UMass Amherst Professor Jane Fountain Named to World Economic Forum’s Council on the Future of Governments

Sept. 30, 2008

Contact:

Daniel J. Fitzgibbons 413/545-0444

AMHERST, Mass. – Jane Fountain, professor of political science and public policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has been appointed to the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on the Future of Governments.

Fountain, who also directs the National Center for Digital Government and the Science, Technology and Society Initiative at UMass Amherst, is one of 13 international experts named to the council, which will examine how governments globally might better adapt to the rapid pace of technological change while building or maintaining transparency, accountability and civil society.

Best known for the annual meeting of world leaders in Davos, Switzerland, the World Economic Forum has developed multi-stakeholder dialogue in key policy arenas globally. According to the World Economic Forum, “The Summit on the Global Agenda is a new, unique gathering of the world’s most influential thinkers – leaders from academia, business, government and society. Its purpose is to advance solutions to the most critical challenges facing humanity.”

The inaugural summit of the forum’s Global Agenda Councils will be held in partnership with the government of Dubai from Nov 7-9.

Based in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Economic Forum is an independent, international organization convening world leaders and government officials in dialogue with leading researchers and experts to develop “global, regional and industry agendas.” Working through a series of Global Agenda Councils, the World Economic Forum convenes the most innovative and relevant leaders capable of capturing the best knowledge on each key issue and integrating it into global collaboration and decision-making processes.

“The World Economic Forum should be commended for bringing these issues to an international forum. There is much to be accomplished through the Council as governments face critical challenges in their use of technology,” Fountain said. “The Global Agenda Councils further a tradition of global dialogue and agenda setting among policymakers, industry, government officials and researchers.”

Funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Center for Digital Government builds global research capacity, strengthens the network of researchers and practitioners engaged in building and using technology in government.

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