University of Regina and Cisco Canada establish Research Chair to further e-Governance in Canada
News Release Release Date: November 20, 2012 1:00 p.m.
Cisco Canada today announced an agreement of $2 million over 10 years to establish a Research Chair in e-Governance at the University of Regina. The Chair will address ways for governments to more effectively use technology to drive collaboration, productivity and efficiency in the public sector in Canada.
The Chair will look at how governments can more effectively communicate with citizens, businesses and other governments through enhanced use of technologies such as video, information sharing and online collaboration. The Chair will be located within the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Regina.
E-Governance initiatives may include exploring and developing best practices in sharing information, promoting services, recruiting and retaining employees, conducting surveys, engaging the public, ‘virtual government’, collaborating internally and creating new strategic partnerships. This will allow governments to move beyond driving people to websites to making full use of the latest technologies to enhance citizen engagement, improve client satisfaction, lower operating costs and provide faster service.
Nitin Kawale, president of Cisco Canada says Cisco is proud to work with the University of Regina to further technology innovation and help define the transformation of the public sector.
“The ability of networked technologies, video and the Internet to improve communication and transactional capacities are key processes of public sector modernization,” said Kawale. “Government must enhance their networking capacity and adapt to virtual environments and the transformative power of video. The University understands the significance of research and development in this area, both for Saskatchewan and Canada as a whole, and it’s a vision Cisco is delighted to participate in.”
University of Regina President and Vice-Chancellor Vianne Timmons says the new Chair will connect with the University’s strategic goals and long-range vision to position the University as one of the world’s leading institutes of higher learning in this area.
“The Chair will foster close relationships with industry and government while supporting and leading related
research, development and innovation at the University,” said Timmons. “This 10-year collaboration with
Cisco will broaden the scope of the University of Regina’s research enterprise while providing tangible
benefits for all Canadians. Through this partnership, we will help move public sector governance policy and practice
forward to keep pace with the rapid evolution of communication technology in areas such as social media,” she
added.
BACKGROUNDER:
The Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy is a provincial centre for advanced education, research and
training in policy and administration. Located on two university campuses – the University of Regina and the
University of Saskatchewan – the school is a source of respected policy advice and commentary. With academic
backgrounds such as political science, economics, sociology, geography, law and education, the school’s faculty
members train graduate students in an interdisciplinary environment, educate the public on policy matters, and
improve the knowledge base from which policymakers draw. For more information, visit www.uregina.ca.