Digital entrepreneurship rankings applied to Australasian cities

The European Digital City Index league table model will soon be launched across Australasian cities.

Cities in Australia and New Zealand could be independently ranked in terms of how well they support digital entrepreneurship.

The .au Domain Administration (auDA) will fund the first stage of the project.

The European Digital City Index is internationally respected as a tool for ranking and benchmarking excellence in the support of digital entrepreneurship. The new Australasian Digital City Index (ADCI), if funded, will be run by the Pearcey Centre for Innovative Industry Economic Research.

ADCI Project Director Ernest Stabek said the inaugural report, set to launch in 2019, would be an excellent tool for governments at a federal and state level.

“Governments already understand making our cities friendly to digital entrepreneurship is pivotal to economic success,” Stabek said.

“What’s currently lacking is the right information on which to base public investment decisions. Governments need to understand what best practice looks like and which cities need to improve. It’s our hope that an Australasian Digital City Index will provide decision-makers with a tool they can use to drive Australasian cities into the 21st century.

“In Europe, the Digital City Index has become an invaluable tool for policymakers looking to understand and improve their cities. London is currently ranked No.1, with Stockholm and Amsterdam in hot pursuit.

“As we work through the Australasian process we’ll be keeping our cards very close to our chest. But I suspect when it’s time to report there will be some surprises.”

The cities ranking highly will be gifted with an excellent reference to recruit yet more talent to their economies, while those on the other end of the rankings will be given the impetus and examples to improve.

“It will be fascinating to apply the European Digital City Index methodology and learn which Australasian cities are creating hospitable environments for digital entrepreneurship and which cities need to play catch-up,” Stabek said.

.au Domain Administration CEO Cameron Boardman said the project was important for the whole digital economy.

“As the administrator of the .au namespace, auDA is delighted to support this initiative in order to promote greater digital inclusiveness and to ensure Australian cities are fully embracing their digital economic advantages,” he said.

Image credit: ©iStockphoto.com/nadla

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