DPItä

DPItä, short for Digital Public Infrastructure East, is a regional program that coordinates the development and deployment of digital public infrastructure and interoperable e-government services in the eastern part of the country. It brings together regional authorities, national agencies, universities, and public service providers to create common standards, shared data platforms, and user-centered services. The initiative aims to improve access to public services, increase operational efficiency, and strengthen privacy and security in digital government.

DPItä was established in 2016 as part of a nationwide digitalization strategy. It operates under a governing board that includes regional council representatives, a national ministry liaison, and advisory committees from education and industry. A dedicated secretariat coordinates project work and budgeting, with partner institutions contributing staff and expertise.

The program runs a portfolio of pilots across sectors such as digital identity, public service portals, health information exchange, and open data. It promotes interoperable standards for data exchange, cross-border authentication, and privacy-by-design. DPItä also runs training programs for civil servants and supports research collaborations between universities and public agencies.

Reported outcomes include improved service integration, shorter processing times for several services, and broader citizen access to digital tools. Challenges include ensuring long-term funding, aligning multiple jurisdictions, and maintaining strong data protection amid expanding data sharing.

DPItä aims to broaden regional coverage, scale successful pilots, and enhance governance mechanisms to sustain collaboration and resilience in digital public infrastructure.