A.

Because of the country’s size and limited resources, ICT should be used in a strategic way, as an enabler of growth and innovation, and as a driver of economies of scale and pools of knowledge.

B.

Collaboration between the main local players in the ICT field will be fostered. User communities, ICT specialists and other professionals in ICT-enabled or supporting services will be encouraged to pool their resources to focus on generating products and services which are not just technological, but adaptive and value creating and able to serve both business and everyday needs.

C.

All stakeholders must aim to develop an environment that is conducive to business. Partnerships within the EU and with other countries in the region should be established to provide a platform for cooperation.

D.

ICT-based R&I investment needs to be directed at niches and sectors of the economy that are already strong and areas of specialisation identified in the National Research and Innovation Strategy 2020.

E.

Business sustainability and growth will be facilitated, and emergent economic opportunities will be exploited.

F.

Students and young entrepreneurs will be encouraged and supported to make use of local innovation/ incubation centres.

G.

Local stakeholders will be supported to participate in funding programmes supportive of local incubation centres and related efforts to gain international exposure.

A.

 Citizens will be supported to: Adopt digital technologies to help with their work and improve their quality of life; Create value content that can be accessed through digital means; Collaborate with others to make the Internet a safer place for everyone; Re-use public sector information while respecting privacy legislation, national security and the need to protect intellectual property rights of third parties; Be innovative in applying digital technology.

B.

When planning and implementing digital initiatives, feedback from citizens and civil society will be sought.

C.

Barriers that stop citizens from exploiting the benefits of the Internet must be removed.

A.

Online government services will be organised around customers’ needs. Businesses, local councils, community learning centres and the public will have a role in designing and implementing new or enhanced services.

B.

Online government services will meet EU regulations and embrace EU building blocks (e.g. eSignatures) in support of the EU Single Market.

C.

Government will use technology, coupled with business process reengineering, to rethink and redesign resources. A simplification of services will reduce paper use, cut costs and lower the risks that arise from cash handling.

D.

New or enhanced government services will be designed for the web and mobile platforms. Most ICT services should function equally well across different platforms and devices.

E.

Government will have an active online presence through social media.

F.

Ministries and entities will own their ICT projects. Only horizontal services, shared across government, will be centrally owned and delivered.

G.

Government will equip leaders and decision makers to be better tuned in taking advantage of technological advancements. Similarly, government will take measures to cater for the needs of digital employees and to capitalise on their digital skills.

H.

Government systems will be regularly assessed for efficiency and, when necessary, be enhanced or replaced.

I.

Government will adopt open standards, encouraging the exchange of information and innovation, while seeking healthy competition and lower costs. Equal consideration will be given to open source and closed source software.

J.

Government employees will be supported by innovative, flexible technologies and associated business models.

A.

The STEM skills and employment policy must be an integral chapter in national educational and employment strategies and policies.

B.

Individuals will be encouraged to take up ICT, and ICT-enabled professions, as a career.

C.

A stimulating educational environment is needed to inspire creativity and innovation and encourage young adults to harvest their entrepreneurial skills.

D.

The application of digital technologies needs to be embedded in all university, college and school courses, and non-formal learning environments.

E.

Government must address labour market shortages and industry requirements, ensuring there is synergy between industry, educational institutions and other stakeholders.

A.

Government and the private sector will invest in network infrastructures and technologies, keeping up with national and international developments, providing the Maltese citizens with platforms that are accessible, reliable and secure.

B.

High quality service and affordable access will be driving forces.

C.

The design and implementation of government network infrastructure and applications will to be based on open standards to ensure interoperability and collaboration at national and international level.

D.

Government will lead by example, adopting high quality standards and embracing important technology principles such as abstraction, loose coupling, cohesiveness and generality.

A.

ICT legislation and policy will be non-discriminatory and technology neutral. It will foster value creation, innovation and growth in all industries and society at large.

B.

Legislative measures and regulatory strategies pursued in other jurisdictions will be monitored and evaluated to see if local legislation needs improving.