Today’s global trends have brought new challenges to all communities, regardless of the size, geographical location, or position within the settlement hierarchy. This is especially true for rural cities and small settlements at the level of local society and economy, as well as at the level of individuals. In both the international and domestic literature, research on “smartness” has so far focused on big cities. Smartness was primarily tied to size, minimum population, urban functions, and the existence of a massive “hard,” i.e., physical infrastructure. The main goal of “getting smart” was accordingly focused on efficiency and technology.
The project Smart Communities 2.0 - How to be smart in the countryside? (SKHU/1902/4.1/027) aims to answer the “How to” question now, based on the experience of the previous project (Smart Communities - Virtual Education and Research and Development and Innovation Network in the Slovakian - Hungarian border region), to provide products and services and apply good practices to disadvantaged municipalities that: they help them become ‘smart’ by guiding development. As an experienced and locally embedded NGO, the project consortium leader will act as a bridge to local communities, and the consortium member higher education institutions will provide knowledge and development capacities on both sides of the border.
The project is realized in consortium with partners from Hungary and Slovakia.
The project is supported by European Union, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund in the framework of INTERREG V-A Slovakia-Hungary Programme (www.skhu.eu).
For more information visit: http://smartcommunities.eu/en