Overcoming Digital Divide in Europe and Southeast Asia

Digitalization has been in the epicenter of interest during the hard times of COVID-19 and has enabled governments and individuals to cope with the scientific and socio-economic problems created by the pandemic. Both, basic and advanced digital technologies, as well as digital skills have been engaged to sustain the functioning of the economy and society by allowing the work to continue, tracking the spread of the virus, and accelerating research for medications and vaccines. COVID-19 pandemic has shown, more than anything else, the utmost importance of digital assets and the need for further development towards a resilient digital transformation. Strengthening the digital economy and society has been one of the 6 strategic priorities of the 2021 European Commission work programme with a goal of making this Europe’s digital decade. Digitalization is the relevant issue in EU associated countries as well. Digital transformation might help EU associated countries to speed up convergence project and catch up developed EU economies. Even particularly topical problem is digitalization in developing countries. The digital transformation and its support would lead to higher economic growth and, sustainable development and the increasing of the quality of life. The proposed project is as timely as ever considering the current situation of digitalization in the EU, EU associated countries (Montenegro) and developing countries in Southeast Asia region (Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand). The focus of the project is the cooperation of the academic staff and doctoral students to engage in the research in the field of digitalization, exchange their knowledge, ideas, and provide meaningful outputs and establish research collaboration in the field of digitalization.