Digital Sovereignty with Open Source including EMBAG

Abstract
This presentation and discussion provides a concise overview of current trends and platforms in open source software, highlighting success stories and lessons learned from Switzerland. It introduces developments such as openDesk and openCode by the Centre for Digital Sovereignty (ZenDiS), European cloud initiatives, and the SDS – Souveräne Digitale Schweiz network, all of which advance digital sovereignty and are highly relevant to Switzerland’s IT landscape.
The talk also addresses the Federal Act on the Use of Electronic Means for the Performance of Government Tasks (EMBAG), which came into force in 2024. EMBAG establishes the legal framework for the federal administration’s digital transformation, with principles such as digital first, open by default for government data, and a strong emphasis on open source and interoperability. Together, these initiatives and frameworks illustrate how open technologies and legal foundations strengthen digital sovereignty and foster innovation in Switzerland.
The talk will be held in German with some Bernese sprinkled in.

Bio
Matthais Stürmer is Professor at Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH), Head of the Institute for Public Sector Transformation at the BFH Business School and Head of the Research Center for Digital Sustainability at University of Bern. As lecturer (“Privatdozent”) he is teaching, researching and consulting on digital sustainability, open source software, open data, open government, ICT procurement and natural language processing (NLP). Previously he worked as IT advisory Manager at EY (Ernst & Young) and as project leader at Liip AG, a Swiss software company creating agile Internet solutions based on open source technologies. In 2009 Matthias finished his doctoral dissertation at the Chair of Strategic Management and Innovation at ETH Zürich focusing on open source communities and firm involvement. He studied business administration and computer science at University of Bern until 2005 writing his master thesis on open source community building.
Matthias Stürmer is president of the Digital Impact Network, president of the open source association CH Open as well as co-founder and member of the board of [Opendata.ch](https://opendata.ch/), the Swiss chapter of the Open Knowledge foundation. As member of the steering comittee of the Smart Capital Region he is supporting digital transformation in the cantons Bern, Fribourg, Wallis, Neuenburg and Solothurn. He is secretary of the Swiss Parliamentarian Group for Digital Sustainability (Parldigi) and was member of the city parliament of Bern (2011-2019).

Sponsors
Thanks to our sponsors, the event and the apero are free of charge.
Sponsors | Guild42