digital “Our definition of a Smart City is a territory engaged in a sustainability transition using technology as an enabler. We believe that all technologies are a fabulous opportunity for territories to reinvent themselves. Based on this vision, it is highly relevant to take a closer look at how data science can support and accelerate this transition.” It was with these words that Nathalie CRUTZEN, founder and academic director of the Smart City Institute, opened the 13th meetup Data Science Liège last September, a special edition and first collaboration between Data Science Liège and the Smart City Institute. Open Data, level of maturity in terms of data use, AI, technical skills, data protection,… many topics and ideas were explored during this meetup, and there seemed to be room for much more discussion and exchange on the subject. Therefore, on the occasion of the Smart Inspiration Days 2020 in December, a virtual panel discussion on the same theme was included to the program, with four new speakers. Those two joint events certainly gave both the participants and the public food for thought. In case you get hungry, the recordings are available at all times on the HEC Digital Lab YouTube Channel. The podcasts of the full Smart Inspiration Days program are also available on www.smartcityinstitute.be.
Roxanne THONNARD, Digital Transformation Office, HEC Liège
Data Science at the service of smart cities and territories
Antoine Hublet (Agence du Numérique) The current Covid-19 pandemic will probably drive many actors to take a step towards data and its harnessing.
Nicolas Installé (FuturoCité) A Smart Territory is a territory that manages to use its own data to offer its citizens new services, or to improve its administration’s efficiency. Data is thus at the core of the definition of a Smart Territory. Xavier Girard (Ingestic) Data Science is not an end; it is a tool that enables us to reach our strategic goals while being aware of the ecosystem that surrounds us. Quentin Felice (Datavillage) We must no longer think in terms of silos and service to the citizen, but in terms of ecosystem and service with the citizen, in order to include everyone in the value chain.
