CPSI Public Sector Innovation Conference 2009

Rationale

The theme for this year's conference encapsulates a commitment to deepen the responsiveness of the public sector to meet citizens needs. This comes at a time when the country is officially in a recession. Despite the economic meltdown, services still need to be delivered. It is in this context that the public sector needs to explore innovative ways to deliver services and be ready to respond to the complex and ever changing needs of the citizens.

The conference will therefore aim to:

• Provide a platform for public servants and officials from partner sectors, such as the academia, civil society and the private sector, who are committed to the plight of the vulnerable and excluded, to collaboratively interrogate ways of entrenching innovation in addressing service delivery challenges.
• Provide space for colleagues to interrogate models and approaches for creating a responsive public sector through innovation.
• Share lessons from local and international public sector organisations who have developed innovative solutions for service delivery; and
• Re-affirm the pivotal role that innovation plays in modernising service delivery.

Format of the conference

The conference will have plenary sessions where key presentations will be made by renowned innovators and drivers of innovation in the public and private sectors. Outstanding practical innovative projects and case studies will also be presented both in plenary sessions and in commissions to illustrate the role that innovation plays in accelerating service delivery.

Speakers will include international and local experts and public sector innovators as well as senior politicians.

Sub-Themes

1. Leadership for Innovation
   

   This sub-theme focuses on the importance of leadership in entrenching innovation. It puts emphasis on the critical role that leadership plays in creating an enabling environment for innovation to flourish.

2. Integrating Mandates through Innovation
   

   This particular sub-theme critically interrogates the challenge of providing seamless services to our citizens, through innovation. It draws from experiences thattranscend the boundaries of various government mandates to ensure that collaborative service delivery happens across all three spheres of government.

3. ICT as an Enabler

   In its focus, the sub-theme positions ICT as an enabler of service delivery. Case studies that attest to this will be presented in plenary and in a commission. Presentations will consider key issues in the architecture of information systems to enhance integration within broader public sector organisations.

Targeted delegates

The targeted delegates are government departments, local government, para-statals at all levels with a strong interest in service delivery innovation, academia as well as non-governmental, community based and private sector organisations are also welcome to attend.

Programme