The Universitat de Tardor of l’Eliana debates on the role of new technologies for public use in smart cities

The Vice-Principal for Territorial Projection and Society, Jorge Hermosilla, the councilman of Modernization of the Administration, Smart City and Technological Innovation, Jorge Perez, and the coordinator of the Universitat de Tardor of l’Eliana, Vicente Cerverón, inaugurated 28th October the second edition of this seasonal university, which had its continuity on October 30th in the Centre Sociocultural of l’Eliana (Plaza Jutge Comes, s/n).

All of them highlighted the significance of making new technologies available to citizens as a way to improve their living conditions. Vicente Cerverón pointed out the difference that smart cities make, where data and information are no longer at the service of governments but of people. In the same vein, Jorge Pérez said that a very important step is being taken when citizens can change their behaviour thanks to new technologies.

Jorge Hermosilla referred to the objective of seasonal universities, such as the Universitat de Tardor of l'Eliana, which is the approach to the territory in an institutionalized manner and highlighting its differential elements. Each seasonal university, he said, develops a theme linked to the reality of each territory and, in the case of l'Eliana, the smart city was chosen because it has become a benchmark in this field. Hermosilla also wanted to highlight the importance of institutional collaboration to develop initiatives such as this.

The current edition of the Universitat de Tardor (Autumn University) of l’Eliana aims to explore the role of the so-called smart cities in improving the quality of life of citizens and the sustainable development of the territory. For this, a series of free and open-access debates have been organised, led by experts in the field, university professors and those responsible for projects that integrate new technologies to make cities operate more efficiently.

Monday 28th, after the inaugural act, several aspects were approached that are in the base of the smart cities. The professors of the Department of Computer Science of the Universitat de València, Carmen Botella Mascarell and Sergio Casas Yrurzum, pronounced two conferences under the title ‘5G, tecnologia i serveis a la ciutadania’ (5G, technology and services to the citizenship) and ‘Realitat virtual i realitat augmentada: reptes i oportunitats’ (Virtual reality and augmented reality: challenges and opportunities), respectively.

Next, Ricard Martínez Martínez, lecturer in the Department of Constitutional Law at the Universitat de València, spoke about ‘Privacitat i protecció de dades personals a les ciutats intel·ligents’ (Privacy and personal data protection in intelligent cities). After his intervention, an open debate was opened to the public, moderated by Vicente Cerverón, lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at the Universitat de València and coordinator of the Universitat de Tardor of l’Eliana.

On 30th October, the session focused on the explanation of smart city projects developed in l'Eliana and surrounding municipalities. At 5:30 p.m, there were some examples of ‘Experiències de tecnologia al servei de les persones: Ecobarrios: el barri La Pinada’ (Experiences of technology at the service of people': 'Ecobarrios: el barrio La Pinada), with the intervention of Ignacio García Faubel, Director of Innovation; and ‘Visualfy: tecnologies d'ajuda en edificis públics’ (Visualfy: assistive technologies in public buildings), by its CEO, Manel Alcaide Dias.

Jorge Pérez Comeche, local Councillor for Administration Modernisation, Smart City and Technological Innovation of l'Eliana City Council, talked about the experiences, news and projects of l'Eliana as a smart city; those responsible for different projects presented the initiatives of entrepreneurial companies in the area around l'Eliana; and Teresa Bonet Segura, from Torrent City Council, and Antonio García Celda, from IRTIC-UV, talked about the safe school routes project.

Next, there a round table on ‘Desenvolupaments de ciutats intel·ligents en la Comunitat Valenciana’ (Developments of intelligent cities in the Valencian Community) was held, with the participation of Mentxu Pastor, deputy for Informatics and Technology, of the Diputació de València (Valencian Provincial Council); Josep Maria Gil Alcamí, local Councillor for the Treasury, New Technologies, Maintenance and Water Sector of Sagunt City Council; Andrés Campos Casado, local Councillor for Youth and Sports and local Councillor for the Strategy, Innovation and Economy Area of Torrent City Council; and Teresa Martínez Añó, Technician for Paterna City Council.

A public debate, with the participation of the attendees and moderated by Manuel Herrero Más, Head of Service of Technological Modernization and Informatics of Torrent City Council and associate professor of the Department of Computer Science of the Universitat de València, closed the current edition of the Universitat de Tardor of l’Eliana.

About Seasonal Universities

The Universitat de València, through the Office of the Vice-Principal for Territorial Projection and Participation, has, over the last few years, set up a network of seasonal universities a name derived from the fact that they focus their activities on the same season of the year — which offers an interesting programme of free days, aimed at citizens of all ages.

Nowadays, the network is made up of 12 universities, located in as many municipalities and distributed throughout the different regions of the province, both inland and along the coast. Each one of them develops its programmes around a monographic theme linked to its particular idiosyncrasy, history and culture, under the coordination of a specialist in the subject.

The network consists of Alzira (Environment); Xàtiva (Cultural, oenological and natural tourism); Ademús (Landscapes of opportunity); Aras de los Olmos (New technologies, Astronomy and Development); Gandia (Laws of the World); Sagunt (Heritage of Humanity); Bunyol (Musical Heritage); Alaquàs (Analysis of the Castell-Palau d’Alaquàs); Llíria (Music, society and territory); Enguera (Rural development and new technologies); Ontinyent (Talent, opportunities and development); and L'Eliana (Smart city). Thanks to the collaboration of the Valencian Provincial Council, the network will be made up of 20 sites in 2020.