There’s more to the Åland Islands than soft tones and crisp, still sunsets – and that’s digitalisation. But while digital developments are still far from competing with local, regional beauty, the most recent advancements in the islands’ public administration are definitely worth noting.
Åland, an autonomous region of Finland, embarked on a journey to enhance public administration through digitalisation. We caught up with Jani Sjölund, Director of IT at the Government of Åland, to hear how X-Road became the choice to the need for a robust data exchange solution, improving interoperability and citizen services.
Background and institutional framework
The journey towards utilising X-Road in Åland commenced with a vision to enhance data interoperability across government agencies and improve citizen services.
Recognising X-Road's potential based on its success in Estonia, Finland, and other Nordic countries, Åland sought to integrate this solution into its digital infrastructure, leveraging the support and expertise of the Nordic Institute for Interoperability Solutions (NIIS) and the Digital and Population Data Services Agency in Finland (DVV). Early discussions revealed the potential for using X-Road not just as a technical solution but as a catalyst for broader digital transformation within Åland's government operations.
As Jani Sjölund stepped into his role, having joined as the director of IT, he pinpointed enhanced data interoperability across Åland’s public sector as a cornerstone of their digital strategy. This vision was rooted in the broader EU directives emphasising the immediate task of strengthening information security. In parallel, a data exchange platform naturally set out to become a key component to achieving digital agility within the public administration.
The engagement with the Finnish Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) was a strategic move designed to leverage their extensive experience with X-Road and ensure a foundation for robust data exchange capabilities within Åland.
“After I joined, one of my first actions was organising workshops with Finland's DVV. These sessions were instrumental in our decision to integrate with Finland's X-Road ecosystem, Suomi.fi Data Exchange Layer, rather than creating a separate ecosystem for Åland. The decision to integrate with Suomi.fi Data Exchange Layer acknowledges the practical benefits of such a connection. This approach allows Åland to maintain its autonomous digital governance while still benefiting from the established, secure, and efficient infrastructure of Finland's national data ecosystem,” Sjölund explains.
Needs and challenges
Åland's digital agenda, influenced by both local governance and the Finnish government, identified the need for a platform that could facilitate seamless data exchange between different government agencies and improve citizen access to services.
"Upon joining the government as the IT director, I was tasked with enhancing our information security and establishing a data exchange platform. We identified the need for interoperability and a citizen portal, already outlined in our digital agenda,” Sjölund says. But a primary challenge to Åland on this path was the fragmentation within its public administration. Various agencies operated in isolation, creating inefficiencies in data exchange and service delivery.
Additionally, the region grappled with the logistical and economic constraints of bringing all municipalities, especially the smaller ones with limited resources, onboard with the X-Road implementation.
“Integrating smaller municipalities and agencies, some with minimal IT resources, into the X-Road ecosystem poses a significant challenge. With Åland comprising 16 municipalities of varying sizes, ensuring that all can participate in and benefit from X-Road is a complex task. But our focus was from the beginning on finding solutions that enable even the smallest communities to offer e-services through X-Road, ensuring equitable digital access across the islands,” Sjölund points out.
The solution
The solution involved integrating with Finland's existing infrastructure while developing and retaining the administrative autonomy Åland enjoys. This strategy facilitated a streamlined administrative process and allowed Åland to benefit from Finland's technical expertise and established processes. The series of workshops Sjölund engaged in, with key stakeholders including DVV and CSC – the IT Center for Science in Finland, laid the groundwork for this integration. In this way, leveraging Finland's X-Road framework, Åland aimed to improve service provision for its citizens, enabling 24/7 access to digital services without requiring physical presence or paperwork.
“One significant advantage of this collaboration is that Åland can use Finland's identification systems for its digital services. This means citizens accessing Åland's portal can use the Suomi.fi e-Identification service, simplifying access and avoiding the need for Åland to develop a separate system for that,” Sjölund explains.
Pragmatism and collaboration, then, in the effort to enhance digital governance in Åland – addressing the specific challenges posed by its autonomy and limited resources. All pairs well with the anticipated increase in data exchange with Finland and Sweden: improved interoperability among local agencies does indeed position Åland to significantly enhance its public service delivery and participate in the benefits of cross-border data exchange between its two neighbouring countries.
“Following our workshops, we tasked our IT service provider with setting up Security Servers, marking a significant step towards operationalising X-Road in Åland. This phase was crucial for developing the competencies needed to manage and utilise the X-Road system effectively. Parallel to the technical setup, we focused on developing e-services, starting with foundational services like the right of domicile registry. These efforts aimed at ensuring that once the technical infrastructure was in place, there would be valuable services ready for our citizens,” Sjölund highlights.
The implementation of X-Road, all in all, is more than just a technical upgrade; it’s about transforming how services are delivered to citizens. By facilitating seamless data exchange and enhancing security, X-Road in Åland allows the local public administration to improve service levels dramatically. “Our goal is to ensure that citizens can access services anywhere, anytime, without the requirement for physical presence or adherence to office hours. It’s what took us to commit to X-Road as a fitting technical enabler, and stresses its potential to elevate Åland's overall digital landscape,” Sjölund concludes.