Smart sustainable Cities do not occur automatically; rather, they require the efforts of various stakeholders while always taking into account the most important aspect: the needs of the residents themselves. The "Urban Digitainability Lab" project brings together responsibles from politics and administration, as well as urban representatives, with the scientific community to explore which solutions can successfully be implemented in cities. This not only promotes technological innovation but takes sustainability in the cities of tomorrow one step forward.
In the form of a Community of Practice, a network will initially be established, bringing together digitalization and sustainability experts from urban administration, as well as professionals from the fields of mobility, housing, and health.
Furthermore, a training program with a modular structure will be developed in collaboration with the community, offering opportunities to acquire transformation knowledge and competencies for shaping a sustainable-digital public service.
Continuous scientific support ensures the acquisition of existing knowledge, the analysis of ongoing challenges, and the extraction of insights from best practice examples.
A new Urban Digitainability Lab at the TUM Think Tank in Munich guarantees ongoing exchange between science and practice. This includes task forces on the thematic priorities of mobility, housing, and health, as well as various formats designed to facilitate the transfer between the university and cities.
Project coordinators Prof. Dr. Stefan Wurster and Dr. Markus Siewert (Managing Director of the TUM Think Tank) anticipate long-term visible effects from the project. "It is important for us to create a space where decision-makers from all areas involved in the digital-sustainable transformation of cities come together to discuss, learn, and experiment together. Only in this way can cities sustainably keep pace with digital transformation," says Stefan Wurster, Professor of Policy Analysis at the Hochschule für Politik München and TUM.
Stiftung Mercator supports the implementation of the project at the TUM Think Tank in its "Digitalized Society" domain with a funding amount of 1.3 million euros over three years. Carla Hustedt, Head of the Digitalized Society Department, emphasizes: "For the success of the Digital Transformation, it is necessary that the needs of citizens are the focus. In this context, we support actors advocating for more transparency and participation in the actions of government entities. The present project fits into this framework by attempting to align digital public services in urban areas more strongly with sustainability goals and the needs of citizens."
Stiftung Mercator is a private, independent, and non-profit foundation. Since 1996, it has been advocating for a solidaric and participative society by supporting and developing projects that improve opportunities for participation and cohesion in an increasingly diverse community. The Mercator Foundation is committed to an open, democratic Europe, a digital transformation of the state and society based on fundamental rights, and socially just climate protection.