Digital autonomy: who lays the foundation?
Europe wants to become less dependent on foreign technology. But digital autonomy cannot be established by policy, regulations and tenders alone. If we want to get a grip on software, data, AI, cloud, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure, we need to understand how these systems are structured, where dependencies arise and what technical alternatives are actually available.
That foundation is laid by computer science. Computer science researches, designs, secures and improves the digital systems on which our society runs. The field extends far beyond AI and includes software engineering, algorithmics, cryptography, cybersecurity, privacy, data science and new forms of computing. It is precisely this knowledge that makes digital dependencies visible, helps assess risks and provides the building blocks for reliable alternatives.
During this Nieuwspoort session, university researchers and partners from the field will discuss how computer science supports governments and organisations in strengthening the digital resilience and strategic autonomy of the Netherlands and Europe. The central question is not whether digital autonomy is important, but who lays the foundation on which that autonomy can be built. Because without investment in computer science, digital autonomy remains a political ambition, rather than a feasible reality.
Help build the foundation of digital autonomy and sign up here.
24 september 2026, 16-19h, Nieuwspoort, The Hague (Language: Dutch)
The organisers of IPN at Nieuwspoort are Peter Boncz, Geert-Jan Houben, Marieke Huisman, Slinger Jansen, Erik Jan van Leeuwen, Andy Pimentel, Matthijs Spaan and Tanja Vos.
This Nieuwspoort session is organized by IPN during the Week of Digitalization. In this week, we bring government, business and knowledge institutions together to share knowledge, work together and make the Netherlands digitally stronger. In this way, together we create the conditions for a future in which digital technology contributes to a strong economy, resilient society and sustainable progress.