On April 27, 2021, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine and the non-profit British organization «World Smart Cities Forum» (WSCF). The parties will work together to develop a strategic plan for smart cites in Ukraine.
The development of the Smart Cities project and the creation of an innovative ecosystem in Ukraine with the participation of WSCF will begin in Lviv. It is envisaged that the Global Eastern Europe Innovation Center will be established on the basis of the Science Park, Lviv Polytechnic National University.
The main purpose of the Center is to develop a strategic plan for a smart city, to conduct research in the field of innovation for the sustainable development goals in Ukraine, to attract investment and promote the development of innovation infrastructure in the country.
It is expected that the Smart City project, created on the basis of Lviv Polytechnic National University, will become an example for other cities in Ukraine. The main idea of the project is to find startups that will develop solutions for Smart City. The goal for startups is to create models that address the most global problems in cities.
– The Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine is currently working to create an innovation infrastructure in the regions. The State Strategy for Regional Development for 2021–2027 envisages that one of the tasks of regional policy is the introduction of innovative technologies in urban development management systems based on the Smart City concept. The digital transformation of the regions should take place with the use of the tools of smart urban planning, spatial planning and construction of innovative ecosystems, said Oleksii Chernyshov, Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine.
Due to active participation of multinational companies and investment institutions in the Smart City project, Ukraine will be positioned as the center of the innovation ecosystem in Eastern Europe. The Smart City project is based on a public-private partnership.
