Digital Towns: Accelerating and Measuring the Digital Transformation of Rural Societies and Economies

The European Union's vision is no less than the digital transformation of Europe by 2030. This will be achieved through secure, performant and sustainable digital infrastructures, the digital transformation of businesses, the digitalisation of public services, and the upskilling of citizens. As such, this book is timely as it explores the digital transformation of one part of society, smaller and rural towns.

In 2020, the OECD estimates 80% of all territory worldwide is rural in which 30% of the world's population resides. These communities face significant societal and economic threats not only from increased urbanisation and climate change, but the very attribute that defines them, their rurality. Low population mass and density combined with geographic remoteness presents rural communities with significantly different challenges than their urban counterparts. Access to markets, tertiary education, and a critical mass of skilled labour, as well as high transportation costs, are just some of the factors that sustain the urban-rural divide. And while digital technologies present rural communities with the opportunity to overcome the challenges presented by remoteness, there remains a danger of being left behind.