The National Institute of Science and Technology in Digital Democracy (INCT.DD) is a Brazil-based research network dedicated to advancing research and practice in digital democracy and governance. The Centre for Deliberative Democracy is an international partner in this six-year initiative, funded from 2025 to 2030.

Coordinated by Professor Wilson Gomes and Professor Ricardo F. Mendonça, who is also an Adjunct Professor at the Centre for Deliberative Democracy, the network brings together leading scholars and institutions working on digital democracy. It includes 26 Brazilian research laboratories, 23 international research centres, 20 graduate programs, 51 Brazilian researchers, and 36 international collaborators. Professors Selen Ercan and Hans Asenbaum contribute to this international collaboration through their research on deliberative democracy, democratic innovation, and the role of digital technologies in transforming democracy. 

INCT.DD undertakes comparative research, maps digital democracy initiatives, and develops evidence to inform the design and implementation of democratic innovations. The network also provides technical and scientific expertise to governments and public institutions, supports the development and evaluation of digital participation tools, and contributes to the design and implementation of digital democracy projects. Its work further includes developing evaluation frameworks aligned with international standards and delivering training for practitioners, public officials, and researchers working in governance and public administration.

This collaboration strengthens the Centre's international research partnerships and contributes to comparative scholarship on how digital technologies are reshaping democratic participation and governance.

More information about this project can be found here: https://inctdd.org/