FH Münster Leads the Charge in Smart City Innovation and Sustainability

A forum on urban sustainability and digital innovation recently brought together experts, policymakers, and researchers. The event highlighted FH Münster's leadership in smart city development over the past five years. Government President Andreas Bothe opened the gathering by congratulating attendees on their successful elections last year.

Professor Dr. Karin Küffmann set the tone with a keynote lecture titled The Cities of the Future. Her talk explored how digital and green strategies can reshape urban living.

Workshops covered key themes, including artificial intelligence in municipal administration. Participants discussed practical uses and the steps needed to implement AI in local government. Another session focused on mobility and culture, examining ways to boost climate-friendly transport and secure funding for sports and cultural projects. Urban development was also a major topic. Experts shared strategies for reviving town centres and expanding housing in sustainable ways. Bothe later thanked attendees for their involvement, stressing the need for ongoing dialogue and easy access to decision-makers. The forum builds on FH Münster's work through its Center for Sustainability and Digital Transformation. Since 2021, the university has led projects like *Smart City Münster*, an IoT-based energy initiative with the city. Other key efforts include *UrbanGreenLab*, an EU-funded partnership on vertical farming and AI waste management, and *DigiSustain*, a collaboration with Siemens on digital twins for infrastructure. These projects have produced three spin-offs and over 20 research publications.

The event aimed to strengthen networks and share expert knowledge on sustainable urban growth. FH Münster's research and partnerships continue to drive innovation in smart cities and green planning. Organisers plan to maintain regular exchanges to support future progress in the field.