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Recognizing the importance of regional collaboration and the cooperation of public - private sector in the growth of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in South-Eastern Europe (SEE) as well as the critical role of Electronic Governance (eGovernance) programs in democratic, political, economic and social growth of 21st century, INA Academy proposed the launch of a Center for eGovernance Program @ (at) SEE. The Program is built on the strategic objective of strengthening anthropocentric eGovernance in South-Eastern Europe that will facilitate regional collaboration and European Integration of the SEE region. The Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Hellenic Aid Program), addressing such issues with particular interest, decided to provide financial support to INA Academy's initiative and its planned activities.

The launch of the Center for eGovernance Program @ SEE answers to the need for collaboration in SEE, a fact established through the procedures of two regional initiatives under the framework of the Stability Pact (SP): the electronic South East Europe (eSEE) initiative and the broadband South East Europe (bSEE) initiative. The Program's actions aim to maintain and strengthen the existing regional effort of promoting eGovernance. In particular, it underlines the need for educated and insightful leaders and responsible institutions to use Information and Communication Technologies as a tool for increasing governmental efficiency and improving democratic processes. In this way, it shall become feasible to build open information societies, to increase the governmental transparency, to decrease corruption and to bring the SEE countries closer to the ICT standards of the European Union.

The Center for eGovernance Program @ SEE is based on a decentralised network of bodies and experts originating from the public and private sector. The initial objective of the Program is to provide to the participating countries of SEE a common regional instrument and a methodology for the creation and the transfer of knowledge in the field of eGovernance, electronic trade, modern public administration and therefore assist the reform effort of policies and institutional capacities. Additionally, the Program offers expert training to officials/executives in SEE regional governments and public-private institutions.

The Program places particular focus on concrete solutions for eGovernance that interest the regional governments, for example Electronic Democracy (eDemocracy), Electronic Procurement (eProcurement), Electronic Customs (eCustoms), Electronic Trade (eTrade), Electronic Education (eEducation), Electronic Justice (eJustice), Electronic Inclusion (eInclusion) of the citizens and other parameters that concern the citizens i.e. personal data, electronic security (eSecurity) and the protection of individual freedom. In particular, the main sectors of activity include:

• eGovernment Studies: in order to help the efforts of local governments to build the capacities to develop eGovernance. The Program includes a set of Studies that assess the target countries' eReadiness and eGovernment development status. Publications for SEE countries
• eGovernment Resources Database: in order to record the current eGovernance technological achievements, practices and network of experts in the SEE region.
• Executive Training Seminars: on eGovernance and political and legal issues. In this way, training of governmental and public sector executives is achieved (ministries, public institutions, local self-government organisations).
• Electronic services: in order to support regional programs of eGovernance and to promote the development of eGovernance services by providing advisory and supporting facilities. The Program provides standardised lectures and training sessions that are delivered locally or via the Internet

The Center for eGovernance Program @ SEE  operates on two poles: the first pole is supported by the Administrative Committee located in Thessaloniki (INA Academy), and coordinates the operation and the main activities of the Program. The second pole is the SEE Expert Advisory Committee comprising of approved members of SEE institutions and civil society officials (Ministries and ICT Institutions), who have declared their interest and their support to INA Academy's Initiative.