Sustainable Business and Economy for Smart Cities

This summer school will focus on building capabilities and business strategies for Smart Cities.

In 2050 the largest cities in the world are expected to be in Africa. Luanda, the capital of Angola, is estimated to have 6 Million people today and will continue to grow. Today’s infrastructure is not designed for such large population. Economic creation is struggling already now. Food, Housing, Transport, Health & safety require a sound thought process on answering key questions. This opens up questions, such as:

• Will enough resources be developed to build the future large cities?
• How to develop capabilities and businesses to support smart cities in Angola?
• What are the key challenges today?
• Under what conditions will it be possible to build a smart city and who will be able to take the challenge?
• What are the Ethical and Legal consequences?
• What kind of transition will take place?

Students will explore these issues and local perspectives and conduct research projects in small research groups. The research results contribute to the model of building smart cities in Africa with a focus on capabilities development and the role of business, government and local communities. The students have to interview several experts in the field, have to visit the current infrastructure and acquire state-of-the-art knowledge about smart cities.

The summer school will take place in Angola and includes:

• Lectures in Luanda by international staff and relevant speakers;
• Field visit to the local government and key infrastructure.