The future of homeworking in the public sector provides the topic for the next UKA Live to take place this coming Friday, 17 July.
Supported by Cisco, the discussion will focus on one of the major issues for public sector bodies as they face they develop a ‘new normal’ in the trail of the Covid-19 pandemic – how far they can they go in enabling staff to work at home, and what issues will they have to address in making it possible?
It widely accepted that it will require remote, real time access to systems and data, along with stringent security and robust collaboration tools. Cloud systems are set to play a significant role, the move will impose new demands on organisations’ networks, and staff will have to respond to new ways of working and adopt a different mindset.
Our expert panel will explore this cultural shift in our working lives alongside three key issues that underpin enterprise grade home working: zero trust security; software defined networking; and cloud managed networks.
Participants will include Gareth Bulpin of Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Nadira Hussein of public sector IT association Socitm, Andrew Candlish of Cisco UK Central Government, Richard Archdeacon of Cisco Advisory, Paul Berry of cloud controlled Wi-Fi specialist Meraki UK, and Helen Olsen of UKAuthority.
Running from 11.00-12.00 BST, it promises to be a thought provoking and informative discussion that will help any organisation prepare for a future in which homeworking is likely to be a much more important element of how the public sector works – and it will be open for questions from registered viewers.
You can find more details and register for the event here.
Smart places
The following week we stage our Smart Places 2020 virtual conference, examining the progress the UK is making in the sector and how it could be shaped in future by the lessons from the pandemic.
It will examine a number of issues. Has the pandemic accelerated the joining up of data and infrastructure? Is it now easier for us to harness the internet of things and smart devices to build a more sustainable future? And what relevant lessons can be learned from the response to Covid-19?
The line-up of speakers includes officials involved in smart places projects that are breaking new ground and producing valuable lessons on what makes for success or failure. They include Nathan Pierce of the Greater London Authority, Jenny Nelson of Newcastle City Council, Dan Clarke of the Greater Cambridge Partnership, and a representative from the event gold partner Precisely.
Cyber and data
Further virtual events are planned for later in the year. On 9 September we will be staging Cyber4Good 2020, examining how the public sector can reinforce cyber defences to keep sensitive data safe and vital services running.
This will be followed on 14 October by Data4Good 2020, focusing on the gaps in the public sector’s data and the opportunities that arise as new sources are harnessed.
All events are free to attend and the virtual conferences can be accredited for five hours CPD. You can find more details on the links below:
