Multidisciplinary e-Government Research and Education as a Catalyst for Effective Information Technology Transfer

The Digital Government Project at the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez is an attempt to leverage research in information technologies and computer science to identify and help overcome some of the most pervasive barriers to the adoption of IT by small and regional governments. We present a survey study that measures the level of penetration of IT in general and internet technology in particular by the citizens of the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. We then proceed to present our experience in helping this small city adopt IT to enhance its systems and processes with the end goal of improving the internal work environment as well as the quality of services to the citizens. We hope that this experience will both help and stimulate similar ongoing and future efforts by universities to improve the quality of government and thus life in their surrounding communities.