VISION

The smart city concept provides a framework for a vision of modern urban development. Of particular importance to this is the information and communication technology (ICT) as the initiator of economic competitiveness, environmental sustainability, and living in general. With the ICT’s help, smart cities accelerate economic growth, improve the way of life of citizens, open opportunities for the urban development, implement environmental sustainability initiatives, improve decision-making processes, and ensure access to advanced financial services, etc.

Some of the key indicators are turning to innovation, increasing productivity, efficient use of resources, and high added value in products and services that we can use to compete with in an increasingly complex global market.  Such an approach will bring new investments and jobs, and it will as well encourage innovation. However, the primary prerequisite for the smart city development is the establishment of a platform for interconnection of all stakeholders in innovation-based development, not only in technological but also in organizational terms.

From the above stated emerges a vision: CEKOM for smart cities is positioned as a leading institution in the Republic of Croatia and the wider region for the development and application of smart technologies in cities.

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GOALS

Strategic goals

  • Development of new knowledge, initiating and supporting long-term research cooperation between science and industry in the most complex research activities.
  • Positioning the city of Rijeka as a test platform to check the concept while ensuring the participation of the most technologically advanced companies in the Republic of Croatia.
  • Improvement and connection of the existing research infrastructure, establishment of a collaborative M2M platform and integration into international projects, which will strengthen the position of Rijeka and Croatia as a development center and an optimal location for the long-term research projects.

General social goals

  • Improvement of cooperation between the science and industry sectors.
  • Development of smart city projects based on a holistic approach.
  • Harmonization of strategic interests between industry and science, which will enable the launch of a new scientific and technological cycle of development and innovation, commercialization and preparation for the implementation of the new products and services.
  • Connection of national and local stakeholders in the field of smart specialization (energy and sustainable environment, transport and mobility, security and ICT), and in the sectors of computer, electronic and optical products, electrical equipment, finished metal products, machinery and equipment, service provision programming, consultancy, and related activities.
  • Strengthening human resources by attracting top researchers and supporting knowledge transfer towards industry.
  • Reduction in gender discrimination - achieve balanced participation of women and girls in the R&D sector.