Danish expert: Public administration needs to 'put the right people in the right jobs'

Danish expert Anders Windinge pointed out that the digital transformation process needs to be suitable for people's living conditions so that no one is left behind. (Photo: Yen Chi)

According to expert Anders Windinge, Denmark has accumulated a lot of rich experience in building the administrative apparatus over the 25-year journey of digital transformation of public administration.

Denmark started the digitalization of public administration in 2001. This is a process involving the central government, five regional governments and 98 local governments, with a common strategy updated every four years.

Mr. Windinge said that although Denmark has not yet achieved full digitalization, it is gradually moving towards this goal, constantly developing digital transformation in public administration. However, he also worries about the legal framework in the digital transformation process in Denmark, because many laws that were enacted too long ago may no longer be suitable for the digitalization process.

“We have to check whether the law can be applied to digital transformation. If not, there will have to be adjustments,” the expert affirmed.

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In addition, Mr. Windinge said that one of the outstanding issues in the process of promoting digital transformation in public administration is to build capacity for both the administrative apparatus and the users of public administrative services.

In Denmark, to make the public administration system operate effectively and meet the needs of the people, this Nordic country has carried out "putting the right people in the right jobs" and at the same time applied decentralization so that local levels can make decisions, instead of focusing only on the central government.

This helps people feel more involved in public policies and services, thereby increasing satisfaction levels for everyone.

Mr. Anders Windinge pointed out that the consensus of the people plays a key role in the success of digital transformation. Above all, the digital transformation process certainly requires the efforts of the whole society, but that process must be suitable for the living conditions of the people so that no one is left behind.

On the afternoon of March 18, in Hanoi, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics in collaboration with the Embassies of four Nordic countries including Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway organized the 8th annual seminar to share development experiences with the theme "Effective leadership and public administration, promoting innovation and digital transformation: Experiences of Northern Europe and Vietnam".

The event was held on the occasion of Nordic Day on March 23, thereby opening up opportunities to exchange and share practical experiences from countries in this region on transparent and effective governance systems that meet the needs of businesses and people, while promoting rapid and sustainable economic growth and social development.

Notably, Denmark has also implemented digital signatures for all citizens, helping them conduct online transactions securely. In this country, individuals and businesses are required to receive information from the government through digital platforms, instead of traditional methods.

“This makes the workflow smoother and information is distributed in the right place,” emphasized Anders Windinge.

Based on Denmark's digital transformation experience, Mr. Anders commented that although Vietnam has a much larger population than this Nordic country, the key factor of digital transformation is not population but strategy. Therefore, the government needs to have a clear plan, ensuring consensus from all levels, thereby creating a foundation for public support. Vietnam can implement step by step instead of implementing it all at once, but the most important thing is to maintain continuity throughout the process. According to the Danish expert, in managing digital platform fairness, any delay can reduce public trust, so the digital transformation process requires perseverance and constant progress.

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Mr. Anders Windinge is an expert in the field of municipal management structures and governance in the Danish public sector. He holds a key position in liaising between the Danish Local Government Association and ministries and between the Association and many municipal governments.