Smart City research from Zittau/Görlitz on national and international stages
EKI-Saxony research project strengthens the visibility of the HSZG in the field of Smart City and sustainable urban development.
As part of the EKI-Saxony project, Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences is increasingly presenting its research activities in the areas of smart cities, sustainable urban development, and digital infrastructure at national and international conferences. The project is part of the research group SCO-TTi and is led by Prof. Dr. rer. pol. Sophia Keil.
The project’s goal is to develop innovative digital solutions for energy-efficient and sustainable urban spaces and to actively promote knowledge transfer between academia, industry, and society. The focus includes, among other things, intelligent technologies for sustainable urban development, smart energy systems, and digital approaches to the maintenance of urban green spaces. At the same time, the project’s activities support the Green Zittau initiative by highlighting and further developing sustainable and digital solutions for the future that enhance the quality of life in cities and regions.
Furthermore, the plan is to directly integrate the technologies and research approaches developed in the project into teaching. To this end, a cross-faculty / trans-faculty real-world lab concept called “SmartCampusLab” has already been developed, in which students from computer science, electrical engineering, business, and the natural sciences work together on practical smart city, sustainability, and AI projects. The focus is on real-world development tasks in the fields of sensor technology, IoT, data analysis, microservices, robotics, and sustainable urban systems. Through the close integration of research, practical experience, and project-based education, students are introduced to cutting-edge technologies at an early stage and actively involved in research and technology transfer projects.
For us, Smart City means not only digitalization, but also the development of concrete solutions for sustainable and liveable regions. It is particularly important not only to discuss research results scientifically, but also to develop them further in practice together with students, municipalities and partners and to integrate them directly into teaching.
”Sustainable urban development is particularly important for rural areas. It opens up the opportunity to combine technological innovations with regional structures in a targeted manner, thereby strengthening quality of life, services of general interest and future viability in equal measure.
Sustainable urban development is not just a question of large metropolitan areas. Rural areas such as Upper Lusatia in particular can and must play an active role in shaping this by testing innovative technologies at an early stage and adapting them to regional needs.
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An earlier article already reported on the project launch and research activities in the field of intelligent ICT systems. The project team has now been able to provide further important impetus at various specialist events.
Dr. Nikolay Belov has presented the HSZG's current research approaches and smart city solutions at several prestigious events in recent months. The simul⁺ meets futureSAX innovation forum "Smart Cities and Regions" on April 16, 2026 in Chemnitz marked the start. Practical concepts and innovative technologies for municipalities and regions were discussed there.
Dr. Belov then took part in the international iCCC 2026 from 5 to 7 May 2026 in Cottbus. As part of the conference, current developments and research approaches in the field of sustainable urban technologies were presented and discussed with international partners.
The EKI-Saxony project will also be represented at other events in the coming months. Contributions are planned at the Saxon Innovation Conference on June 17, 2026 in Dresden, at the 3B Festival on June 19, 2026 and at the international conference IEEE SmartNets 2026 from July 7 to 9, 2026 in Rome.
Special information goes to the 3B Festival (bits, bonding, bassline): HSZG students are cordially invited to learn more and participate. The festival offers an excellent opportunity to get to know companies, build networks, and gain insights into innovative professional fields and career paths.
Through active participation in specialized conferences, innovation forums, and knowledge-transfer events, the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences is strengthening its visibility in the field of sustainable smart-city research while further expanding its network with partners from academia, industry, and civil society.
Text: Dr. Nikolay Belov
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