Data are a strategic asset for governments, forming the foundation for evidence-based policymaking, high- quality public services, and transparent, accountable governance. When made openly available, data empower the public, strengthen public trust, and fuel innovation, including as an input for AI systems. The Open, Useful and Re-usable data (OURdata) Index assesses how effectively governments develop and implement open data strategies, engage stakeholders in data sharing and re-use, and ensure that key datasets are publicly available (OECD, 2023). Data used in the OURdata Index also contributes to the open-by-default and data-driven public sector dimensions of the Digital Government Index.
The OURdata Index for SEA shows varying levels of open data maturity across the eight participating countries. The regional average score was 0.22, on a scale of 0 to 1, which is somewhat below the OECD average of 0.48 (Figure 5.10). The SEA countries with the highest scores for open data are Indonesia and Thailand, both with scores of 0.43, followed by Singapore at 0.34. Korea is the best-performing country globally on the OURdata Index, with a score of 0.91. The OURdata Index evaluates performance across three pillars:
Data availability measures the extent to which governments have established robust open data frameworks and publish high-value datasets. Among SEA countries, this pillar records the highest average score at 0.28, compared to an average of 0.48 in OECD Member countries (Figure 5.11). Thailand leads the region with a score of 0.64, significantly above the OECD average, followed by Indonesia (0.43), Singapore (0.40), and the Philippines (0.24). These countries have adopted clear strategies, supported by sound governance mechanisms and requirements for data publication that support the availability of these data for public access and re-use.
Data accessibility refers to the ease with which users can find, access and understand open data. The SEA regional average for this pillar is 0.25, compared to an average of 0.59 for OECD countries (Figure 5.12). Indonesia (0.46) performs the highest, followed by Singapore and the Philippines, both with a score of 0.41. These results reflect early progress on data accessibility in the SEA region, although room for improvement remains in terms of more user-friendly platforms, improved metadata, and accessible open formats.
Government support for data re-use assesses actions taken to promote the use of open data, including awareness-raising, public-private partnerships, data literacy initiatives and mechanisms for impact evaluation. The average score for this pillar in the SEA region, at 0.13, is lower than the OECD average of 0.36 (Online Figure D.2.2). Indonesia (0.39) and Thailand (0.34) are the regional leaders on support for data re-use. This is the pillar with the lowest average in the SEA region. These results highlight the importance of initiatives to encourage meaningful use and innovation based on public data.
These findings underscore the opportunity for governments in SEA to strengthen their open data ecosystems, treating data as a strategic resource that can drive innovation, foster transparency and support development. To achieve this, governments can continue to invest in governance frameworks, promote data literacy and foster cross-sector collaboration, while also safeguarding privacy and ensuring data security.
