German-based information security and data protection specialists, Increase Your Skills GmbH and Kommunales Rechenzentrum Niederrhein (KRZN for short), have formed a new partnership on future projects in the field of digital education. The partnership includes awareness courses for data protection concerning local governments. KRZN is one of the ten largest municipal IT service providers in Germany.

Data protection in local government is different from the private sector. It is therefore essential to ensure that local government employees are specially trained in data protection. When carrying out their extensive tasks, the aim must be to maintain citizens' trust by handling their personal data with care. For this reason, Increase Your Skills GmbH published a specialised data protection course for local governments six months ago, explicitly tailored to staff working within administrations. The data protection awareness course will be available to all administrations served by the Kommunales Rechenzentrum Niederrhein.

According to Andreas Ebels, one of two commissioners for data protection and information security at the KRZN, protecting personal data and legally compliant handling are indispensable in today's world. "Especially within public service and, in direct proximity to the citizens, all employees in the municipal administrations and their institutions are particularly called upon to observe data protection, which is a constitutionally protected fundamental right," said Ebels.

"The future is hardly conceivable without digitalisation. That is why we are pleased to welcome the Kommunales Rechenzentrum Niederrhein as a strong partner in our network. The KRZN will help us to be a support for the local governments in the Lower Rhine region in their digitalisation strategy," said Mick Zander, Communications Manager of Increase Your Skills GmbH.

The Kommunales Rechenzentrum Niederrhein, based in Kamp-Lintfort, supplies more than 16,000 office workstations in town halls and district administrations. Their tasks include the development, introduction, maintenance and operation of IT applications, data protection and data security measures.