OSCE PCUz supports the seventh edition of the "Open Data Challenge" hackathon

From 24 to 26 January, IT enthusiasts gathered at the New Uzbekistan University in Tashkent for the seventh edition of the “Open Data Challenge” hackathon.

This annual competition was organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) together with IT-Park Uzbekistan and the Statistics Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

More than 150 young people gathered in teams and competed to develop technological solutions based on the data opened by public authorities. Out of 60 registered teams, 8 made it to the final, with the top three teams producing projects ranging from a platform designed to analyze tenders from the open data platform etender.uzex.uz, a startup that uses artificial intelligence for people with disabilities and a chatbot for analyzing data in real time using open data.

This popular event offers a unique opportunity to further demonstrate the practical relevance and applicability of open data while engaging youth in proposing solutions to current challenges.

Open data plays an important role in the monitoring and evaluation of state bodies’ activities. In addition to strengthening public control and its anti-corruption component, the publication of data has a direct economic impact and a hugely untapped social potential.

Through the development of new services and products that offer responses to known problems or gaps, new jobs are created, and the IT community is strengthened.

Taking into account the multifaceted aspect of data, the development of an open data ecosystem in Uzbekistan is an integral part of the PCUz’ activities to promote economic development, as well as good governance.