LOUD hosts the International Urban Innovation Research Center Symposium

On the afternoon of January 26, 2024, the International Urban Innovation Research Center, organized by the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Urban Design and Urban Science (LOUD), held a symposium at NYU Shanghai to summarize the work of 2023 and discuss the work plan for 2024.

The meeting was chaired by Liu Yanjun, Deputy Director of LOUD, with nearly 20 representatives from the academia, industry, and research sectors in the field of digital cities gathering together. They reviewed and summarized the achievements of the International Urban Innovation Research Center over the past year and outlined the work plan and layout for the next year.

Liu Yanjun, Deputy Director of LOUD

Shen Guilong, Director of the Institute of World China Studies at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, and Joint Director of the International Urban Innovation Research Center

Shen Guilong, Director of the Institute of World China Studies at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences and Director of the International Urban Innovation Research Center, stated that in the era of accelerated information dissemination, the center should pay more attention to efficient collaboration and high-quality development. It should closely align with the strategic deployment of building a strong network, digital China, and smart society, adhere to "urban innovation research" as its core, and serve the government, academia, and enterprises. It aims to establish an internationally renowned platform for urban innovation academic research and application exchange. In 2023, through deep engagement in industry exchanges and focusing on cutting-edge topics, the center expanded its influence. In the next phase, the center will further integrate domestic and international resources related to "industry, academia, research, government, and business", focus on the digital application needs of cities in areas such as the economy, life, and governance, and conduct relevant research projects for governments and enterprises. It aims to make positive contributions to the advancement of digital China with a broader vision.

ChengHe Guan, Director of LOUD and Joint Director of the International Urban Innovation Research Center

ChengHe Guan, Director of LOUD and Director of the International Urban Innovation Research Center, provided an overview of the center's work in 2023 and the plans for 2024. In 2023, the center made significant breakthroughs in the field of digital urban construction, participating in events such as the "New Infrastructure Construction Industry Digitalization Research Achievement Exhibition," the "2nd Academic Annual Conference of the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Urban Design and Urban Science (Preparation)," the "Innovation Research and Digitalization Seminar," and the "First Yangtze River Delta Health Technology Innovation Development Forum." Additionally, the center visited several benchmark digital enterprises and continued research on the "Research on the Evaluation Index System for Digital Urban Innovation" and related topics. The center has completed the preparation of the "2023 Digital Urban Innovation Evaluation Index Blue Book" and the product design for the "Digital Urban Innovation Evaluation Index Platform." These achievements demonstrate the center's outstanding strength and forward-looking vision in the field of digital urban construction.

In 2024, the center will continue to focus on "digital urban construction," expanding its membership, promoting exchanges, and conducting research projects. Additionally, there are plans to increase the number of research units and corporate members to enhance the center's authority in the digital field. Key research topics will focus on the evaluation index system for digital urban innovation, with plans to conduct research on "urban digital healthcare" and "urban data elements" and develop related platforms. Simultaneously, research will be conducted on new topics such as the "health city" construction system and "residents' happiness" based on urban resource spatial layout. Furthermore, the center will participate in and host a series of forum activities, including the release conference on urban digital health innovation evaluation index research, the Digital China Summit, and the Academic Conference of LOUD.

Esteemed experts and representatives from various enterprises

As core members of the International Urban Innovation Research Center, LOUD welcomed representatives including Mr. Zhu Haizhou, Vice President of Zhejiang Heren Technology Co., Ltd., Mr. Tian Qing, General Manager of Shanghai MedElement Medical Technology Co., Ltd., Ms. Zhu Jing, Assistant to the President of Shanghai Institute of Digital Governance, Mr. Chen Long, General Manager of Fujian Zuohai Technology Co., Ltd., Mr. Nan Jiangfei, Vice General Manager of Shanghai Xiangliangzhucheng Digital Technology Co., Ltd., and Mr. Li Zhiping, General Manager of Shanghai Jingyi Industrial Intelligence Research Institute, who shared their insights on the center's vision and future development. They unanimously agreed that, in the context of the digital era, the Urban Innovation Center needs to have forward-thinking considerations and actively respond to national strategies. As a platform, the center should not only provide digital services to industries but also play a role as a research institution in Shanghai's big data construction. In the future, the center aims to further solidify its presence, continue to integrate resources, deepen cooperation, leverage its advantages in big data, and promote the process of technological innovation and digital transformation.

Jiang Bin, Secretary-General and Executive Vice President of the Shanghai Yangtze River Delta Business Innovation Research Institute

In his concluding remarks, Jiang Bin, Secretary-General and Executive Vice President of the Shanghai Yangtze River Delta Business Innovation Research Institute, emphasized that over the past year, the International Urban Innovation Research Center has positioned itself as a leader in urban innovation theory and practice, hosting numerous academic seminars and professional forums, and releasing multiple research findings, thereby establishing a significant social influence. With the onset of a new round of industrial technological revolution and the accumulation of geopolitical crises and global uncertainty factors, new challenges and opportunities have emerged for urban governance and industrial development. Leveraging the regional resources of the Yangtze River Delta, the center should build an integrated urban digital innovation platform that encompasses government, industry, academia, research, and application, actively promoting enterprises to engage in high-intensity, full-chain, and long-term collaborative innovation. Regarding the future development of the center, Jiang proposed three suggestions: First, aligning with national development strategies, the center should clarify its mission and tasks and formulate targeted long-term, sustainable strategic plans. Second, focusing on the digital core of urban governance and industrial development, the center should gather resources from the Yangtze River Delta's think tanks, improve platform collaboration mechanisms, and lead digital innovation research. Third, enhancing international exchanges by organizing domestic and international research visits and hosting international academic forums to expand the international influence of innovation research. Finally, Jiang expressed hope that in the coming year, the center would continue to prioritize research, delve deeper into urban digitalization research, and launch a series of digital city cases and samples to be unveiled at the Digital City Forum.

The scene at the symposium meeting

As a key member unit of the International Urban Innovation Research Center, LOUD will continue to actively participate in all aspects of the center's work, contributing to the development of urban digital innovation in China.