Serbia
Digital
Serbia
Digital
The biggest global challenges we face today, such as climate change, social and economic inequities, and geopolitical tensions, are multi-layered and complex, shaped by a variety of interrelated players and technologies that are evolving faster than ever.
Governance systems must adapt to these increased levels of complexity and rapid, disruptive change, which affect multiple sectors at the same time. To serve as a catalyst for long-term, inclusive social and economic development, government institutions need to become more responsive, agile, and smart.
This entails adopting new technologies and ways of working, using better data for informed policymaking, and breaking down silos to interact with a broader ecosystem that extends beyond traditional governmental boundaries. Governments need to foster a culture of experimentation and agility, move beyond rigid regulations, incentivize and nudge public institutions and businesses toward societally beneficial outcomes, and deepen their engagement with citizens at all stages of policy and public service design.
UNDP Serbia has supported policy development across a range of priority areas, including digital government, data governance, and artificial intelligence. Our team has developed specialized training programs for civil servants, leveraging top local and international expertise and introducing new ways of working and decision-making in the public sector. We also led several initiatives to help institutions expand their engagement with citizens and stakeholders across the digital ecosystem.
UNDP has contributed to the creation and implementation of several strategic documents, such as the Strategy for e‑Government Development and the Strategy for AI Development. We have also supported the development of legislation on e‑government, electronic communications, information security, and access to data for health-related research and development.
Ultimately, UNDP’s assistance was crucial in the establishment of key institutions and infrastructures like the Office for IT and e‑Government, the Government Data Center, the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Serbia, and the National Institute for Artificial Intelligence.
UNDP’s support in establishing and developing the Office for IT and e-Government is an excellent example of our approach to institutional development. Since day one, we have worked with them on an ambitious mission to digitally empower Serbian public administration so that it can provide citizens, businesses, and institutions with convenient, time-saving, and cost-effective services in a reliable, secure, and inclusive manner.
Our involvement spanned multiple levels and areas, from strategy to operations, infrastructure development to citizen engagement in service development. These collaborative efforts have significantly improved the government’s ability to provide digital services across the board, ultimately leading to regional and global recognition of Serbia’s digital governance initiatives.
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Determined to harness the potential of biotechnology and AI in healthcare, the Serbian government supported a joint initiative by UNDP and the World Economic Forum (WEF) to establish the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) in Serbia.
In this engagement, UNDP leveraged its experience from running the global Accelerator Labs Network and the local Accelerator Lab in Serbia, collaborating on development initiatives within a broader ecosystem. We provided daily operational and strategic support to C4IR, which laid the groundwork for the research and development of genomic and AI-based medical solutions and positioned Serbia as an emerging biotech hotspot.
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With artificial intelligence reshaping many facets of our daily lives and work, the need for forward-looking policies and institutions capable of fostering a thriving local AI ecosystem has never been more important. UNDP has supported the Serbian government in numerous efforts to advance AI since the adoption of its first national AI strategy in 2019.
These efforts included establishing key research institutions and technical infrastructure, drafting legislation, creating teams for policy development and implementation, managing AI deployments across the public sector, and engaging with the AI ecosystem both domestically and internationally. These comprehensive initiatives have positioned Serbia as a leader in AI within the region and beyond.
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