How cities can think smarter

Wed 11 March, 2015

‘How a city can think smarter about its shared opportunities and threats’ was the topic of the latest public policy lecture from the University of Bedfordshire, hosted at University Campus Milton Keynes (UCMK).

Geoff Mulgan, Chief Executive of Nesta, is one of the UK’s foremost innovators in the development of public policy, strategy and skills. His lecture (Thursday 5 March) discussed how it is possible to enhance the collective intelligence of a city and the role universities can play in collaborating with other sectors, agencies and governments to better use data in setting and reaching targets.

The lecture also touched on innovations in influencing city decision making, including sensor technologies that aggregate data; digital social innovation; smart arts such as talking statues and different models of schools and universities which cultivate creative thinking.

Part of the University’s public policy lecture programme, the event marked the end of the first day of the MK Future Cities Conference, which the University also took part in. The conference showcased a range of smart city activities underway in Milton Keynes including the MK:Smart project.

Thought-provoking talk from @geoffmulgan from @nesta-uk at UCMK yesterday evening. t.co/bzkL0jJtGV @UCMK pic.twitter.com/BbyAMRaJLP
— MK:Smart (@MKSmartProject) March 6, 2015

Commenting on the lecture, The University’s Deputy Vice Chancellor Donald Harley said: “We’re delighted to have hosted this evening’s event which has been both thought-provoking and illuminating.

“We are also thrilled to be part of the MK Future Cities Conference which combines the best of Milton Keynes’s commitment to collaboration and our shared firm focus on the future and on opportunities for the city and its citizens.”

The key component of the MK:Smart project is the MK Data Hub which is hosted at UCMK. The project is partially funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and led by The Open University, who together with BT is developing the technical infrastructure of the data hub.

The MK Data Hub will make available vast amounts of information to businesses and academia to facilitate the creation of new products and improved services and contribute towards the Milton Keynes economy.