Home » Bridging Science and Society: Insights from the ENHANCE Walk & Talk on Inclusive Smart Cities
Share it

Bridging Science and Society:

ENHANCE Walk & Talk 2025 discusses the future of Inclusive Smart Cities

On 25 and 26 February, the ENHANCE Alliance hosted the second edition of its “Walk and Talk” format in Aachen, focusing on “Digging Deep into Inclusion & Equity through Smart City Living Labs.” Over two days, participants from five ENHANCE partner universities, namely host RWTH Aachen, Delft University of Technology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Warsaw University of Technology and Technische Universität Berlin, as some participants from University of Graz, public administration, and civil society organisations explored innovative initiatives addressing equity and inclusion in urban development through the lens of Smart City Living Labs.

But what exactly is a “Walk and Talk”? This unique format is designed to bring together researchers from across Europe to foster knowledge exchange, enable shifts in perspective, and identify both commonalities and divergences in transformation and transdisciplinarity through real-world examples. Crucially, the format extends beyond academic discussion by actively engaging local projects and stakeholders, encouraging dialogue and collaboration between researchers and practitioners. The diversity of approaches to fostering just and inclusive cities was reflected in the participating projects. These ranged from AI-driven flood risk assessments to the creation of public creative and learning spaces, as well as a elder citizens’ café designed to support older adults in navigating digitalisation. By examining these varied initiatives, participants explored potential synergies and opportunities for shared learning.

The insights and examples gathered during the Walk and Talk will directly contribute to an interdisciplinary design course within ENHANCE. In this course, students from all 10 ENHANCE universities will work in interdisciplinary teams to develop people-centred products and processes, leveraging state-of-the-art technology to implement Living Lab methodologies across European cities. A key takeaway from the event was the vital role of transdisciplinary collaboration in people-centred urban development and research. Discussions underscored the necessity of fostering stronger connections between universities and researchers to build a more equitable and inclusive society. This was exemplified by a hands-on mapping exercise in partnership with a local multicultural non-profit organisation, in which participants examined a city quarter through the lenses of participation, security, and accessibility to inform more inclusive urban planning strategies.

The event also provided a platform for critical reflection on the concept of “Smart Cities.” Participants debated whether digitalisation should always be a central solution and how Smart City initiatives can be more effectively tailored to the needs of local communities, interest groups, and specific site conditions.

By bridging academia, public administration, and civil society, Walk and Talk continues to contribute to ENHANCE’s broader mission of strengthening universities as drivers of societal transformation. As the alliance advances its vision of a European University for the Future of Europe, formats like this serve as a catalyst for interdisciplinary dialogue and action, demonstrating the power of collaborative research in addressing pressing societal challenges.

We extend our sincere gratitude to all organisers, participants, and partners who contributed to making this event a success. A special thanks goes to our colleague Stefan John for compiling this insightful recap, ensuring that the key takeaways and reflections from the Walk and Talk are shared and hopefully inspire our extended ENHANCE community to continue walking and talking together and collaborate on innovative solutions that address European and global challenges.

Make sure to check out the recap of this Walk & Talk by our ENHANCE Buddy Tabea. 🌍✈️

Scroll to Top