‘Think modern, do modern’ - Saxony-Anhalt's CIO Bernd Schlömer on the digital future
#SCCON speaker and CIO Bernd Schlömer on smart services for local authorities, new standards and why digitalisation in Saxony-Anhalt can only succeed if administration, attitude and technology work to
Bernd Schlömer, CIO Saxony-Anhalt. Photo: MID/Ronny Hartmann
The digital transformation in Saxony-Anhalt is in full swing - and it is more than just the use of new technologies: For Bernd Schlömer, the state government's Commissioner for Information Technology (CIO), one thing is clear: ‘The introduction of new technologies requires a cultural change in the administration.’ It is therefore not just a matter of digitising processes, but also of ‘recording them in a high-quality manner and making them available as a blueprint in order to save resources.’ Not every local authority and administration should have to reinvent the wheel.
Schlömer is promoting precisely this holistic approach as part of his sponsorship of the IT Planning Council's ‘Digital Transformation’ focus area. Saxony-Anhalt has already set an important course at a political level - for example with a successful motion to strengthen digital skills at the Digital Ministers' Conference. However, according to Schlömer, the biggest challenges lie elsewhere: ‘Financial bottlenecks, staffing freezes and a general shortage of skilled labour require completely new approaches.’
Lighthouse with vision: Centralised services for local authorities
Schlömer believes that close cooperation between the state and local authorities is key to successful transformation. The ‘Centralised services for strong municipalities (ZSA)’ project aims to strengthen precisely this connection. A feasibility study is currently examining the extent to which centralised digital services can be provided by the state.
‘Our aim is to achieve a broad impact with limited resources,’ explains Schlömer. This is not about scattergun solutions, but about scalable models that take into account the specific needs of local authorities.
The participation portal from Saxony, which has been successfully adapted in Saxony-Anhalt, is a model for successful re-utilisation. To ensure that such solutions can be rolled out widely, the state relies on binding standards - and is therefore heavily involved in the standardisation board of the IT Planning Council, which Schlömer helped to set up.
Focus on security: Information Security Act on its way
In an age of growing cyber threats, IT security is also a key issue. Saxony-Anhalt is currently working on its own information security law, which aims to create new framework conditions for a resilient administration. The state is also in close dialogue with the federal cyber agency.
Digital twin for the heating transition
Saxony-Anhalt is also making progress with future technologies such as the digital twin. There are plans for a model that can be used throughout the state and will be available to local authorities. The first use cases deal with key smart city issues such as the municipal heating transition. There is an urgent need for action here and great potential for data-based solutions.
Looking forward to SCCON: advancing digital strategies together
At the Smart Country Convention 2025, Schlömer will be represented on the IT Planning Council's panel of topic mentors. Bernd Schlömer, Louisa Solonar-Unterasinger (CIO Hessen), Dr Martin Hagen (State Councillor for IT Bremen), Ina-Maria Ulbrich (CIO Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) and Dr Markus Richter (State Secretary BMDS) will be on stage together on 1 October at 11 am. The topic: ‘Impulses from practice - how the IT Planning Council is strategically shaping digitalisation’.
Schlömer is also particularly looking forward to Saxony-Anhalt's joint stand: ‘Under the motto “Strong into the future - thinking modern, doing modern”, we will show how we implement innovative solutions - always with the needs of our local authorities in mind.’