Major Cities of Europe IT Users Group

Last updated

The Major Cities of Europe IT Users Group is an independent association of chief information officers, IT managers and department heads of cities. The group was founded in 1982 as a result of an initiative by the Greater London Council. Since then it has focused on innovation in cities, driven by information and communications technology. [1]

Contents

Major Cities of Europe
Formation1982
TypeNetwork of cities
Location
Region served
Europe
Membership
40 member cities
Official language
English
President
Giorgio Prister
Key people
CIO and IT Managers
Website www.majorcities.eu

City innovation and ICT

The mission of the group is to promote a voluntary exchange of ideas, strategies, visions and experiences between members to encourage innovation and improve the performance of local governments by using leading edge information and communication technology (ICT). [2]

Members

Members cover 17 countries and about 40 cities from Scandinavia, Western Eastern and Southern parts of Europe together with some non-European cities, such as Tel Aviv and Boston and other organisations and academia. [3]

CountryMembers
Flag of Austria.svg Austria Vienna
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg Bosnia and Herzegovina Banja Luka
Flag of Croatia.svg Croatia Opatija, Pula, Rijeka, Zagreb
Flag of France.svg France Grand Lyon, Issy-les-Moulineaux
Flag of Germany.svg Germany Berlin, Bremerhaven, Hamburg, Leipzig, Saarbrücken, VITAKO
Flag of Greece.svg Greece Trikala
Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland Cork City Council, County Cork, Dublin, Fingal County, LGMA
Flag of Israel.svg Israel Holon, Rishon LeZion, Tel Aviv
Flag of Italy.svg Italy BAICR, Empoli, Firenze, Genova, Livorno, Modena, PIN Scrl (Prato), Prato, Rome, Trieste, Venice
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands Eindhoven, Zoetermeer
Flag of Romania.svg Romania Bucharest
Flag of Slovenia.svg Celje, Slovenia Koper, Ljubljana
Flag of Spain.svg Spain Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona
Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden Uppsala
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland Geneva, Zürich
Flag of the United States.svg United States Boston, Center for Technology in Government (Albany)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom Aberdeen

Sponsors

Global and national companies specialising in ICT technologies and solutions and developing innovation in cities support the initiatives of the association by sharing their experiences of deploying projects in each country and across the world. [4]

Collaboration with other organisations and academia

Partnerships are established with The Public Technology Institute from US and with VITAKO, the German association of ICT providers of local governments. [5] [6] Some universities are partnering with Major Cities of Europe thereby bringing the results of their research activities, for example Autonomous University of Barcelona and CTG – the Center for Technology in Government (Albany University – USA).

Main activities

Annual conference

The annual conference provides the occasion for distinguished speakers from across Europe to present the latest ICT innovations in their cities and to share successes and challenges. In addition, informal exchanges, networking and discussions take place during the conference. In 2010 the conference was hosted by the city of Berlin, [7] [8] in 2011 by the city of Prato. [9] The programs and handouts were published. [10]

Major Cities Conference 2012 in Vienna Major Cities of Europe conference 2012 in Vienna.jpg
Major Cities Conference 2012 in Vienna

2012 conference in Vienna

The 2012 conference in Vienna was attended by about 300 participants from all over Europe, US and Korea. [11] [12] Key topics of the 2012 conference

The programs, handouts and videos were published. [13]

Major Cities Conference 2013 in Ljubljana Ljubljana-skyline.jpg
Major Cities Conference 2013 in Ljubljana

2013 conference in Ljubljana

"ICT – fostering cities' prosperity" was the overarching theme of the conference, it was attended by about 180 participants. [14] The need for radical transformation of cities is a key factor in responding to these challenges faced by the public sector. How can ICT help cities maintain their lead in providing services and in engaging with their citizens? How can the CIO evolve a management approach to be a leader in driving the city forward? Actual implementation experiences and key ideas will be presented during the conference to answer these questions. Key topics of the 2013 conference:

The programs and handouts were published. [15]

Major Cities Conference 2014 in Zurich Zuerich vier Kirchen.jpg
Major Cities Conference 2014 in Zürich

2014 conference in Zurich

The 2014 conference in Zürich was attended by about 250 participants from 22 countries and 84 cities, the motto was: "Cities managing complexity in the digital world – prepared for the upcoming challenges?". [16] Key topics of the 2014 conference:

The programs and handouts were published. [17]

Major Cities Conference 2015 in Hamburg Hamburg-Rathaus-Rathausmarkt.jpg
Major Cities Conference 2015 in Hamburg

2015 conference in Hamburg

The 2015 conference in Hamburg was attended by 204 participants. The motto 2015 was: "Living, learning, leading in the connected city". [18] Key topics of the 2015 conference:

The program and handouts were published. [19] [20]

Major Cities Conference 2016 in Florence Ponte Vecchio.jpg
Major Cities Conference 2016 in Florence

2016 conference in Florence

In 2016 the conference in the city of Florence was attended by about 400 delegates from all over Europe, the motto 2016 was: "City Renaissance in the Digital Age". [21] [22] Key topics of the 2016 conference:

The program and handouts were published. [23] [24]

Major Cities Conference 2017 will take place in Zagreb Teatro Nacional, Zagreb, Croacia, 2014-04-13, DD 02.JPG
Major Cities Conference 2017 will take place in Zagreb

2017 conference in Zagreb

In 2017 the conference will be hosted by the city of Zagreb from 12 to 14 June. The motto 2017 is: "The Digital Future – Cities Facing the Reality". [25] Key topics of the 2017 conference will be:

Workshops

Member cities run workshops, usually lasting one day, to share and discuss experiences focusing on a specific topic of interest. The results of the workshops are published on the association's website. [26]

Topics for workshops included:

Participation in EU programs

The association makes it possible to take advantage of the experience of its members and of the value of the network of innovative cities to participate successfully in selected EU programs, such as FUPOL. [27] [28] Vitako and Major Cities of Europe organised the European Local Government Conference on ICT and the Local Government transformation in Europe in which the Smart Cities Project was presented. [29]

Newsletter

The newsletter gives access to news about the association, about events and new emerging topics and technologies to support innovation. [30]

Related Research Articles

E-government is the use of technological communications devices, such as computers and the Internet, to provide public services to citizens and other persons in a country or region. E-government offers new opportunities for more direct and convenient citizen access to government and for government provision of services directly to citizens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Services Administration</span> US government agency, formed 1949

The General Services Administration (GSA) is an independent agency of the United States government established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. GSA supplies products and communications for U.S. government offices, provides transportation and office space to federal employees, and develops government-wide cost-minimizing policies and other management tasks.

Technology governance means the governance, i.e., the steering between the different sectors—state, business, and NGOs—of the development of technology. It is the idea of governance within technology and its use, as well as the practices behind them. The concept is based on the notion of innovation and of techno-economic paradigm shifts according to the theories by scholars such as Joseph A. Schumpeter, Christopher Freeman, and Carlota Perez.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology</span>

The Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology is a Directorate-General of the European Commission and is responsible for European Union investment in research, innovation and development of critical digital technologies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA)</span>

The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA) was established in 1983 under the Lomé Convention between the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States and EU member states. Since 2000 CTA has operated within the framework of the ACP-EU Cotonou Agreement with a mission to “strengthen policy and institutional capacity development and information and communication management capacities of ACP agricultural and rural development organisations. It assists such organisations in formulating and implementing policies and programmes to reduce poverty, promote sustainable food security, preserve the natural resource base and thus contribute to building self-reliance in ACP rural and agricultural development.”. The centre is closed in 2020, after the end of the Cotonou Agreement and the subsequent end of its financing.

Electronic participation (e-participation) refers to the use of ICT in facilitating citizen participation in government-related processes, encompassing areas such as administration, service delivery, decision-making, and policy-making. As such, e-participation shares close ties with e-government and e-governance participation. The term's emergence aligns with the digitization of citizen interests and interactions with political service providers, primarily due to the proliferation of e-government.

The digital economy is a portmanteau of digital computing and economy, and is an umbrella term that describes how traditional brick-and-mortar economic activities are being transformed by the Internet and World Wide Web technologies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smart city</span> City using integrated information and communication technology

A smart city is a technologically modern urban area that uses different types of electronic methods and sensors to collect specific data. Information gained from that data is used to manage assets, resources and services efficiently; in return, that data is used to improve operations across the city. This includes data collected from citizens, devices, buildings and assets that is processed and analyzed to monitor and manage traffic and transportation systems, power plants, utilities, urban forestry, water supply networks, waste, criminal investigations, information systems, schools, libraries, hospitals, and other community services. Smart cities are defined as smart both in the ways in which their governments harness technology as well as in how they monitor, analyze, plan, and govern the city. In smart cities, the sharing of data is not limited to the city itself but also includes businesses, citizens and other third parties that can benefit from various uses of that data. Sharing data from different systems and sectors creates opportunities for increased understanding and economic benefits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sasha Bezuhanova</span> Bulgarian activist

Sasha Bezuhanova is a Bulgarian public figure – business leader, investor and philanthropist with 20-years executive business career in HP and a multi-dimensional track record of service to society.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) once largely known for its oil exports today has a diverse and highly developed economy. According to the UAE Economic Report 2009 released by the UAE Ministry of Economy in May 2010 the non-oil sector contributed 71.6 per cent to the UAE’s GDP, compared to 66.5 per cent in 2008, underscoring the success of the nation's economic diversification initiatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Resources Forum</span> Non-profit organisation

The World Resources Forum (WRF) is a non-profit organisation for sharing knowledge about the economic, political, social and environmental implications of global resource use. WRF promotes resource productivity among researchers, policymakers, business, NGOs and the public. In addition to organizing international and regional conferences, the WRF Secretariat coordinates multistakeholder dialogue projects, amongst others the Sustainable Recycling Initiative (SRI) as well as the H2020 projects Towards a World Forum on Raw Materials (FORAM), and CEWASTE. The WRF contributes to other EC-projects and projects with the German development organisation GiZ, UNEP and UNIDO.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atef Helmy</span> Egyptian minister (born 1950)

Atef Helmy Nagib is an Egyptian communication and technology expert and the former minister of communications and information technology.

Information and communication technology (ICT) in Kosovo has experienced a remarkable development since 1999. From being almost non-existent 10 years ago, Kosovar companies in the information technology (IT) domain offer today wide range of ICT services to their customers both local as well as to foreign companies. Kosovo has the youngest population in Europe, with advanced knowledge in ICT.

The Malta Information Technology Agency is a Maltese government agency under the Office of the Prime Minister. MITA manages the implementation of IT programmes in Government to enhance public service delivery and provides the infrastructure needed to execute ICT services to Government. MITA is also responsible to propagate further use of ICT in society and economy and to promote and deliver programmes to enhance ICT education and the use of ICT as a learning tool.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joanna Truffaut</span> French advisor, entrepreneur

Joanna Truffaut is a French Digital transformation advisor and entrepreneur. Truffaut has played an influential role in leading awareness creation and developing free Wi-Fi networks in urban areas in the US and France, and has launched Internet start-ups in the Middle East. She now specializes in advising public institutions, cities and media firms on the opportunities and threats of digital experience and technology in their overall business strategy. Truffaut is an alumna of Institut Mines-Télécom and of Virginia Tech.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Observatory on Digital Communication</span> UNESCO project based in Milan, Italy

The Observatory on Digital Communication (OCCAM) was established in 1996 by UNESCO in Milan, with the Agreements signed by the Director General, Federico Mayor and Marco Formentini in June 1996. The acronym stands for Observatory for Cultural Communication and Audiovisual in the Mediterranean.

Digital agriculture, sometimes known as smart farming or e-agriculture, is tools that digitally collect, store, analyze, and share electronic data and/or information in agriculture. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has described the digitalization process of agriculture as the digital agricultural revolution. Other definitions, such as those from the United Nations Project Breakthrough, Cornell University, and Purdue University, also emphasize the role of digital technology in the optimization of food systems.

The European Association for Biometrics (EAB) is a non-profit organization in the field of biometrics with its headquarters in Bussum (Netherlands). The Association promotes the development of biometrics and its use in Europe, in general in accordance with the law, with the principles of ethics, stimulating the development of technology, increasing security and business.

The African Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF) is a multistakeholder forum that facilitates dialogue on Internet governance issues. It is one of the 19 regional IGF initiatives and aims to address and discuss the issues of all 54 nations in Africa.

References

  1. "About us". majorcities.eu. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  2. "Mission of the Major Cities of Europe Membership". majorcities.eu. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  3. "Members". majorcities.eu. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  4. "Statements of Sponsors". majorcities.eu. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  5. "Public Technology Institute: Nonprofit Partners". pti.org. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  6. "Vitako – Kooperationen". vitako.de. Archived from the original on 13 February 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  7. "Intelligent Community Formum (ICF)". intelligentcommunity.org. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  8. "PEP-NET <<Blog Archive>> ICT and local Government Transformation in Europe". pep-net.eu. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  9. "Major Cities of Europe Conference: Prato 23 – 25 of May – Municipality of Prato". commune.prato.it. Archived from the original on 31 March 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  10. "Conferences". majorcities.eu. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  11. "07/06/2012 SPOCS presented at MAJOR CITIES OF EUROPE CONFERENCE 2012 (June 4th to June 6th 2012, Vienna)". eu-spocs.eu. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  12. "Europe's Newsroom – ICT – Driving the City of tomorrow?". ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  13. "Conference 2012 Presentations". majorcities.eu. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  14. "Conference in Ljubljana". majorcities.eu. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  15. "Conference 2013 Presentations". majorcities.eu. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  16. "Conference in Zurich". majorcities.eu. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  17. "Conference 2014 Presentations". majorcities.eu. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  18. "Conference in Hamburg 2015". majorcities.eu. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  19. "2015 Conference Program" (PDF). majorcities.eu. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  20. "Conference 2015 Presentations". majorcities.eu. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  21. "Conference in Florence 2016". majorcities.eu. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  22. "Major Cities of Europe Conference (May 2016), Florence Italy – Conference". 10times.com. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  23. "2016 Conference Program" (PDF). majorcities.eu. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  24. "Conference 2016 Presentations". majorcities.eu. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  25. "Conference in Florence 2017". majorcities.eu. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  26. "Workshops". majorcities.eu. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  27. "Fupol". majorcities.eu. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  28. "Research Project Announced | Easy Connects". easyconnects.org. Archived from the original on 5 August 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  29. "Smart Cities on European Local Government Conference | Smart Cities". smartcities.info. Archived from the original on 2 August 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  30. "Newsletter". majorcities.eu. Retrieved 26 October 2013.