Mönchengladbach's digital pioneers: Prizes for innovative solutions!

Mönchengladbach's digital pioneers: Prizes for innovative solutions!

On June 16, 2025, Mönchengladbach can look forward to a special award: the city was awarded the renowned “Proven on Site” seal at the German Municipal Congress. presse-service.de reports that this honor recognizes tried-and-tested solutions that can serve as a model for other municipalities.

The focus of the award ceremony was on two remarkable projects: the OZG Bootcamp and the digital pass A38. The former is an innovative workshop format that is dedicated to the user-centered implementation of administrative services and has already attracted attention in cities like Mainz. The digital pass A38, a humorously designed online service, makes it easier for citizens to get to the authorities. service.moenchengladbach.de highlights that over a hundred citizens have successfully used this service and the process is completely online and free of charge.

Back to the future with Asterix and Obelix

The A38 pass not only has a practical use, but also a certain entertainment value. Inspired by the legendary comic about Asterix and Obelix, in which the two heroes in the film “Asterix Conquers Rome” have to get this pass as the eighth task, it also brings a smile to the faces of the citizens. While in the film getting the pass at counter 1 leads to chaos, in Mönchengladbach the application is completely digital and hassle-free. To use the pass online, all you need is a BundID with a valid email address.

The pass is also delivered cost-effectively and without media disruption by email. In the event of a forgotten PIN for the online ID, users must make an appointment for passport and ID matters. This shows how the digitalization strategies of municipalities, supported by modern technologies, can make the administrative process more efficient. bundesdruckerei.de reports that such measures not only automate routine tasks, but also promote the handling of more complex queries.

A step into the digital future

Mayor Felix Heinrichs emphasizes the importance of integrating ideas from urban society and underlines the motto “One for all” (EfA), which promotes the reuse of successful concepts by other municipalities. In 2024, Mönchengladbach was awarded the DIGITAL Award Seal of Excellence for the OZG Bootcamp, which honors the city's efforts to create a modern and user-friendly administration. In March 2025, the city, together with Wiesbaden, won first place in the Co-Pioneer Prize in the “Social Cohesion” category for the Stadtlabor2Go project.

The continuous development of digital citizen portals and the effort to increase IT security in administration are important aspects in the ongoing digitalization of municipalities. The need for clear strategies and inter-municipal cooperation is undeniable in order to meet the challenges of modern administration.