Smart Cities International Conference

Identity and context

• Dates: 3–5 December 2025
• Venue / format: Bucharest, Romania; SNSPA main campus, 30A Expoziției Blvd., and the Romanian Palace of the Parliament, 2–4 Izvor St.
• Organising frame: National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), Faculty of Public Administration, Smart-EDU Hub; organised jointly with CEEeGov Days 2025.
• Public positioning: An anniversary edition and a joint international event designed to connect the SCIC tradition with Central and Eastern European eGovernment research.

Editorial overview

The edition is built around the idea that digital transformation must be led for people, not only through technology. It encourages longitudinal studies of digital reforms locally and globally, comparative public administration, e-democracy, social innovation, urban planning and development. It also opens the conference to academics, policy makers, early-stage researchers, students and local-government representatives.

Institutional and academic network

• Hosted under the joint SCIC / CEEeGov Days framework.
• Connected to the Austrian Computer Society context through CEEeGov Days.
• Doctoral Workshop Advisory Council: Mălina Ciocea, Hu Xianhong, Alexander Prosser, Lasse Berntzen, Cătălin Vrabie and Diana-Camelia Iancu.
• Idea Lab Panel for Young Scholars chaired by Diana-Camelia Iancu and Cătălin Vrabie.
• Smart-EDU Hub and SNSPA act as institutional anchors for the conference.

Programme architecture

• Call for Papers: Smart Cities International Conference, 13th Edition, 2025.
• Pre-conference / Doctoral Workshop held on 3 December 2025.
• Idea Lab Panel for Young Scholars dedicated to early-stage research and public discussion.
• Lectures from senior researchers on communication skills, research tools and the scholarly toolbox in the era of Generative AI.
• Best presented papers in the Doctoral Workshop are evaluated by originality, research design and expected policy impact.

Core tracks and topics

• Smart Governance
• Smart Environment
• Smart Technology
• Smart Economy
• Smart People
• Smart Mobility
• Smart Living
• Smart Education
• Young Leaders for Smart Cities
• Future trends – Smart(er) State
• E-government, e-democracy, social innovation, urban planning and development

Key speakers, panels and moments

• The edition combines two major conferences into one larger event.
• The doctoral workshop is framed as a vital part of the conference and a platform for emerging scholars.
• Young scholars address generative AI in education, digital SMEs, algorithmic overconfidence, financial literacy, career alignment and youth skill mismatch.
• The programme encourages elected officials of local governments and comparative public administration experts to engage in the conference tracks.

Research and proceedings themes

• Digital reforms and longitudinal studies of digital transformation.
• Digital public administration and e-government.
• Smart education, AI and student development.
• Cybersecurity, IoT and AI ecosystems.
• Smart mobility and TEN-T digital transport corridors.
• Emergency management, digital twins and smart governance.
• Smart speaker use in Romanian domestic environments and LMS systems.

Why this edition matters

• Creates a bridge between SCIC and CEEeGov Days.
• Expands the conference’s impact toward Central and Eastern European public-sector digitalisation.
• Strengthens the doctoral and young researchers component.
• Places public value, leadership and people-centred digital transformation at the core of the edition.

Identity and context

• Dates: 4–6 December 2024
• Venue / format: SNSPA, 30A Expoziției Blvd., Bucharest; Multifunctional Room, Ground Floor; workshop activities in Room 804; online participation via Smart-EDU Hub Webex rooms.
• Organising frame: SNSPA, Faculty of Public Administration, Smart-EDU Hub; Organising Committee chaired by Cătălin Vrabie.
• Public positioning: A doctoral-workshop and conference edition focused on resilience, communities and collective intelligence.

Editorial overview

The edition combines a pre-conference Doctoral Workshop with conference sessions and working groups. It treats digital transformation as a collaborative process, involving administrations, citizens, researchers and digital systems. The 2024 agenda also strengthens the doctoral research component and places young researchers within the core conference architecture.

Institutional and academic network

• Scientific committee and reviewers team includes Vasile Baltac, Lasse Berntzen, Robert Müller-Török, Florina Pînzaru, Alexander Prosser, Christian Schachtner, Nicoleta Corbu, Adrian Florea, Marta-Christina Suciu, Jacek Maślankowski, Florin Codruț Nemțanu, Mauro Romanelli, Milena Yordanova-Krumova, Tamás Kaiser, Ana-Maria Bercu, Mălina Ciocea, Cătălin Vrabie, Vilma Tomco, Miranda Harizaj, Nikola Vangelov and Andrea Beccalli.
• Chairs team includes Lasse Berntzen, Teodora Ioana Bițoiu, Parvin Neginraz, Crina Rădulescu, Jacek Maślankowski, Diana-Camelia Iancu, Amitava Basu, Mihaela Cărăușan, Nikola Vangelov, Cătălin Vrabie, Petr Jüptner and Adelina Dumitrescu-Peculea.
• Doctoral Workshop Advisory Council: Mălina Ciocea, Alexander Prosser, Tibor László Buskó, Lasse Berntzen and Mauro Romanelli.

Programme architecture

• Pre-conference / Doctoral Workshop introduced by Cătălin Vrabie, Diana-Camelia Iancu and Mălina Ciocea.
• Opening session moderated by Diana-Camelia Iancu with Remus Pricopie, Cătălin Vrabie, H.E. Kap-soo Rim, H.E. Peter Hatiar, Mateja Horvat and Mihai Alexandru Ghigiu.
• Keynote Panel: Science & Technology moderated by Cătălin Vrabie, with Vasile Baltac, Ryo Taniguchi, Roxana Lupașcu, Ioana Petrescu and Alexander Prosser.
• Keynote Panel: Smart Education, including Eglė Vaidelytė and Diana-Camelia Iancu.
• Working groups include e-government, collaborative governance, smart public administration, cybersecurity, smart education and health technologies.

Core tracks and topics

• E-government stages and public sector development
• Collaborative governance, public trust and transparency
• Smart public administration: opportunity or threat
• Accessible smart education and human-centred design
• AI agents and LLMs in cybersecurity ecosystems
• Smart health and hospital logistics
• Smart recycling technologies and AI telecommunication systems

Key speakers, panels and moments

• The Doctoral Workshop includes contributions on smart-city libraries, neurotech and AI in smart cities, food security and smart agriculture, QKD and quantum technology, and behavioural intention to adopt AI in smart cities.
• The conference includes research on AITCS-assisted smart recycling technologies for lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles.
• A contribution on the role of ICT in Moroccan smart cities links smart-city research to innovative hospital logistics.
• The programme includes networking moments but the page excludes purely administrative timing details.

Research and proceedings themes

• E-government and digital stages in the Romanian public sector.
• Collaborative governance and its effect on trust and transparency.
• Smart public administration and risk/opportunity framing.
• AI agents, LLMs and cybersecurity ecosystems.
• Smart health, hospital logistics and ICT.
• Strategic programme management for resilient communities.
• Smart recycling technologies and lithium-ion battery systems.

Why this edition matters

• Develops SCIC as a platform for doctoral research and emerging scholars.
• Places collective intelligence at the centre of resilient community development.
• Strengthens links between digital governance, public trust and accessible public services.
• Brings science, technology and smart education into the keynote structure.

Identity and context

• Dates: 7–8 December 2023
• Venue / format: SNSPA, 30A Expoziției Blvd., Bucharest, Multifunctional Room, Ground Floor; online participation through the Smart-EDU Hub Webex room.
• Organising frame: Smart-EDU Hub within the Faculty of Public Administration, SNSPA; Organising Committee chaired by Cătălin Vrabie.
• Public positioning: An edition dedicated to sustainability, innovation, AI, smart governance and the digital green transition.

Editorial overview

The edition positions smart-city development at the intersection of digital transformation, sustainability and public innovation. The programme includes high-level public-sector contributors, a keynote block on Sustainability and Innovation, and panels focused on smart governance, technology, digital sovereignty, cultural heritage, space technologies, artificial intelligence, smart mobility and public transit.

Institutional and academic network

• Opening session with Remus Pricopie, Bogdan-Gruia Ivan, Mircea Segărceanu, Victor Negrescu and Maria-Manuela Catrina.
• Chairs team includes Lasse Berntzen, Teodora Ioana Bițoiu, Mihaela Cărăușan, Diana-Camelia Iancu, Gabriel Lazăr, Crina Rădulescu, Mauro Romanelli, Nikola Vangelov and Cătălin Vrabie.
• Scientific committee includes experts from SNSPA, University of South-Eastern Norway, University of Public Administration and Finance Ludwigsburg, Vienna University of Economics and Business, University of Naples Parthenope, Technical University-Sofia, University of Tirana, ICANN and other institutions.

Programme architecture

• Pre-conference online social meeting hosted by Cătălin Vrabie and Diana-Camelia Iancu.
• Opening session: welcome addresses and keynote speeches.
• Keynote speeches: Sustainability and Innovation, chaired by Mihaela Cărăușan and Teodora Ioana Bițoiu.
• Keynotes include Vasile Baltac on the digital divide, Constantin Brătianu on strategic thinking, Florina Pînzaru on AI in strategy, Andy Pușcă on the civil liability of robots with AI, Adrian Florea on digital green transition and Oana-Marciana Özmen on hydrogen valleys.
• Panel 1.1: Smart Governance & Technology, chaired by Crina Rădulescu and Gabriel Lazăr.

Core tracks and topics

• Smart Governance & Technology
• Digital sovereignty of European smart cities
• Circular economy and cultural heritage protection
• Space technologies, smart cities and national security
• Artificial intelligence and blockchain
• Digital green transition and Society 5.0
• Hydrogen valleys and sustainable legislative frameworks
• Smart transit, smart parking, IoT and smart health

Key speakers, panels and moments

• The opening session links academic, governmental, European and cybersecurity perspectives.
• Panel 1.1 includes Hyperconnected Horizons: Decoding the Digital Sovereignty of European Smart Cities.
• The programme includes work on cultural heritage protection, space technologies and AI/blockchain intersections.
• The proceedings volume adds a stronger research layer to the programme by documenting papers across AI, smart health, digital sovereignty, IoT and green education.

Research and proceedings themes

• Artificial Intelligence in public administration and smart cities.
• Wearable technology adoption and usage factors.
• Smart democracy and public trust in political leaders.
• Circular economy for cultural heritage protection.
• Cybersecurity and cloud / hybrid cloud transition.
• Smart-city data structures and digital sovereignty.
• New European Bauhaus, smart public transit and smart parking.
• Green education and AI strategies for regional development.

Why this edition matters

• Connects sustainability with innovation and smart governance.
• Extends the conference beyond the live programme through a proceedings volume.
• Strengthens the role of AI in the SCIC agenda.
• Links digital transformation with cultural heritage, cybersecurity, mobility and environmental transition.

Identity and context

• Dates: 8–9 December 2022
• Venue / format: SNSPA, 30A Expoziției Blvd., Bucharest, Multifunctional Room, Ground Floor; online participation via Smart-EDU Hub Webex.
• Organising frame: National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, Faculty of Public Administration.
• Public positioning: Anniversary edition focused on accelerating innovation and expanding the conference’s international publication framework.

Editorial overview

The anniversary edition encourages longitudinal studies of digital reforms locally and globally. It opens the conference toward e-government, e-democracy, social innovation, urban planning and development, while preserving the established SCIC tracks.

Institutional and academic network

• International scientific committee and chairs team including scholars from Romania, Norway, Germany, Austria, Italy, Bulgaria, Albania, Iran and ICANN.
• The anniversary edition introduces a partnership with MDPI connected to the Smart Cities Journal special issue on Accelerating Innovation.
• The edition maintains the Smart-EDU Hub / Faculty of Public Administration institutional framework.

Programme architecture

• Call for papers for the 10th edition, December 8–9.
• Conference tracks include Smart Governance, Smart Environment, Smart Technology, Smart Economy, Smart People, Smart Mobility, Smart Living, Smart Education, Young Leaders for Smart Cities and Future trends – Smart(er) State.
• The language of the conference is English, while abstracts and articles may also be submitted in Romanian when the presentation is made in English.
• Publication framework includes conference proceedings and partner journals.

Core tracks and topics

• Smart governance
• Smart environment
• Smart technology
• Smart economy
• Smart people
• Smart mobility
• Smart living
• Smart education
• Young leaders for smart cities
• Future trends – Smart(er) State

Key speakers, panels and moments

• Anniversary framing of the conference series.
• Introduction of an MDPI-related special issue on Accelerating Innovation.
• Awards announced for impactful keynote speech and Best Presented Paper in the MDPI context.
• Continued emphasis on longitudinal digital reform studies.

Research and proceedings themes

• Digital reforms and smart-city transformation.
• E-government and e-democracy.
• Social innovation and urban planning.
• Public-sector innovation and digital public services.
• Comparative public administration and local-government reform.

Why this edition matters

• Marks the 10th edition of the conference.
• Positions innovation acceleration as a post-pandemic priority.
• Expands the publication and journal ecosystem around SCIC.
• Keeps the conference open to early-stage researchers and students through Young Leaders for Smart Cities.

Identity and context

• Dates: 9–10 December 2021
• Venue / format: Online event using Cisco Webex.
• Organising frame: Smart Cities International Conference / Faculty of Public Administration, SNSPA.
• Public positioning: Online edition reflecting rapid technological, institutional and social change during the pandemic period.

Editorial overview

The edition combines opening addresses, keynote speeches and smart governance panels. Its online nature is documented through a dedicated Speakers’ Guide, which standardises the virtual presentation process and reflects the digital turn in academic events.

Institutional and academic network

• Opening session includes Alexandru Mihai Ghigiu, Cristian Bulumac, Diana Buzoianu, Vasile Baltac and Constantin Brătianu.
• Scientific committee and reviewers team includes SNSPA, University of South-Eastern Norway, University of Gdańsk, University of Public Administration and Finance Ludwigsburg, Vienna University of Economics and Business, University of Naples Parthenope, Technical University-Sofia, University of Tirana and ICANN.

Programme architecture

• Fully online conference through Cisco Webex.
• Opening session followed by keynote speeches.
• Panel 1: Smart Governance.
• Speakers’ Guide explains how speakers should connect, test audio/video, share slides and interact during sessions; the page keeps only its relevance for online conference standardisation.

Core tracks and topics

• Smart governance
• Smart cities and industrial revolutions
• Digitalisation and energy efficiency
• Digital nomads and knowledge exchange
• E-governance and democratic public services
• Strategic thinking for smart cities

Key speakers, panels and moments

• The edition uses online participation as part of the conference identity.
• Vasile Baltac and Constantin Brătianu contribute to the opening/keynote structure.
• The programme addresses smart governance during a period of accelerated digital change.
• The Speakers’ Guide becomes part of the conference archive as evidence of pandemic-era academic adaptation.

Research and proceedings themes

• E-governance and democratic transformation.
• Energy efficiency and digitalisation.
• Digital nomads and knowledge exchange.
• Industrial revolutions and smart-city development.
• Strategic thinking and public-sector transformation.

Why this edition matters

• Maintains continuity during the pandemic period.
• Consolidates online academic participation within SCIC.
• Connects smart-city research with the feeling of accelerated historical change.
• Keeps international participation active despite travel limitations.

Identity and context

• Dates: 3–4 December 2020
• Venue / format: Online event using Cisco Webex.
• Organising frame: Faculty of Public Administration, SNSPA, Development and Urban Planning Research Working Group; Organising Committee chaired by Cătălin Vrabie, with Dragoș Dincă and Luminița Movanu.
• Public positioning: Pandemic-era online edition oriented toward the 2030 horizon and future smart-city development.

Editorial overview

The edition links the smart-city concept to resilience, sustainable development and the 2030 perspective. It moves across governance, technology, mobility, smart living and public services, while the proceedings volume records a wide academic output.

Institutional and academic network

• Opening session includes Alexandru Mihai Ghigiu, Cristian Bulumac, H.E. Søren Jensen, Milena Yordanova-Krumova, Parvin Neginraz and Vasile Baltac.
• Organising Committee: Cătălin Vrabie, Dragoș Dincă and Luminița Movanu.
• Scientific committee and reviewers team includes members from Romania, Norway, Poland, Italy, Bulgaria, Albania, Iran and ICANN.

Programme architecture

• Opening session and keynote contributions.
• Smart Governance session including Qom Smart City Road Map, governance and e-governance in authoritarian regimes and policy innovation.
• Smart Living and Smart People sessions, including COVID-19 perspectives.
• Smart Mobility, Smart Technology, IoT, cybersecurity and open data topics.
• Conference participation supported by a dedicated Speakers’ Guide.

Core tracks and topics

• Smart governance
• Smart living and smart people
• COVID-19 and smart-city responses
• Smart mobility and transport
• IoT and smart technology
• Cybersecurity and cyber-physical systems
• Open data and electronic trade
• Circular economy and energy

Key speakers, panels and moments

• The edition is fully online and supported by Webex-based presentation instructions.
• The book of abstracts gives a compact map of the edition’s research themes.
• The proceedings volume documents applied and theoretical research across multiple smart-city dimensions.
• The programme keeps international speakers and contributors connected during the pandemic.

Research and proceedings themes

• Global value chains and crisis-related transformations.
• Digitalisation of public administration.
• Fog computing and smart-city technology.
• Smart mobility and electronic trade.
• Cyber-physical security and IoT.
• Circular economy and energy.
• Smart governance, open data and public-sector innovation.
• Hybrid VLC/IR-RF communication systems and construction-demolition waste sorting systems.

Why this edition matters

• Shows SCIC’s resilience during the pandemic.
• Creates a full archive through programme, abstracts, proceedings and speakers’ guide.
• Connects the 2030 perspective with urban resilience and smart development.
• Documents a broad research landscape from governance to technical innovation.

Identity and context

• Dates: 5–6 December 2019
• Venue / format: SNSPA, 30A Expoziției Blvd., Bucharest, Multifunctional Room, first floor.
• Organising frame: National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, Faculty of Public Administration, Development and Urban Planning Research Working Group.
• Public positioning: Edition focused on future cities, digital cities, artificial intelligence and management in the digital era.

Editorial overview

Shaping the Cities of Tomorrow places smart-city development in relation to AI, digital city systems, management challenges and international examples. The programme continues SCIC’s pattern of opening speeches, keynote addresses, plenary sessions and thematic panels.

Institutional and academic network

• Opening session chaired by Cătălin Vrabie.
• Welcome speech by Diana-Camelia Iancu, Dean of the Faculty of Public Administration.
• Keynote contributors include H.E. Dr. Morteza Aboutalebi, Vasile Baltac and Florina Pînzaru.
• Scientific committee includes scholars from SNSPA, University College of Southeast Norway, University of Gdańsk, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Politehnica University of Bucharest, University of the Aegean, Brașov City Hall and ICANN.

Programme architecture

• Opening session – Welcome and keynote speech.
• H.E. Dr. Morteza Aboutalebi: Smart Cities in Iran.
• Vasile Baltac: Digital City and Artificial Intelligence.
• Florina Pînzaru: Management in the Digital Era: Challenges and Opportunities.
• Plenary sessions continue the debate on smart-city implementation and institutional transformation.

Core tracks and topics

• Digital City and Artificial Intelligence
• Management in the Digital Era
• International smart-city case studies
• Smart public administration and urban planning
• Technology-enabled public services
• Urban innovation and future cities

Key speakers, panels and moments

• Smart Cities in Iran introduces a diplomatic/international case perspective.
• Digital City and Artificial Intelligence brings AI explicitly into the programme.
• Management in the Digital Era links smart-city development with organisational transformation.
• The edition maintains the conference’s two-day format at SNSPA.

Research and proceedings themes

• AI in digital city development.
• Management challenges in digital transformation.
• International smart-city experiences.
• Urban planning and public administration innovation.
• Future cities and technology-enabled governance.

Why this edition matters

• Strengthens AI and digital-management themes in the SCIC archive.
• Connects public administration to future-city debates.
• Keeps international perspectives active before the pandemic shift to online editions.
• Provides a bridge between applied smart-city solutions and the later 2020 Spotlight 2030 edition.

Identity and context

• Dates: 6–7 December 2018
• Venue / format: SNSPA, 30A Expoziției Blvd., Bucharest, Multifunctional Room, first floor.
• Organising frame: National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, Faculty of Public Administration, Development and Urban Planning Research Working Group.
• Public positioning: Edition focused on applying smart-city concepts through practical solutions.

Editorial overview

Smart Solutions – From Design to Practice positions the conference as a forum for translating theory into urban and administrative practice. Its documentation includes a programme, an abstracts book and a proceedings volume, making it a rich edition for the archive.

Institutional and academic network

• Opening session chaired by Dragoș Dincă and Cătălin Vrabie.
• Welcome speech by Crina Rădulescu, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Public Administration.
• Keynote speakers include H.E. Dr. Morteza Aboutalebi, Vasile Baltac and Florina Pînzaru.
• Scientific committee includes SNSPA, University College of Southeast Norway, University of Gdańsk, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Politehnica University of Bucharest, University of the Aegean, Brașov City Hall and ICANN.

Programme architecture

• Opening session: Educated Youth and Smart Cities.
• Vasile Baltac: Smart city and digital technologies.
• Florina Pînzaru: Being ready for smart cities: from business opportunities to companies’ management update.
• Thematic sessions on smart solutions, public administration and applied technologies.
• Programme supported by abstracts and proceedings publications.

Core tracks and topics

• Smart governance and smart data
• IoT platforms and monitoring
• Smart mobility and Mobility as a Service
• ICT for green solutions
• Circular economy and resource optimisation
• E-leadership and e-voting
• Cybersecurity and resilient cities

Key speakers, panels and moments

• The edition explicitly links smart-city readiness to management and business opportunities.
• It covers both governance and technical smart-city systems.
• It brings together academic papers and practical solution-oriented discussions.
• The associated documents provide one of the stronger documentation sets before 2020.

Research and proceedings themes

• Electoral registers and administrative modernisation.
• Organisational design for smart governance.
• IoT monitoring platforms.
• ICT and green solutions.
• Smart governance and community centres.
• Seismic risk and resilient urban systems.
• Mobility as a Service and smart transport.
• E-voting and circular economy.

Why this edition matters

• Shows SCIC’s transition toward implementation-oriented research.
• Connects academic work with technological and managerial solutions.
• Builds a proceedings-based archive for the edition.
• Strengthens the interdisciplinary identity of the conference.

Identity and context

• Dates: 7–8 December 2017
• Venue / format: SNSPA, 30A Expoziției Blvd., Bucharest, Multifunctional Room, first floor.
• Organising frame: Faculty of Public Administration, SNSPA, Development and Urban Planning Research Working Group; Organising Committee: Dragoș Dincă, Cătălin Vrabie and Cătălin Dumitrică.
• Public positioning: Edition focused on implementation factors, connectivity, digital government and smart-city development in Central and Eastern Europe.

Editorial overview

The programme moves from theoretical smart-city discussion toward European and local implementation. It focuses on what accelerates or slows smart-city development, how Central and Eastern European cities relate to smartness, and how digital government can transform public administration.

Institutional and academic network

• Organising Committee: Dragoș Dincă, Cătălin Vrabie and Cătălin Dumitrică.
• Opening session chaired by Dragoș Dincă and Cătălin Vrabie.
• Contributors include Crina Rădulescu, Vasile Baltac, Maciej Kisilowski, Cătălin Drulă and Cristian Botan.
• Scientific committee includes SNSPA, University College of Southeast Norway, University of Gdańsk, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Politehnica University of Bucharest, University of the Aegean, Brașov City Hall and ICANN.

Programme architecture

• Opening session – Welcome and keynote speech.
• Vasile Baltac: Acceleration and Braking Factors for Implementing the Smart Cities Concept.
• Maciej Kisilowski: CEE Cities: Smart or Outsmarted?
• Cătălin Drulă: WiFi4EU | Free Wi-Fi for Europeans initiative.
• Cristian Botan: Going digital: How technology can save government.
• Plenary sessions and panels continue the discussion of technology, public administration and urban systems.

Core tracks and topics

• Implementation factors for smart cities
• CEE cities and smart-city development
• WiFi4EU and European connectivity
• Digital government and technology-enabled administration
• Urban governance and public-service reform
• Smart city implementation and administrative capacity

Key speakers, panels and moments

• The programme includes the WiFi4EU initiative as a European connectivity theme.
• Digital government is framed as a way to save and modernise government.
• CEE Cities: Smart or Outsmarted? introduces a regional comparative perspective.
• The edition consolidates the two-day SNSPA-based conference model.

Research and proceedings themes

• Smart-city implementation barriers and accelerators.
• Connectivity and Wi-Fi infrastructure.
• Digital government and public-sector modernisation.
• Urban planning and public-service transformation.
• Regional comparisons in Central and Eastern Europe.

Why this edition matters

• Marks a transition from conceptual debate to policy implementation.
• Links smart-city development with European connectivity initiatives.
• Places Romanian smart-city debate in a Central and Eastern European context.
• Strengthens SCIC’s identity as an applied public-administration conference.

Identity and context

• Dates: 8–9 December 2016
• Venue / format: Bucharest, SNSPA.
• Organising frame: National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, Faculty of Public Administration, Development and Urban Planning Research Working Group.
• Public positioning: Edition documenting the growth of an international research community around smart-city performance, e-democracy, transport, tourism, public administration and urban planning.

Editorial overview

The edition is important because it documents a broad research ecosystem rather than only a live programme. It records submissions, article titles, countries and publication status, revealing the growing internationalisation of the series.

Institutional and academic network

• Book of abstracts coordinated by Dragoș Dincă, Cătălin Vrabie and Cătălin Dumitrică.
• Contributions from Romania, the United States, Ukraine, Macedonia, Russia, Croatia and other countries.
• Scientific and conference archive show the expansion from national discussion to international research exchange.

Programme architecture

• The article list records papers received for publishing after the 2016 edition.
• The archive includes contributions on smart tourists, urban planning, social innovation labs and structural funds for transport.
• The edition develops the publication dimension of SCIC.
• The conference creates continuity between the early Romanian editions and the later international SCIC model.

Core tracks and topics

• Urban planning and ownership bottlenecks
• Smart cities for smart tourists
• Learning analytics, big data and smart citizens
• Smart-city business models
• Standardisation of the smart-city concept
• Electronic democracy and civic engagement
• Transport challenges and structural funding
• Participatory budgeting
• Smart-city performance modelling

Key speakers, panels and moments

• The article list documents a high number of submitted papers.
• The archive includes interdisciplinary topics from public administration, transport, tourism, education, technology and civic engagement.
• International participation becomes more visible through the countries represented by authors.
• The edition creates a stronger bridge to publication outputs.

Research and proceedings themes

• Corpul experților electorali.
• Emotional intelligence and personality in fiscal public servants.
• Ownership bottlenecks in urban planning processes.
• Social innovation labs.
• Smart tourists and the case of Timișoara.
• Transport financing through structural instruments.
• Smart universities, learning analytics and big data.
• Electronic democracy and slacktivism.
• Participatory budgeting and smart-city performance.

Why this edition matters

• Shows the conference becoming more international.
• Documents the diversity of the smart-city research agenda in 2016.
• Connects smart-city debates to public administration, transport, education, e-democracy and civic engagement.
• Provides a publication-oriented archive rather than only an event programme.

Identity and context

• Dates: 10 December 2015
• Venue / format: SNSPA Bucharest, 30A Expoziției Blvd.
• Organising frame: SNSPA, Faculty of Public Administration, Development and Urban Planning Research Working Group; Organising Committee: Dragoș Dincă, Cătălin Vrabie and Cătălin Dumitrică.
• Public positioning: Third edition of the early Romanian Smart Cities / Orașul Inteligent conference series.

Editorial overview

The 2015 programme is structured into moderated sections and combines public administration, architecture, urbanism, health, European funds and city management. It shows the gradual transformation from a national scientific communication session into a more structured smart-city conference.

Institutional and academic network

• Scientific committee includes Vasile Baltac, Adriana Grigorescu, Georgeta Marghescu, Nicoleta Corbu, Ioana Porumb and Sergiu Țâra.
• Organising committee: Dragoș Dincă, Cătălin Vrabie and Cătălin Dumitrică.
• Section moderators include Dragoș Dincă and Diana-Camelia Iancu.

Programme architecture

• Opening address by Dragoș Dincă.
• Section I moderated by Dragoș Dincă.
• Vasile Baltac: Orașul inteligent și decalajele digitale.
• Lilian Onescu and Daniela Florescu: small cities and European policies for sustainable urban development.
• Cristina Șiclovan: cloud system for the Romanian registry of rheumatic diseases.
• Iris Ganea-Christu: the smart city as mediator between heritage and innovation.
• Ioana Draguș: digital perspectives in e-administration.
• Bogdan Pușcașu: a small guide for cities that want to become smarter.
• Rajat Chand: Toronto Smart City.

Core tracks and topics

• Digital divides
• Sustainable urban development
• Cloud systems and public health modernisation
• Heritage and innovation
• E-administration
• Toronto Smart City and international experience
• Adaptive economy and integrated services

Key speakers, panels and moments

• The keynote on digital divides establishes inclusion as a smart-city issue.
• Toronto Smart City introduces a comparative international case.
• Public health modernisation and cloud systems connect smart cities to health administration.
• The programme includes both public-sector and architectural perspectives.

Research and proceedings themes

• Digital divides and ICT infrastructure.
• European policies for urban sustainability.
• Cloud-based public health registries.
• Heritage and innovation in smart urban settings.
• Digital e-administration and local public services.
• Employment strategies and adaptive economy.

Why this edition matters

• Broadens the scope of the early Romanian smart-city series.
• Connects digital infrastructure to inclusion and public service modernisation.
• Brings international examples into the programme.
• Prepares the transition toward later international editions.

Identity and context

• Dates: 9 December 2014
• Venue / format: SNSPA Bucharest, 30A Expoziției Blvd.
• Organising frame: SNSPA, Faculty of Public Administration, Development and Urban Planning Research Working Group; Organising Committee: Dragoș Dincă, Cătălin Vrabie and Cătălin Dumitrică.
• Public positioning: Second edition of the scientific communication session, focused on ICT, digital infrastructure and public-sector renewal.

Editorial overview

The programme and proceedings give the early SCIC archive a strong technological dimension. The edition defines the smart city as dependent on digital access, accessibility, digital content and training, while also connecting the concept to e-government, social networks, healthcare, energy policy and smart-city performance indicators.

Institutional and academic network

• Scientific committee includes Vasile Baltac, Nicoleta Corbu, Adriana Grigorescu, Andrei Țăranu, Andrei Vasilescu, Alexandru Dimache, Carmen Iliana Bușneag and Basile Neacsa.
• Organising committee: Dragoș Dincă, Cătălin Vrabie and Cătălin Dumitrică.
• Keynote and invited contributors include Crina Rădulescu, Vasile Baltac, Paul Stanciu and Costin Dițescu.

Programme architecture

• Opening address by Dragoș Dincă.
• Crina Rădulescu: Public sector renewal through ICT, a lifelong learning approach.
• Vasile Baltac: Orașul inteligent și infrastructura digitală.
• Paul Stanciu, Microsoft Romania: CityNext: Modern management for Romanian cities.
• Costin Dițescu, Oracle Romania: Oracle City Solutions.
• Programme hosted at SNSPA’s Expoziției campus.

Core tracks and topics

• ICT and public-sector renewal
• Digital infrastructure of the smart city
• CityNext and modern city management
• Oracle City Solutions
• E-government and municipalities
• Digital access, digital accessibility, digital content and training
• Smart health and energy policy

Key speakers, panels and moments

• The edition links smart-city development to major technology providers.
• Vasile Baltac’s contribution defines digital infrastructure through four pillars: digital access, digital accessibility, digital content and training.
• The proceedings propose smart-city performance indicators.
• The edition introduces a stronger connection between smart-city theory and practical digital platforms.

Research and proceedings themes

• Smart city and digital infrastructure.
• Social networks and their role in society.
• E-government in Romanian municipalities.
• Smart health and healthcare systems.
• Energy policies and urban development.
• Digital competencies and public-sector training.
• Performance indicators for smart-city development.

Why this edition matters

• Clarifies the digital infrastructure foundations of a smart city.
• Links smart cities with e-government and public-sector digitalisation in Romania.
• Documents early performance-indicator thinking for smart-city assessment.
• Creates a strong proceedings volume for the second edition.

Identity and context

• Dates: 28 November 2013
• Venue / format: SNSPA, Povernei Street no. 6, Sector 1, Bucharest, first floor, Room 111.
• Organising frame: SNSPA, Faculty of Public Administration, Development and Urban Planning Research Working Group; Organising Committee: Dragoș Dincă, Cătălin Dumitrică and Cătălin Vrabie.
• Public positioning: Inaugural scientific communication session of the Orașul Inteligent / Smart Cities series.

Editorial overview

The 2013 edition begins the conference tradition by bringing together academic and professional perspectives on urban life, European policies, residential segregation, architecture, e-government, IT education, transport and public administration modernisation. It treats the intelligent city as a social, administrative and technological project.

Institutional and academic network

• Scientific committee includes Vasile Baltac, Laurențiu Tăchiciu, Basile Neacsa and Eugen Prahoveanu.
• Organising committee: Dragoș Dincă, Cătălin Dumitrică and Cătălin Vrabie.
• Opening addresses by Diana-Camelia Iancu and Dragoș Dincă.
• Partner: Public Research.

Programme architecture

• Opening session at SNSPA’s Povernei campus.
• Keynote section with Vasile Baltac, Laurențiu Tăchiciu, Eugen Prahoveanu and Basile Neacsa.
• Section I includes topics such as residential segregation, urban architecture and interaction with urban space.
• Later sessions include e-government, IT education for public servants, transport, public administration and city access.
• The conference is organised as a scientific communication session.

Core tracks and topics

• European policies for overcoming crisis
• Residential segregation and urban living practices
• Urban space, perception and social interaction
• E-government and municipalities in Romania
• IT education for public servants
• Mobility, public transport and access to the city
• Public participation and local administration

Key speakers, panels and moments

• Diana-Camelia Iancu and Dragoș Dincă open the event.
• The keynote section frames the wider policy and development context.
• The programme includes architecture, public administration, e-government and transport perspectives.
• The proceedings volume later records the first edition’s academic contributions.

Research and proceedings themes

• Practices of living and residential segregation in Roma communities.
• Urban architecture and social perceptions of space.
• European policies and crisis response.
• E-government in Romanian municipalities.
• IT education for civil servants.
• Public transport, mobility and access to the city.
• Local administration and civic interaction.

Why this edition matters

• Launches the SCIC / Orașul Inteligent conference tradition.
• Frames the smart city as a multidisciplinary public-administration and urban-development question.
• Creates the basis for later proceedings and conference editions.
• Connects technology with inclusion, education, mobility and public service delivery from the first edition.