The recently created Smart City Institute is part of the Management School of Liège (HEC-Ulg) is the next step after the Accenture Chair in Sustainable Development. Directed by Professor Nathalie Crutzen, it is supported by both public (the City of Liège) and private partners (Accenture and Belfius). This new academic institution wants to stimulate research, training, innovation and entrepreneurship in the field of “Smart Cities”.
It is expected that by 2020, 70% of the global population will live in an urban setting. This evolution will have an enormous impact on matters such as resources, waste management and energy; and it is now that new, sustainable solutions must be found to meet these challenges.
This observation is the origin of the creation of the Smart City Institute. This academic institute is composed of:
– Professors and academic researchers
– Public and private partners:
- The founding and strategic partner of the institute is the company Accenture
- Belfius (bank) will contribute to initiatives of the institute by sharing its financial expertise with participants in the project
- The City of Liège also supports the institute. It will keep databases and know-how in relevant fields at the disposal of the institute. The institute will also be involved in making Liège a smarter city.
The mission of the institute is « to help develop sustainable and smart cities by training the managers of tomorrow, by developing research, entrepreneurism and innovation, as well as by making the creation of sustainable value possible between the different actors of the ecosystem through networking”.
To achieve this, the Smart City Institute supports on three complementary pillars: research, education and entrepreneurism. The institute also want to inform and make people and institutions aware of the challenges and opportunities linked with « smart cities »
In conclusion: The Smart City Institute is based on an uncommon partnership between a university, a city and two private companies, collaborating on the theme of smart cities. It wants to approach this theme through a managerial (and not just technical) approach, while staying open for influences from other disciplines (by for example collaborating with other faculties).
Cédric Vatier, Managing Director of Accenture Strategy for France & the Benelux, says: “The challenges and opportunities of tomorrow’s cities are multiple. To succeed, it is necessary to act in a “cross-industry” ecosystem, grouping different actors and sectors: finance, telco, industry…in collaboration with the academic world and the public sector. This perspective motivates Accenture to start partnerships in many countries and cities in the world and, as a logical follow-up of the Accenture Chair in Sustainable Development at the HEC-Ulg, to be the founding strategic member of the Smart City Institute”.
Website of the Institute : www.smart-city-institute.be
