Call for blogs | Building the Smarter State Week #techUKSmarterState
On the 13 – 17 September we are delighted to be running Building the Smarter State Week #techUKSmarterState in the run up to the seventh edition of our flagship public services conference, Building the Smarter State, which will take place on 22 September. For the last six years the conference has successfully attracted digital leaders from across the breadth of public and the private sectors to showcase how technology is shaping today’s and tomorrow’s public services – helping to build a smarter state.
It’s now been ten years since the launch of the report that led to the founding of the Government Digital Service, and it feels like the UK is on the cusp of the next big leap forward in digital Government. The decade since has witnessed both significant disruption and progression in public sector transformation.
Returning for a sixth year this year’s conference will explore the legacy of COVID-19, the changes that 2021 has seen in public procurement, the key leaders in the heart of Government brought in to supercharge digitisation and efforts to address the legacy estate, harness data and develop capability across the public sector.
Through blogs and case studies this week aims to explore themes from the next big leap forward in digital Government and how we get that journey right, including the key issues and technologies that will usher in the next decade, to how technology can improve citizen outcomes and the impact COVID-19 has had on public procurement.
A different theme has been assigned to each day of the week, which can be viewed below.
If you would like to contribute, we would require a blog piece of around 400-600 words, a blog title, and a 150-character description for the sub-title. The blogs will feature on the techUK website and will be promoted via Twitter and LinkedIn throughout the week.
If you are interested in contributing a blog for one or more of the below themes, please send your blog through to [email protected] no later than COP on Thursday 9 September.
The themes for the week are as follows:
The next ten years: The key challenges and technologies that will usher in the next decade of public service transformation
A citizen-centric Smarter State: How we can put citizens at the heart of public service transformation, foster an inclusive and accessible environment to make this a reality and the technologies that will enable it
The impact of COVID-19: Exploring the impact COVID-19 has had on public procurement and how technology can continue to support public services as we move forward
A data-driven Smarter State: Looking at the aims and ambitions of the National Data Strategy and current areas of best practice when it comes to harnessing data across the public sector, identifying barriers, and how to address them
Overcoming challenges: What we have seen in the last ten years, lessons learnt, areas of best practice, challenges that have been overcome
Please do join the conversation on Twitter @techUK #techUKSmarterState
Annie Collings
Annie Collings
Annie is the Programme Manager for Cyber Resilience at techUK. She first joined as the Programme Manager for Cyber Security and Central Government in September 2023.
In her role, Annie supports the Cyber Security SME Forum, engaging regularly with key government and industry stakeholders to advance the growth and development of SMEs in the cyber sector. Annie also coordinates events, engages with policy makers and represents techUK at a number of cyber security events.
Before joining techUK, Annie was an Account Manager at a specialist healthcare agency, where she provided public affairs support to a wide range of medical technology clients. She also gained experience as an intern in both an MP’s constituency office and with the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed. Annie holds a degree in International Relations from Nottingham Trent University.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Twitter:
- anniecollings24
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-collings-270150158/
Ella Gago-Brookes
Ella Gago-Brookes
Ella joined techUK in November 2023 as a Markets Team Assistant, supporting the Justice and Emergency Services, Central Government and Financial Services Programmes, before progressing into Junior Programme Manager in January 2024.
Before joining the team, she was working at the Magistrates' Courts in legal administration and graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2022. Ella attained an undergraduate degree in History and Politics, and a master's degree in International Relations and Security Studies, with a particular interest in studying asylum rights and gendered violence.
In her spare time she enjoys going to the gym, watching true crime documentaries, travelling, and making her best attempts to become a better cook.
- Email:
- [email protected]
Ellie Huckle
Ellie Huckle
Ellie joined techUK in March 2018 as a Programme Assistant to the Public Sector team and now works as a Programme Manager for the Central Government Programme.
The programme represents the supplier community of technology products and services in Central Government – in summary working to make Government a more informed buyer, increasing supplier visibility in order to improve their chances of supplying to Government Departments, and fostering better engagement between the public sector and industry. To find out more about what we do, how we do this and how you can get involved – make sure to get in touch!
Prior to joining techUK, Ellie completed Sixth Form in June 2015 and went on to work in Waitrose, moved on swiftly to walking dogs and finally, got an office job working for a small local business in North London, where she lives with her family and their two Bengal cats Kai and Nova.
When she isn’t working Ellie likes to spend time with her family and friends, her cats, and enjoys volunteering for diabetes charities. She has a keen interest in writing, escaping with a good book and expanding her knowledge watching far too many quiz shows!
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 020 7331 2015
- Twitter:
- @techUK,@techUK
- Website:
- www.techuk.org,www.techuk.org
- LinkedIn:
- https://bit.ly/3mtQ7Jx,https://bit.ly/3mtQ7Jx
Heather Cover-Kus
Heather Cover-Kus
Heather is Head of Central Government Programme at techUK, working to represent the supplier community of tech products and services to Central Government.
Prior to joining techUK in April 2022, Heather worked in the Economic Policy and Small States Section at the Commonwealth Secretariat. She led the organisation’s FinTech programme and worked to create an enabling environment for developing countries to take advantage of the socio-economic benefits of FinTech.
Before moving to the UK, Heather worked at the Office of the Prime Minister of The Bahamas and the Central Bank of The Bahamas.
Heather holds a Graduate Diploma in Law from BPP, a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from LSE, and a BA in Economics and Sociology from Macalester College.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-cover-kus-ba636538