Future-ready public institutions: rethinking data governance through maturity assessment

This paper introduces a comprehensive maturity assessment framework for public sector data governance, aimed at supporting governments in building future-ready institutions. Grounded in institutional theory, sociotechnical systems thinking, and public value theory, the framework spans five pillars: governance and institutions, data and knowledge value creation, infrastructure and standards, trust and security, and digital preparedness and soft skills. Drawing on global models (DAMA DMBOK2, OECD, World Bank), it provides a structured, context-sensitive diagnostic tool to identify institutional strengths, gaps, and reform priorities. Certain elements of the framework were piloted in Moldova, Azerbaijan, and Kosovo using a mixed-methods approach, revealing that public sector data governance generally remains at a nascent to emerging stage, with notable progress in data protection and trust, but persistent weaknesses in foundational infrastructure and skills. The results highlight the importance of institutional ownership, regular assessments, and alignment with broader digital transformation and AI governance goals. The paper proposes an expanded model with 36 sub-components, incorporating emerging needs such as AI literacy, ontologies, and cloud computing. It positions data governance not as a technical exercise but as a strategic imperative for public value creation, accountability, and resilience in an increasingly data-driven world.