Research News Last updated 15 July
Birmingham City University (BCU) has hosted a landmark two-day conference marking a significant step forward in an international research partnership focused on building smarter, more sustainable and greener cities.
The SSG-Bridge Symposium took place on 23 and 24 June, bringing together researchers, policymakers, industry leaders and community representatives from across the UK and India to share knowledge, challenge thinking and shape the future direction of the Smart Sustainable Green (SSG) Cities Bridge project.
SSG-Bridge, funded by the British Council and the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), draws on the experiences of two cities, Birmingham and Ludhiana, how they can learn from one another and build smarter, more sustainable and greener cities.
The project is delivered in partnership with Lovely Professional University (LPU), the Munjal BCU Centre of Innovation and Enterprise (MBCIE) and the Public Action Committee (PAC), is focused on enhancing urban resilience and sustainability.
“The key message from the SSG-Bridge Symposium was clear: building smart, sustainable and green cities requires more than technology alone,” said Dr Vahid Javidroozi, Associate Professor in Smart City Systems at BCU and Principal Investigator.
“It needs systems thinking, cross-sector collaboration, community engagement, and long-term partnerships between universities, cities, industry and civic organisations.
“This is not the end of the project; it is the beginning of a much bigger journey towards real and lasting impact.”
Over two days, keynote sessions explored themes including Ludhiana's transition towards becoming an SSG city, Birmingham's digital strategy, the role of higher education in urban sustainability, community engagement and the contribution of NGOs to sustainable development.
One of the sessions, led by Professor Neeta Raj Sharma from LPU, highlighted the role of Higher Education Institutions (HEI) as drivers of SSG transformation and leading by example.
“The cities of tomorrow are being shaped in the classrooms, laboratories and campuses of today,” Professor Sharma said.
“Universities must not only teach sustainability, but they must also demonstrate it through every decision they make and every community they inspire.
“By embedding sustainability into teaching, research, operations and community engagement, HEIs can be catalysts for lasting societal change.”
The symposium was followed by a strategic meeting between BCU and visiting delegates to discuss the continuation of the partnership, PhD opportunities and joint research activities to sustain SSG-Bridge in the long term.
SSG-Bridge is developing the foundations of an enduring international partnership, one with the potential to shape how two cities on opposite sides of the world approach the shared challenges of urban sustainability.