Smart Ideas, Smarter Cities:
ENHANCE Workshop Unites Students Across Europe
The ENHANCE Alliance recently concluded its hybrid workshop, “Inclusive Innovation: Co-creation of Smart City Living Labs,” held from 19 to 23 May 2025 at Warsaw University of Technology (WUT) . This initiative brought together 31 students from nine universities across seven countries — Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and Italy.
The workshop was co-organised by our ENHANCE member institutions WUT, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), and RWTH Aachen University, with support from the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA).
The programme aimed to develop people-centred products and processes by leveraging cutting-edge technology to implement Living Labs in urban settings. Participants engaged in interdisciplinary collaboration, focusing on inclusivity and equity in smart city development. The course combined online sessions held on 7 March, 21 March, and 25 April with a five-day in-person workshop in Warsaw.
Workshop Highlights
Day 1
The workshop commenced with a welcome session and group photo at WUT, followed by an introductory co-creation session titled “Co-Create & Iterate.” Participants engaged in collaborative prototyping, guided by AI and social research experts. The day concluded with “Free Creation Time,” supported by AI expert Kamil Choromański.
Day 2
The focus shifted to deepening understanding of smart city innovation. Activities included continued prototyping with technical support from electronics expert Piotr Pałka, a Business Model Canvas workshop led by Łukasz Sztern, and a session on “Dementia Friendly Design” conducted by Agnieszka Cieśla. Participants also test-drove their prototypes with prospective users, receiving valuable feedback.
Day 3
Teams engaged in “Test-Drive Your Design II,” further validating their prototypes with user input. Experts Piotr Pałka and Katarzyna Rędzińska provided insights on electronics and integrated landscape planning. Dr. Yu Wang from NTNU led a co-creation workshop introducing resilience-focused approaches
The workshop concluded in a final day of presenting developed concepts, focusing on the value of sustainability in the creation processy. Participants explored how to better align their innovations with real user needs through a hands-on session led by Professor Robert Olszewski from WUT, who introduced the Value Proposition Canvas. This tool helped teams articulate the specific benefits their solutions offer to end users. Later, Dr. Grzegorz Ganczewski conducted a practical workshop on measuring sustainability, guiding students through environmental impact assessments and encouraging them to consider long-term viability in their designs. The day emphasised the importance of balancing innovation with both user value and ecological responsibility.
The ENHANCE Smart City Living Lab exemplified the ENHANCE Alliance’s commitment to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation in addressing urban challenges. By integrating diverse perspectives and expertise, participants developed practical solutions aimed at enhancing the quality of life in smart cities. For more information and photos from the workshop, please visit the comprehensive summary of the workshop, provided by our ENHANCE colleagues at WUT.