SHANGHAI, CHINA--(Marketwire - June 16, 2010) - The Smart+Connected Communities (S+CC) Institute, a global nonprofit industry initiative developed in partnership with Cisco (
In collaboration with a wide array of partners including Metropolis 'the World Association of Major Metropolises,' the National Institute of Urban Affairs of India, Gale International and The Climate Group, the institute will create training and education programs, and support collaboration, joint research, and knowledge sharing among government leaders, urban planners, city managers, policymakers, developers, industry players and leading experts and practitioners.
Highlights/Key Facts:
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In collaboration with its key partners, Cisco will create complementary global certification programs to develop the required skill sets, expertise and talent needed to help build sustainable cities of the future.
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As part of the Smart+Connected Communities Institute announcement, the community portal of the institute was also launched today. The community portal will enable an industry dialogue among government leaders, policymakers, city managers, academicians, developers, technology providers and NGOs from all over the world. Community members will be able to create professional networking profiles, collaborate with industry peers, and gain access to global sustainable development content and expertise.
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The Web 2.0 platform features a variety of discussion forums, blogs, videos, document and image libraries, podcasts, and other interactive tools, all designed to promote best practices, raise awareness about urban sustainability, and stimulate innovative business and technology practices. The institute's Web portal is designed to encourage personal engagement and create a sense of community through the open sharing of ideas, concepts and experiences among its members.
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The portal will be complemented by leadership workshops and education programs tailored to the needs of local communities. These programs will enlist subject matter experts from the public and private sectors, academia and NGOs to share knowledge and experiences and provide training and education.
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These programs will explore new approaches to competitiveness and sustainability through innovative urban planning, governance approaches, transparency practices, leadership and policy. Key domain areas include energy, health care, education, public safety and security, and transportation.
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The Smart+Connected Communities Institute will also organize workshops around the world in collaboration with Metropolis, starting with India, China, South Korea, Brazil, Portugal, United Arab Emirates and North America.
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Smart+ Connected Communities Institute is available at: www.smartconnectedcommunities.org
Supporting quotes:
Wim Elfrink, chief globalisation officer and executive vice president, Cisco Services:
"We are proud to be part of a global industry initiative that will bring together leaders and key stakeholders to help enable the creation of economically, socially and environmentally sustainable communities. For us to build the cities and communities of the future, we will need not only transformational solutions but also the awareness of how technology can be an enabler along with next-generation smart-government regulations and strategic public-private partnerships. We invite the industry to join us in the Smart+Connected Communities global initiative."
Dr. Anil Menon, vice president, for Smart+Connected Communities, Cisco:
"The Smart+Connected Communities Institute is a key global industry initiative to enable government leaders, urban planners, city managers, policymakers, developers, industry players and leading experts and practitioners to collaborate and engage in a dialogue on smart regulations, new models of public-private partnership for sustainable urban development through the application of information communications technology."
Josep Roig, director general of Metropolis:
"Metropolis has been working with Cisco to foster amongst its member cities a better understanding of how technology-focused public-private partnerships can help cities become more sustainable. The Smart+Connected Communities Institute will engage Metropolis, along with its 106 member cities, to create an effective forum to accelerate best-practices sharing, and will help public and private sector leaders to explore new solutions for sustainable urban development."
Cisco Systems
Cisco (
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Contact Information:
Contact:
Bipasha Chakrabarti
Phone: +91 80 4426 2353
Email: bipchakr@cisco.com
