COSS

The Centre for Open Societal Systems (COSS) drives global societal transformation by facilitating countries to develop their Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and crafting compelling change narratives for the adoption of Digital Public Goods (DPGs) to create impact at scale. Its mission is to enable equitable, inclusive societal transformation by providing trusted technical guidance and co-creating digital solutions to advance global adoption of Digital Public Goods (DPGs), with the goal to improve the lives of 1 billion people globally by 2030.

Theory of Change

Inputs

Technical expertise in DPG and DPI
Collaborations with national governments
Open-source technology platforms
Network of ecosystem partners (EkStep, IIIT-B, Mifos, Sunbird, etc.)
Funding (parent orgs, philanthropy, national support)

Activities

Country assessments and needs analysis
Program and strategy co-development with governments
Implementation and rollout of tailored DPI solutions
Capacity building and knowledge transfer
Stakeholder and ecosystem convening, communications

Outputs

Launched DPI programs in multiple countries
Digital platforms for education, governance, credentials
Training sessions and resources for local partners
Ecosystem partnerships and networks established

Outcomes

Scalable global adoption of Digital Public Goods
Inclusive access to digital services (education, ID, governance)
Improved governmental and citizen capacity for digital transformation
Pathways to impact 1 billion+ people globally

Other Information

Core Values

Equity – Commitment to empowering all societal segments
Inclusiveness – Ensuring solutions benefit all groups, especially marginalized communities
Collaboration – Multi-stakeholder, cross-sectoral engagement
Open-source and digital public goods – Shared, reusable, and adaptable technology
Capacity building – Sustainability through knowledge transfer and skill development
Evidence-driven impact – Solutions are driven by societal need and measurable impact

Scale

Active DPI programs in 4 countries (Brazil, Morocco, Papua New Guinea, South Africa)
Commitment to impacting 1 billion people globally by 2030
Direct educational access for 2.6+ million children and national teacher cohorts (Papua New Guinea)
Enabling digital credential access for millions in Brazil
Strategic education reforms at early education nationwide scale in Morocco

Affected Users

National governments implementing DPI
Teachers and students in beneficiary countries (e.g., Morocco, Papua New Guinea)
Citizens accessing digital credentials in Brazil
Policymakers and administrators in South Africa

Geographical Areas