• The Tera Cluster celebrates its fifth anniversary with a day on digitalization
• Concepts such as the digital gender gap, technological isolation or cyberbullying have concentrated most of the debate
• María José Sáenz de Buruaga assures that the digital agenda of Cantabria will be ready in three months

 

Santander, May 27, 2024.

The conference ‘Digital Transformation from a humanistic vision’, organized by the Tera Cluster, has reflected on the impact of digitalization on certain aspects of society. The debate was held this Monday at the Magdalena Palace on the occasion of the association’s fifth anniversary.

“What we intend with this day is to show the social commitment of the technology companies of Cantabria, especially with the most vulnerable public,” said the president of the Tera Cluster, Pablo Gómez, who insisted that “we must all row in the same direction so that digital transformation is a vector of progress and not a generator of inequalities.” In this sense, the conference has highlighted the need to work on very present challenges such as the digital gender gap, the digital development of rural areas or the incorporation of older people into the digital world.

 

 

Cantabria is a small community with little social and economic weight in the country as a whole. However, the digital transformation of production processes and the new business opportunities associated with the ICT sector mean equaling forces with any other territory in the world. In this area, Cantabria’s technology companies have the knowledge and capabilities to lead this change, but they need support from the Administration and society. That is why representatives of the local, regional and national public administration have been invited to the event.

The president of the community, María José Sáenz de Buruaga, took advantage of the event to announce that Cantabria’s digital agenda will be ready in three months. Likewise, she has pointed out that the disadvantaged situation in which the region finds itself in terms of digitalization is “a brake on competitiveness” and has valued public-private collaboration as a way to “gain economic muscle.” In addition, she has recognized Tera’s role in promoting Cantabria’s digital agenda, “a tool that will allow us to implement new healthcare and educational models and streamline administrative procedures,” among other issues.

Likewise, as pointed out by the general director of Planning, Innovation and Management of Vocational Training of the Government of Spain, Pilar Varela Díaz, “when we talk about digitalization we talk about democracy, that we can all use equally the instruments we have at our disposal. our scope”. In this sense, the companies of the Tera Cluster have developed initiatives related to aspects such as the training of citizens in basic digital skills or the incorporation of women into the sector. Furthermore, it is critical to be able to take advantage of the technological talent that is produced in the region and try to repatriate those who left with interesting job offers and possibilities for professional career development.

For his part, the Councilor for Innovation, Commerce, Markets, Institutional Relations and Protocol of the Santander City Council, Álvaro Lavín, has emphasized that the important thing about technological advances is that they can be transferred to citizens, “that they have a sign to inform them when the bus is coming, how many parking spaces are left or to receive a message reminding them of a medical appointment.” In addition, he has reported that the City Council is working on the creation of a “Neighbor’s Office”, so that residents of peripheral neighborhoods do not have to go to the center to do their business.

 

 

Throughout four debate tables, the day has focused on technology as a development tool and not as a generator of inequalities, that is, on seeing ICT as an opportunity and not as a threat. Along these lines, the Tera Cluster has signed agreements with various entities “to promote the ICT training of citizens, from offering free online courses at all levels to collaborating with Vocational Training or staying as close as possible to the University so that Cantabrian talent stays in Cantabria”, stated the vice president of the group, Roberto García. “We are very clear that the future will be technological or it will not be, and we would like the entire region to participate in it,” García concluded.

The event, in which almost twenty professionals participated, had the collaboration of the Spanish Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE), the Caja Rural de Asturias, the Cantabria Chamber of Commerce, the Santander City Council and the Palacio de la Magdalena.

 

FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TERA CLUSTER

The Tera Cluster was born in February 2019 with the objective of bringing together all ICT companies in Cantabria interested in promoting business, seeking synergies and being able to participate in administration specifications and competitions together.

In just five years it has multiplied the number of associates tenfold to exceed 70 organizations, which has made it a reference agent for the technological development of the region.