SHAPING SMART CITIES AND REGIONS 2nd Annual Conference of the All Ireland Smart Cities Forum

Wednesday, September 26, 2018 - 09:00
Croke Park Stadium, Dublin

The All Ireland Smart Cities Forum (AISCF) was officially launched on 9th December 2016.  Representing the seven cities on the island of Ireland[1], this cross-border community of practice is focused on the advancement of cities in both Ireland and Northern Ireland through the deployment of, and value creation from, technology enabled urban services.
 
On Wednesday, the 26th September 2018, the AISCF will hold its Second Annual conference on the theme of “Shaping Smart Cities and Regions: Real World Opportunities and Challenges”.  This one-day conference takes place in Croke Park Stadium, Dublin City. 
 
All over the world, rapid urbanisation is putting enormous stress on resources and infrastructure which cannot be solved in a traditional way.  The Smart Cities Agenda recognises that our cities and regions grapple with many of the same issues - traffic congestion, air quality, inadequate energy, poor management of the environment, climate change, and data privacy, etc. – there are significant opportunities to share learning. The transition to smart places requires government, citizens, the business community and wider civil society working in synergy so that the effective interplay between policy and innovation meets the needs of our citizens.
 
If we reflect on the past decade, the way we live, conduct business, and interact and engage with each other has changed dramatically.  Yet, we are only at the beginning of a digital change that will transform our societies.  Local government has a key role to play in harnessing the smart city opportunity, making cities more liveable and creative, improving services, competitiveness and standards, embracing technology and innovation, maximising the potential of the mountains of data generated, and facilitating a convergence of digital infrastructure with physical development.
 
This one-day conference is intended to be a space in which experiences can be shared, challenges and opportunities highlighted, innovation explored, and networks generated. 
 
Cost of attendance is €85. 

 Draft Agenda

08.45 – 09.30     Registration & Refreshments
  Conference Chair: Will Goodbody, Science & Technology Correspondent, RTE
09.30 – 09.45     Welcoming Remarks
Mr. Will Goodbody, Conference Chair
Prof. Brian Donnellan, AISCF Chair
09.45 – 10.20     Keynote Address: Shaping Smart Cities and Regions – Responding to the Opportunities of Place, People and Technology
Ms. Kristin Bergersen, Head of Communication, Nordic Innovation
 10.20 – 11.45     Session 1: Opportunities for Cities and Regions

  • Engaging the Citizen & The Collaborative City: Ms Claire Davis, Smart Cities and Communities Coordinator, Cork City Council
  • Harnessing European Opportunities – Becoming a ‘Lighthouse’ for Smart Cities: Dr. Mihai Bilauca, Limerick City and County Council
  • Building Smart Districts – A Collaboration Model Approach : Mr. Michael Guerin, Programme Manager, Smart Docklands, Dublin City Council/Connect
  • Belfast Region City Deal - Investing in a Digital Innovation Economy: Ms. Deborah Colville, Smart Cities – Portfolio Manager, Belfast City Council 
11.45 – 12.15     Refreshments and Networking
12.15 – 13.15 Session 2: Transitioning to Smart Places – Creating an Enabling Ecosystem
This session will consider the role of research, funding and policy in shaping smart cities and regions; with speakers discussing the role of ‘smart’ in national policy and funding streams, the value added to be gained from collaborations between industry-academia, industry-government, and government-academia.
13.15-14.15         Lunch & Networking
14.15-15.30 Session 3: The Changing Role of Open Data

  • Rethinking Smart Places - The Power of Data: Mr. Frans Anton Vermast, Senior Strategy Advisor, Amsterdam Smart City
  • Data and the City - Building City Dashboards: Prof. Rob Kitchin, Maynooth University / Building City Dashboards Project
  • Open Data and Interconnecting Infrastructures: Speaker TBD
15.30-16.30         Session 4: SBIR/SBRI: Using Innovation and Collaboration to Address Public Sector Challenges
Chair: Mr. Alan Murphy, Regional Manager, Smart Dublin
Innovative Solutions to Public Sector Challenges
Ms. Marguerite Bourke, Manager, Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Ireland, Enterprise Ireland
 
Collaborating through SBIRs/SBRIs: The Economic Impacts for Cities and Companies

  • Rates Collection Project: Mr. Conor Dumigan, Head of Smart Cities, Analytics Engine
  • Gully Monitoring: Mr. Niall Doonan, Managing Director, Carra Group
  • Resilience in Older Populations: Mr. Patrick Mulvihill, Director, Independent Living Ireland
  • Tackling Illegal Dumping: Ms. Susan Talbot, Founder & COO, Skytango
16.30-16.45         Closing Observations on Shaping Smart Cities and Regions – Real World Opportunities and Challenges
Mr. Will Goodbody

 

[1] Membership of the All Ireland Smart Cities Forum is as follows: the four Dublin Local Authorities, Cork City Council and Cork Smart Gateway, Waterford City and County Council, Limerick City and County Council, Galway City Council, Derry City and Strabane District Council and Belfast City Council.

For any further information on this conference, email Caroline Creamer, Facilitator of the All Ireland Smart Cities Forum at: caroline.creamer@mu.ie

 

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