Turin has been awarded a prestigious international recognition, being proclaimed the "European Capital of Smart Tourism" for 2025, while the title of Green Pioneer, designed to recognize and award smaller destinations, has been assigned to Benidorm (Spain). But what exactly does Smart Tourism mean and why is it important for cities? Smart tourism is an innovative approach to the tourism sector that relies on the use of digital technologies and sustainability. The goal is to create a more personalized, efficient, and environmentally friendly tourist experience, involving both visitors and...

The SMACITE Project National Workshop, hosted by Bulgarian Association of Software Companies and ESI Center Eastern Europe, took place in Pamporovo, Bulgaria, on November 15-17, 2024, during the BASSCOM Autumn Retreat. The event brought together over 65 key stakeholders from the Bulgarian IT ecosystem, including industry leaders, academics, and public sector representatives. The workshop focused on sharing SMACITE Project achievements, discussing lessons learned, and gathering valuable feedback from the target groups of the project: IT professionals, students, and public sector...

We had the opportunity to present SMACITE on the 6th International Conference of Development and Economy (ICODECON) in Kalamata, Greece, held from October 11-13, 2024. It was an honor to share our insights and engage in meaningful discussions with experts, academics, and policy-makers on boosting the technical and non-technical skills and competences of smart cities technicians and engineers Thank you ICODECON for providing this fantastic opportunity to showcase how SMACITE aims to address the skills gap of Smart Cities technicians and engineers, by designing and testing a vocational...

Discover how the success of smart cities in Europe is closely tied to the availability of professionals. This study highlights the crucial role of technical expertise in ensuring the sustainability of urban innovations, examining skill and knowledge needed for smart city projects. Our work has also determined which existing ESCO occupations are similar to the two reference profiles, so they are better adapted to Smart Cities projects. The training activities of SMACITE have also suggested the amount of training expected for a varied sample of candidates who want to be qualified for Smart...

We are finally back from a well deserved summer vacation and it is a good moment to analyze the evolution of the SMACITE project in the last months. As you may know the SMACITE project is a 3-year project (01/06/2022 – 31/05/2025) coordinated by the University of Patras (Greece) and co-funded by the European Union promoting the development, curriculum and competencies of smart cities in the participating countries. During the last summer many students participating in the initiative had the time to learn and develop projects in the different courses that are part of the SMACITE...

Thank you for your interest and registration in the session “Fostering Rural Regeneration through Local Talent: A Skill Set for the Smart Communities’ Workforce”! We are elated to announce that the session, which will take place during the European Week of Regions and Cities, is now fully booked! We are truly inspired by your enthusiasm and participation in discussing the future of rural regeneration. The session will take place on 8 October 2024, from 09:30 to 10:30 CEST, at the Albert Borschette Congress Center in Brussels. It will dive into how local talent and skill development can...

Join us at the European Week of Regions and Cities 2024 for an insightful panel discussion: Fostering Rural Regeneration through Local Talent: A Skill Set for the Smart Communities’ Workforce 🗓 8 October 2024⏰ 09:30 - 10:30 CEST📍 Albert Borschette Congress Center, AB-3A (Brussels) The session will share the results of EU-funded projects and public-private partnerships aiming at fostering rural regeneration by enhancing the skills of the local workforce. SMACITE will present his training courses and MOOC! Register here:...

Although the term Smart Cities has become more popular for the general public, the European Commission uses the terms smart cities and smart communities rather interchangeably, aimed at the well-being of their inhabitants, businesses, visitors, organisations and administrators (https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/smart-cities-and-communities). Sometimes the term Smart Cities often refer to urban areas while smart communities consider rather rural and non-urban areas with the same purpose of ICT for quality of life. The perspectives of the smart cities IoT market in Europe...

In an increasingly competitive and evolving global tourism sector, the integration of smart cities and technology is reshaping how destinations attract and engage tourists. By leveraging the following strategic axes, Smart Destinations can enhance the tourist experience and community management simultaneously: Governance Innovation Technology Universal Accessibility Sustainability The Basque Country exemplifies this shift, where six locations have been recognized this year as six Smart Tourism Destinations: Bidasoa, Bilbao, Busturialdea-Urdaibai, Debagoiena, Getxo and Valles...