Norway is at the digital frontier in many areas. However, it needs to keep pace with rapid technological developments and competition, while improving performance in areas where it could catch up. Staying at the frontier requires agility, flexibility and well-co-ordinated digital policies. A national digital strategy can play an important role to ensure the policy framework in place makes the most of digital technologies and data for growth and well-being.

Norway has identified several underlying priorities that will shape the content and structure of its forthcoming national digital strategy: ensuring high-quality information and communications infrastructure; developing the data economy; fostering data protection and information security; increasing the digitalisation of small and medium-sized enterprises; promoting an inclusive digital society in the context of an ageing population; supporting the green transition; and digitalising the public sector. These priorities will help realise Norway’s vision of a sustainable welfare society that safeguards a safe and simple everyday life for citizens and the non-governmental sector, a strengthened business sector and a better and renewed public sector.

Norway’s digital policy landscape comprises relatively more initiatives related to Innovation than the other dimensions of the OECD Going Digital Integrated Policy Framework (the Framework), followed by Society, Access and Use. In terms of performance, Norway outperforms all OECD countries in indicators related to the effective use of digital technologies. It also outperforms the OECD and Nordic averages in societal indicators of digital transformation. Norway is above the OECD average on indicators of Trust and Access, although below the Nordic average. Norway has opportunities to catch up in indicators related to Market openness, Jobs and Innovation where there is the most potential to improve performance.

Recommendations
Key policy recommendations to achieve a more digital, innovative and inclusive Norway are structured around six areas:

Encourage technology adoption and skills development to ensure a more digital-intensive economy and resilient workforce. This involves promoting adoption of digital technologies among small and medium-sized enterprises and empowering people with the skills to succeed in a digital world of work.

Prioritise innovation to create a more digital Norway. This requires encouraging a culture of experimentation and risk taking, reducing regulatory burdens on start-ups and young firms, incentivising venture capital investment and support firms in scaling up, promoting investment in research and development, and harnessing the potential of “GovTech”.

Maximise the potential of data, while maintaining Norway’s strong culture of trust. This includes leveraging Norway’s culture of trust to incentivise data sharing, realising the potential of open government data to drive digital innovation, taking a multifaceted approach to monitoring and addressing cyber risks, and supporting development of data-related skills and infrastructure.

Harness the potential of digital technologies for society. This involves increasing digital inclusion through policies targeted at the groups most in need, discouraging e-waste production and encouraging e-waste recycling.

Prepare for next generation networks and a future of unlimited connectivity everywhere. This entails upgrading fixed and mobile networks to 5G and beyond, closing geographic connectivity divides by focusing on the underserved, fostering competition and reducing red tape, and supporting businesses to improve their connectivity.

Design holistic digital policies within effective governance and monitoring mechanisms. This involves using all dimensions of the Framework to design future digital policies; fostering interministerial and stakeholder co-operation in digital policy design and implementation; monitoring progress using the OECD Going Digital Toolkit as Norway’s national digital dashboard; and strengthening a whole-of-government approach to adoption of digital technologies in the public sector.

Source: OECD - Publications  

“The fabric of society is woven with emotional threads, from empathy to outrage, and it is these feelings that shape both harmony and conflict in the world.” — Dalai Lama

"Emotion ecosystems" refers to the complex, interconnected emotional interactions that emerge within collectives—whether in communities, institutions, or digital environments. These ecosystems continuously evolve in response to technological innovation, political shifts, and cultural transformations.

Why this matters now?
The deepening integration of artificial intelligence, affective computing, and digital platforms into daily life is radically transforming the landscape of emotional experience. Social media now acts not only as a mirror of collective sentiment but also as a regulatory force, selectively amplifying or silencing emotions through algorithmic curation. These mechanisms influence which feelings are publicly expressed, socially reinforced, or left unseen.

Emerging technologies such as brain–computer interfaces further complicate the emotional terrain, raising pressing questions around emotional autonomy, authenticity, and consent. As the boundaries between inner states and external interventions blur, we are entering a new phase in the relationship between human affect and technological mediation.

At the same time, scientific advances in neuroscience, psychology, and embodied cognition are deepening our insight into the biological and perceptual foundations of emotion. From the role of the gut-brain axis in mood regulation to the malleability of perception and the influence of contemplative practices, we are beginning to grasp the full extent to which emotion is constructed, conditioned, and context-dependent.

Amid these rapid shifts, profound questions are coming into focus:

💡How do evolving emotion ecosystems shape our relationships—with ourselves, with others, and with the systems we inhabit?

💡What new forms of awareness, interconnection, and collective sense-making are emerging?

💡How might the emotional landscapes of tomorrow affect the evolution of consciousness, identity, and social cohesion?

About the Workshop
Emotion Ecosystems 2040 is a foresight workshop that seeks to map, anticipate, and co-shape the future of emotional dynamics in Europe. Through structured foresight methods and multidisciplinary dialogue, participants will:

🎯Identify key drivers of change for the emotion ecosystems, analyzing trends, disruptions, and critical uncertainties

🎯Explore societal, ethical, and philosophical implications

🎯Co-develop Delphi-style future statements to inform broader strategic conversations. 

Participants & Expertise Areas
The workshop will bring together approximately 40 experts from diverse fields, including:

• Social psychology & neuroscience 
• Affective computing & brain-machine interfaces 
• Anthropology & political science
• Media & communication studies
• Art & creative industries
• Spiritual and contemplative communities
  

By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, this workshop aims to advance scientific debate, inspire new research directions, and contribute to a deeper understanding of the evolving emotional fabric of society.

The event will be held at Mercure Conacul Cozieni, approximately 20 km from the center of Bucharest, Romania.

Todays topic will be in alignment of the #EUGreenWeek 2022: EU GREEN DEAL - MAKE IT REAL. Together with DIGIPRIME and EFPF, we will take a closer look at digital technology to boost a more resillient economy!
DIGIPRIME and EFPF are two Horizon 2020 projects focused on developing digital platforms.

As the Horizon 2020 research program becomes Horizon Europe, what better time to witness how great ideas turned into real projects? LOOPS will be the opportunity to show what cutting-edge research has been produced, and which changes it can bring to our communities. For those who are not familiar with it, LOOPS is a live webinar series committed to spotlighting innovation in the field of circular economy and sustainability.

Todays topic will be in alignment of the #EUGreenWeek 2022: EU GREEN DEAL - MAKE IT REAL. Together with DIGIPRIME and EFPF, we will take a closer look at digital technology to boost a more resillient economy!

DIGIPRIME and EFPF, are two Horizon 2020 projects focused on developing digital platforms.

Speakers of today will be Marcello Colledani from DIGIPRIME and Alexandros Nizamis from EFPF.

The Secretary General of Veltha, Luca Polidory will be the host of todays episode.

Check out DIGIPRIME here: https://www.digiprime.eu/

Check out EFPF here: https://www.efpf.org/

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9AK7SpmR34 

The national research project 4Tech (Development of selected technologies during and after COVID-19 crisis) under the financial support of the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, contract No. TL 040000390. The project 4Tech focusing on four technologies: digitalization and cloud, additive production, telemedicine and digital (distant) forms of education.
The main objective is to capture the impulses induced by the COVID-19 crisis with existing and potential impacts mainly on the rural development drivers.
The research has the following specific objectives:
1) To map extent and forms of the 4 technologies application in the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide with a particular emphasis on the Czech Republic
2) To analyse fulfilment of needs in the respective technical areas and to identify impacts on multi- actors´ collaboration, socio-technical system and society.
3) To explore societal changes of values, attitudes, expectations and concerns referring to the use of the selected technologies during the COVID-19 crisis.
4) To conduct foresight study on technology development in the respective areas with the horizon 2040.

4Growth will showcase the uptake of digital technologies and data through the “4Growth Visualisation Platform” that will combine powerful storytelling with advanced visualisations of the market.

This 3-year Horizon Europe project, funded by the European Commission, brings together 13 partners with the aim of understanding where, how and to what extent digital technologies and data are being adopted within the agricultural and forestry sectors. The project started in January 2024 and will end in December 2026.