Microsoft Teams: the Principality of Monaco enters a new collaborative dimension that's as secure as it is efficient

Meeting collaborative needs… and staying safe

The government identified the discontinuation of Skype software as the starting point for the digital transformation plan. It was therefore necessary to replace it with a new application, capable not only of ensuring the continuity of the functionalities offered by Skype, but also of meeting the new collaborative needs of agents. All this, while providing an intuitive, easy-to-use technological environment, and a maximum level of security: "As a public administration, we are subject to drastic security constraints, which we can't ignore," Jean-Charles Harlé, Head of IT points out.

Few solutions on the market ticked all these boxes, but one has won over the Interministerial Delegation for Digital Transition: Microsoft Teams. "Microsoft Teams gives us real reliability when it comes to securing access and data, and the guarantee of being able to host our files in France," Julien Dejanovic, Head of Digital Services notes. What's more, the solution is easy to use, and the Microsoft teams are "able to adapt to our changing needs". The Microsoft 365 E5 communication and collaboration application that was deployed integrates all the advanced security, compliance and scalable analytics functionalities.

Cooperation and change management: the ingredients for efficient deployment

While the tool was promising, its deployment was no less complex. "A long preparation phase was necessary to understand the technical environment and ensure that the technology supplied by Microsoft met our requirements in every respect," Harlé emphasizes. For several weeks, the government and Microsoft teams worked hand in hand, with the help of specific resources - such as the FastTrack program - to frame the project, from encryption systems to data sovereignty, compliance with contractual clauses...

At the same time, the IT Department was implementing a change management system to help public sector employees make the most of this new tool. "Not all our employees are familiar with these digital environments, which is why we wanted to support their skills development", Harlé explains, "through training and support sessions that are accessible to all civil servants and provided by the Public Service Human Resources and Training Department".

Digital technology for education

The Principality is committed to implementing its modern and responsible vision of digitally enhanced education. Therefore, the Principality's 350 teachers are among the beneficiaries. From the provision of course materials to the creation of MCQs, the editing of class lists and the preparation of competitive examinations, Teams offers a vast range of possibilities, and has already won over 75% of the teaching staff. What's more, the application is proving to be particularly well-suited to The Rock's educational context: "It's not unusual for students to join our schools in the middle of the year. Thanks to Teams, they have access to all course materials, making it easier for them to catch up," explains Georges Gambarini, Head of the e-education program at the Government of Monaco. All of which is conducive to the development of differentiated instruction, an indispensable approach to teaching classes of varying levels, and one that is widely practiced in Monaco.

Various features such as reading and pronunciation assistants, or document subtitling functionalities also support international students who may not have mastered the French language on arrival. "Learning French and communicating between teachers and non-French-speaking students is now much more efficient" details Gambarini.

Education, a key sector for the Principality, finds in digital technology and Microsoft technologies a new path to affirm its excellence, and thus preserve its status and attractiveness to talents

Becoming a highly connected administration

At the same time, 2,500 Microsoft Teams licenses have been deployed for civil servants and government representatives, including 700 licenses for mobile public sector workers: "The fact that this solution is available and offers the same capabilities on mobile equipment is transforming the way our employees work," says Julien Dejanovic, "because they can now share resources and schedules, edit documents together or take part in a meeting remotely, all while being mobile”. 

Over and above the uses that are specific to mobility, the solution has been widely approved by the 3,500 civil servants and agents: in six months, more than two million messages have been sent out and 22,000 meetings organized. "We're seeing an 80% adoption rate. Teams is much more widely used than Skype, its predecessor" enthuses the project team. Not to mention the fact that the application has created a new technological dynamic, encouraging the government to fully explore the possibilities offered by the Microsoft 365 galaxy.