to improving city services."

For the B4DPA participants there is also a dedicated Facebook group page, this one.