Deadline: 26 October 2023 at 23:59 EAT
In an age where the convergence of urbanization and digitalization is revolutionising how we design, plan and manage our cities, there is a need to establish guiding principles, values and visions to leverage these twin transitions for a better urban future for all. At the heart of this lies the aspiration to ensure that people remain the focus of these technologically-driven solutions for sustainable urbanization.
In light of this, during the second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly in June 2023, 193 countries adopted a Resolution (HSP/HA.2/Res.1) asking UN-Habitat to develop international guidelines on people-centred smart cities. In the context of the implementation of this decision, UN-Habitat is launching a Call for Proposals for the preparation of a "World Smart Cities Outlook" to close on 26 October 2023 at 23:59 EAT.
The World Smart Cities Outlook will seek to dive deep into the current landscape of smart cities and digitalization across the globe. From exploring prevailing trends, challenges, regional diversity, to uncovering untapped opportunities, the study aspires to be a factual bedrock for the development of the guidelines on smart cities. The aim is to identify key drivers and enablers to build cities that are not only technologically advanced but also sustainable, inclusive, and respectful of human rights.
UN-Habitat invites non-profit organizations, including universities, research centres, foundations, think tanks and any other interested entity with expertise in research studies, global surveys, data analysis, and innovation management to contribute to this global assessment.
The candidate organization should possess proven capabilities in the following domains:
- Experience in undertaking similar research and analytical projects;
- A proven track record in compiling reports related to the subject matter;
- Established technical expertise in the fields of innovative technologies, smart urban planning and smart cities, e-governance, transformative processes, urban development, climate sustainability and other relevant fields;
- Extensive geographical coverage and a nuanced understanding of international, regional, and local market dynamics.
The study’s insights will be invaluable in gathering primary and secondary data, tapping into global knowledge reservoirs, researching digital divides, and drafting an encompassing global assessment.
If your organization can contribute to this research, providing a data-driven lens to analyse the intricate nature of smart cities and digitalization, we encourage you to submit your proposal by email to the attention of Roberta.maio@un.org with copy to ig-pcsc@un.org.
UN-Habitat will host a meeting to introduce the purpose of the study and answer any questions related to this call. Contact ig-pcsc@un.org if you would like to attend the meeting.
Apply by 26 October.