The Global Smart Cities Summit and 3rd International Conference on Urban Informatics (GSCS & ICUI 2023) were held at PolyU on 20 August, attracting over 500 participants from 21 countries. Prof. Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government (5th from left), delivered the opening address praising PolyU for bringing together the gathered experts and advocates. The event was organised by the International Society for Urban Informatics (ISUI) and the PolyU Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI).

Prof. Jin-Guang Teng, PolyU President, highlighted the University’s strategic focus on smart cities and the establishment of SCRI within the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research - the largest research platform of its kind in the Greater Bay Area. The SCRI aims to solve challenges through interdisciplinary research that fosters sustainability.

GSCS & ICUI 2023 promotes smart city development and urban informatics as an emerging interdisciplinary field foundational to smart cities. The Conference featured keynotes from global leaders and received 300 abstract submissions. It provided a platform for technology innovation and academia-industry exchange.

SCRI Director and President of ISUI Prof. John Shi introduced new initiatives including the ISUI Smart City Index developed by his team. It evaluates smart city impact on daily lives with 98 citizen-centric indicators to help cities improve. Outstanding Achievement Awards in Urban Informatics were also announced, honouring world-renowned scholars.

Hosting the Summit and researching pressing issues through collaboration across sectors, helps position Hong Kong at the forefront of smart cities research and development. The Conference itself facilitated knowledge-sharing to advance innovative solutions for sustainable urban development.