State of Open Data

Histories and Horizons

Taking stock of the progress to date and exploring the issues that will shape the future of open data in the years to come

    A new edition of the State of Open Data is underway which will be based on input from key actors and initiatives across the open data community and will provide a progress update on the impact of open data to date and the major challenges still to be addressed.

About

The State of Open Data

Over the past 15 years, countless projects and initiatives around the world have used open data to address a myriad of socio-economic development challenges. More recently, the open data movement has fully entered a new phase in its evolution, shifting to target real-world problems and embed open data thinking into other existing or emerging communities of practice, but big questions still remain. How are open data initiatives responding to new concerns about privacy, inclusion, and artificial intelligence? And what have we learned about how to deliver impact where it is most needed? The original 2019 publication of The State of Open Data brought together more than 60 authors from around the world to take stock of the progress made to date and uncover the issues shaping the open data movement. Now D4D.net is updating the original publication to explore recurring and emerging issues impacting the use of open data and the role it will play in the rapidly evolving ‘data for development’ movement.

To accompany the process, we are hosting a series of roundtables to gather perspectives on the recent use and impact of open data around the world on issues ranging from artificial intelligence and data protection to climate action, gender, and health, and so much more. The roundtables will provide an opportunity to discuss real-world lessons that we can build upon.

    The State of Open Data cover

    State of Open Data

    First Edition

    Click here for the first edition of the State of Open Data.

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    State of Open Data

    Second Edition

    Coming soon.

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The Roundtables

Events

The State of Open Data Roundtables - Series 3

Exploring the issues that will shape the future of open data in the years to come

Series 3 of the roundtables will be hosted from April 13-20, 2023 to gather further perspectives on the impact of open data around the world.

Events

The State of Open Data Roundtables Series 1

Exploring the issues that will shape the future of open data in the years to come

This series of roundtables took place June 22-24 in 2022 to gather perspectives on the recent use and impact of open data around the world - focusing on national statistics, artificial intelligence, climate action, gender equality, and anti-corruption

Events

The State of Open Data Roundtables - Series 2

Exploring the issues that will shape the future of open data in the years to come

This series of roundtables took place November 2-4 in 2022 and brought together experts to discuss the state of data and recent developments in Education, Corporate Ownership, Crime and Justice, Agriculture, and Land Ownership

More events

News

Blog

Telecommunications and the State of Open Data

Advance Update on the State of Open Data 2nd Edition

This update to the 2019 State of Open Data chapter on telecommunications takes stock of notable developments in the last four years, including progress on an open fibre data standard to help organizations produce high quality, reusable, and open data about fibre networks.

Blog

AI and the State of Open Data

Advance Update on the State of Open Data 2nd Edition

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping our world. From supply chains, insurance claims, and hospital care to welfare, content moderation, and climate action, data-hungry AI systems are being deployed to drive research, shape policy, and make day-to-day decisions. 

Blog

Crime & Justice and the State of Open Data

Advance Update on the State of Open Data 2nd Edition

The availability of open data on crime and justice plays an essential role in driving justice provision. The relevance of open data is linked to its potential reuse aimed at fostering access to justice and tackling existing legal needs. 

Blog

Health and the State of Open Data

Advance Update on the State of Open Data 2nd Edition

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the collection, sharing, and use of health data. This update explores the lessons learned from the pandemic and provides an overview of progress in key action areas, such as data interoperability and health governance. 

Blog

South, East, and Southeast Asia and the State of Open Data

Advance Update on the State of Open Data 2nd Edition

In 2019, the State of Open Data chapter on South, East, and Southeast Asia reported that open data initiatives in the region were primarily focused on supply-side interventions. Four years on, things remain pretty much the same.

Blog

Land Ownership and the State of Open Data

Advance Update on the State of Open Data 2nd Edition

Changes in open land data collection and use have been evolutionary, rather than revolutionary. Going forward, there are several key challenges that need to be addressed, starting with the need to enhance the capacity of local data custodians to manage their data.

More articles

Expect all updates to The State of Open Data in 2023, including a review of the evolution of open data since the first edition published in 2019 from authors and data specialists from around the world.