Smart Cities - The next step in city evolution

General description

We have all been in a city before (if not, then welcome to Aachen!) and they are a hallmark of civilazation. Bustling with activity, everyone is busy with their own ideas and objectives.

This is all, in a way, a gigantic mess, and as we face more and more challenges in the 21st century, it quickly becomes important to optimise the city. How do people get from one place to another? Where do different groups usually spend their time? How do all of these communities interact with the technology and infrastructure around them?

In this course you will be exploring the technological side of how a city accomodates the needs and demands of the modern urban world, and more importantly, what can be done to bolster its sustainability. By learning about energy tansition and demand, as well as electromobility and other topics, you will become aware of what really constitutes a smart city.

And after the hard work, comes the reward: The work week itself will be full of social activities and fun, but after the examination, you'll join us on a wonderful weekend trip to a country house, where we will get to have even more fun times!

Join us in Aachen!

Academic information

Fields of activity:

Electrical/Electromechanical Engineering , Power Engineering , Physics/Physics Engineering , Materials Engineering , Civil Engineering , Applied Sciences , Mechanical Engineering , Control Engineering/Systems engineering , Computer Science/Automatic Control/Informatics , Transport Engineering , Automotive Engineering , Electronic/Electrotechnical Engineering

Content and topics:

Basic knowledge of Smart Cities and the Technologies involved, such as efficient and sustainable energy usage and transportation.

Learning goals and objectives:

The course is about getting an introduction of what smart cities are. You will be tackling this topic from a technological point of view, and explore ways in which the cities of today can become more sustainable and efficient. Towards this objective, you will be learning about energy transition and demand, aswell as electromobility. You will then work on a presentation, together with some colleagues, which will be presented to and evaluated by our main professor, on the last working day of the course.

Examination type:

Group project and presentation.

ECTS credits issued:

None

Information for applicants

Selection criteria:

Motivational letter, interest in the subject, answers to the questions (be creative!), positive attitude towards the event, interest in Aachen and the German culture. Aiming for cultural diversity.

Practical arrangements

All of the following are covered by the event fee:

Lodging:

Hostel near the city centre and a cozy country house for the weekend trip near a lake.

Meals:

Three meals per day, at least one of them cooked, all provided by organizers or the canteen (no extra costs).

Transportation:

Mainly by foot and by public transport(no extra cost).