LAUNCHING THE URBAN ACADEMY: Smart cities, clever urbanism: digitally enabled practices in urban Africa

In 2021 the African Centre for Cities (ACC), an action-oriented research hub based at the University of Cape Town and UNITAC initiated a collaborative platform for shared research interests under the banner of the Urban Academy. The collaboration is based on a shared interest in unpacking the intersection of technology, society, and cities to examine democratic decision-making, new models of service delivery, and the future of work.

Supported by the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt, the official launch of the Urban Academy will take place on the 6 December 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa at the African Center for Cities.

Event overview:

• Panel one: Introducing the Urban Academy: Smart Cities, Clever Urbanism

In the first panel, partnering directors Edgar Pieterse (ACC) and Gesa Ziemer (UNITAC and City Science Lab) will introduce why thinking about people-centred smartness is important for urban sustainability and justice from their different perspectives.

• Panel two: RISE Cities: Different approaches to make our cities more resilient, intelligent, sustainable, and equitable 

This interactive panel explores the role of responsible leadership in meeting the aspirations of resilient, intelligent, sustainable, and equitable cities. 

• Panel three: Young and Online in African Cities: people-centred smartness and urban wellbeing 

In this panel we explore the role of youth led and oriented initiatives that are tackling sustainability and justice in African cities. The panel looks at how public, private, and civic tech are being leveraged for next generation African cities.

Space is limited but if you are interested in attending this event, please send an email to africancentreforcities@gmail.com with the subject line: Urban Academy RSVP. If you require any further information, please contact rike.sitas@uct.ac.za.