A Blog from UrbanTide: Ireland's Open Data training provider to the public service

In 2014, building on the extensive Irish Open Data activity that has been ongoing for a number of years, Ireland launched its national Open Data Ireland Initiative. Now, as part of this Initiative UrbanTide has been appointed as the single supplier of open data training services for the Irish public sector.

“UrbanTide was born in Scotland in 2014 but has increasingly been working with clients across the UK and beyond. It is a significant challenge for an SME to establish a reputation in another country, due to balancing limited and competing resource time,not because of a lack of desire to do so. This is a fantastic opportunity to deliver against our international expansion ambition - and we will grasp it with both hands ”— Pippa Gardner CEO of UrbanTide

“In particular, we are impressed by the vision and strategic intent of the public sector in Ireland towards not just open data but improving the re-use of data to deliver real value. We are very much looking forward to working in partnership with organisations across Ireland to deliver on this potential.” - says Steven Revill, COO of UrbanTide

UrbanTide’s open data training journey so far:

Urban Tide has taken several organisations through a transformative data journey. Most recently they worked together in similar capacity with the Scottish Government. In 2016, they delivered open data training workshops on behalf of the Scottish Government to a total of 317 public sector delegates from 74 public bodies. Participants came together from different backgrounds and disciplines: GIS, procurement, governance, ICT and data analysis to discuss the barriers and opportunities that open data can unlock. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

UrbanTide’s work in Ireland

Ireland’s Open Data Strategy 2017-2022 sets out that public bodies are to identify and publish appropriate datasets on the internet as open data. The Initiative aims to create an environment whereby opening up Government data, new opportunities for research, innovation, transparency, engagement and greater efficiency are delivered and realised by all.

UrbanTide will work together with organisations from the Irish public sector including:

• Ministries/Government Departments and Agencies;
• Central Government;
• all local authorities in Ireland and contracting authorities in the Irish health sector;
• Garda Síochána (Police);
• The Irish Prison Service; and
• The Defence Forces.

The open data training, among others, covers the topics of anonymisation, linked data, data analytics and visualisation techniques. UrbanTide believe that this open data training series is only just the beginning.

“We are extremely proud to have earned the opportunity to support the public sector in Ireland on their ambitious data journey and hope to collaborate with them on potential future opportunities as well.” - Pippa Gardner, CEO of UrbanTide

You can find out more about the various workshops provided by UrbanTide here and you can register your interest here. 

Further details of the training including costs can be obtained by registering with the Office of Government Procurement.   

UrbanTide plans to publish regular posts on open data, data sharing and UrbanTide’s progress with the open data training series. Keep checking this space for updates.