Sub-project 7: ICT & Smart Cities

Improving capacity to innovate ICT solutions and support technology transfer for smart sustainable ans inclusive cities( transversal institutional strengthening project)

Summary

This transversal subproject aims to strengthen research and strategic capacity in Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Cities (SSIC), with the ambition of establishing Ardhi University (ARU) as a centre of excellence in SSIC within a development context. Anchored in Sustainable Development Goal 11, the subproject develops a locally grounded, gender-inclusive vision and strategy for SSIC in Tanzania, with particular focus on Dar es Salaam. Its research examines the fundamental building blocks of SSIC that encompasses data sources,

technology, access, skills and competences, while developing institutional and governance expertise in data science, data analytics and data infrastructure.

The subproject provides transversal support to all IUC subprojects through the innovation of smart city solution prototypes and through a blended learning platform offering courses in data analytics and open data strategy. Working through the quadruple helix of government, industry, research and citizens, it co-creates smart city solutions and builds capacity for participatory policy-making, thereby ensuring that smart urban technology reduces, rather than widens, urban inequality.

Pilot sites are Dar es Salaam (primary focus), in close collaboration with the city as an open innovation environment for developing, testing and validating ICT-based SSIC solutions; pilot use cases linked to the other IUC subprojects and the ACS

One PhDstudent and one Masterstudent are supported by this subproject.

Team

Local Team Leader:

Godfrey Luwemba, Godfrey.luwembag@aru.ac.tz

Local co-team leader:

Eunice Likotiko, Eunice.likotiko@aru.ac.tz

Flemish team leader:

Joep Crompvoets, joep.crompvoets@kuleuven.be

Flemish co-team leader:

Dieter Roefs, dieter.roefs@ugent.be

Team members:

Dirk Van Merode

Zulfa Sammadile

Steven Palmaers

Gabriel Moshi

Tom Peeters

Stakeholders

Quadruple helix partners: government (Dar es Salaam city authorities and national agencies)
Industry (ICT and technology sector)
Research (Ardhi University, Flemish universities (UAntwerp, UGhent, UHasselt, KU Leuven, AP University of Applied Sciences and Arts and IUC partner
institutions)
Citizens/community organizations
Staff and stakeholders of the other IUC subprojects

Planned Events

Co-creation workshops with quadruple helix stakeholders and the other IUC subprojects;
Prototyping sessions for smart city solutions in collaboration with the other IUC subprojects;
Participatory policy-making exercises, conducted within the framework of the subproject’s PhD and MSc. research.

Stakeholders meeting in Dar es Salaam related to Master and PhD projects

Pilot study in our case study areas about traffic user safety among motorcyclists, school children and people with disabilities.

Mutual Visit between Stakeholders from Belgium and Ardhi University

Selection and recruitment of second PhD candidate

New curriculum development

Collaborative research proposal writing

Dissemination of research results in scientific publications and for societal outreach