The Open & Agile Smart Cities & Communities (OASC) network is proud to host its annual Summit on the 3rd and 4th of June 2024 in Rotterdam. This year’s theme, connecting local digital ecosystems through interoperability, highlights our commitment to support cities and local communities to collaborate on digital transformation via the fluent sharing of data in and between cities and local communities. We’ll look into the strategies, processes and technologies that can help cities to do that.

The main goal is to align as many cities as possible into that philosophy and concept and help cities to overcome the hurdles that block them from interoperability.

The essence of interoperability

Interoperability is the basic pillar for digital transition. It is not only about the mere technical capability of different systems to communicate, it reflects the organisational cooperation, a shared mindset for innovation and collaboration and the smooth exchange of information. It encompasses the conceptual aspect, the method and strategy and software & operational facets.

Global and local perspectives, from the strategic to the operational and technical level

Our Summit explores the different layers of interoperability and scrutinizes what is needed for a city or local community to take steps in the field of data and knowledge sharing and communicating systems. It’s a threefold approach: first, we’ll delve into the global and European political landscape, where the legal frameworks are coined. Specifically, initiatives such as the International Telecommunication Union’s efforts towards universal connectivity, along with the recently approved Interoperable Europe Act, Digital Services and Artificial Intelligence Act, are political tools that shape the digital playing field. It’s important to understand what those Acts and global frameworks mean for the local level, what opportunities they offer and what challenges they may entail. Additionally, we’ll discuss how these legislative frameworks intertwine with the dynamic political environment marked by forthcoming elections in the US, the EU and beyond.

Secondly, we will dissect the processes that are required at the local level, behind the scenes of local authorities, to facilitate interoperability. It’s about a mindset, skills and transversal thinking that are essential for overcoming hurdles. The local ambitions may be high, yet the reality can be challenging and the pace of transformation slow. It’s not an easy task to align the political level with citizens, companies and researchers, while upholding public values like autonomy and privacy in the use of digital technologies.

Thirdly, we will explore the available technologies that can assist cities and local communities, regardless of their digital maturity, in advancing towards interoperability. We will highlight our Minimal Interoperability Mechanisms (MIMs), as the minimal but sufficient ground for interoperability that cities, companies, researchers and governments can use when procuring and using digital tools and systems. The OASC MIMs are about avoiding vendor lock-in, cost-avoidance and seamless data sharing.

General Assembly and speed networking sessions

Next to the formal approval of the updated version of the MIMs at the General Assembly, we will demonstrate practical use cases for instance in the field of sustainable mobility, procurement strategies and health care to make the tools and their use very concrete and tangible.

Additionally, other tools such as a digital roadmap, a digital assessment tool and much more, will be discussed in interactive sessions. By pooling experiences and best or worst practices, participants can absorb new insights and foster connections.

If you are a city member of the OASC network, you also get the opportunity to run for the election as the new deputy coordinator of the Council of Cities, which assembles the entire city members of OASC and is the main voice of our cities and local communities. Together with Rotterdam, the current Council of Cities coordinator, you will be able to set the course of direction for OASC in the next year, in close collaboration with the OASC Board of Directors.

Our two-day Summit coincides with the Urban Future Conference in Rotterdam. This allows us to make cross-links with other urban specialists and dive into the opportunities and digital solutions in the field of urban sustainable development.

Join us in Rotterdam

The OASC Summit is an open invitation to all OASC members, partners, stakeholders from government, academia, business and civil society interested in digital transformation to participate with us in Rotterdam. If you’re interested in running for deputy coordinator of the Council of Cities, register here: https://shorturl.at/kpAQ4

Programme

Should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at contact@oascities.org