Over the horizon of what is currently experienced in public service delivery, a new ethos is beginning to take shape, arising from an evolving mindset change - that governments need not always necessarily have the best answers and solutions to address all the needs of their citizens.

In response, governments are currently extending their focus beyond efficient and effective e-Government practices, to an approach of facilitating collaborative service creation, and building participatory relationships with citizens and businesses in e-Government initiatives. Built upon groundswell demand for greater responsiveness and ingenuity, the future of e-Government will be born of consultation and collaboration.

These new possibilities are at once daunting and exciting. Governments understand the new imperatives, but the steps ahead for planning strategies and initiatives remain fluid. The arising challenge above it all is how to marry traditional hallmarks of excellence in e-Government – relevance, integration, resilience, public engagement – with the new dynamics that redefine the way we view a government’s relationship with its customers.

Issues await us. What are the emerging trends and challenges brought about by ICT in the new decade? What’s next in e-Government, and where will it bring us in public administration and service delivery? What exactly is Open Government, and has the concept successfully fostered innovations and effectiveness in public service delivery? Are Web X.0 and social media still the deal for encouraging citizen participation? These questions and more will be discussed and debated at the exchange.