Smart cities education as mobility, energy & ICT hub

The subject of smart cities is highly discussed topic not only in the domain-specific mobility, energy and ICT circles but also in the educational and research-related fields. The questions are arising along with the broader acceptance of smart cities by general public. What are the required crucial competence fields for future smart cities specialists? Are the existing study programs able to cover demand for smart cities education? What are the career prospects for future smart cities specialists? The European Academic Smart Cities Network is aiming to build up competence in the area of smart cities education, to establish an academic network in Austria and to expand the training opportunities at the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien with smart cities tailored Bachelor and Master study programs. This paper summarizes the status quo of the project activities and describes exemplary integration of the proposed educational programs based on practice- and professional field-oriented, diversity-fair approach. Starting with the relevant smart cities national strategies, the project proposes cross-departmental integration of smart cities into existing activities. The proposed approach may serve as a base for further development of smart cities specific educational opportunities at university level. Finally, a conclusion of the paper is presented in section 5.