Master's in Global Smart City Management
Double degree
Redefine urban living with our Smart Cities Master
New urban models must be conceived that pay more attention to the needs of citizens and the planet.
Our smart cities master trains professionals from a wide range of backgrounds to become practitioners with the ability to bring inter-disciplinary coherence to city projects, informed by strategic frameworks that integrate smart and sustainable approaches.
With this programme you will learn the strategic and managerial skills required to plan and develop smart, inclusive and resilient urban environments. It equips you with the technical understanding, analytical skills, and strategic management competencies to develop successful multi-stakeholder urban initiatives in accordance with international best practices such as those expressed in the United Nations New Urban Agenda. Throughout the course you will develop a practical project, putting your newfound knowledge and skills into action.
Join the growing community of smart city professionals with this smart cities master. With the increasing demand for experts in this field, you will have a wealth of career opportunities available to you. So why wait? Take your first step towards a brighter future and apply today!
Academic content
60 ECTS
Block 1
Strategic Perspectives, Business Opportunities and Citizen Engagement
Module 1. Introductory lectures.
Module 2. Financing and funding the smart city
Module 3. Citizens, data and decision-making
Block 2
New Technologies and Tools
Module 4. Connectivity and networks
Module 5. Efficient, secure and rights-friendly digital management
Module 6. Emerging Technologies
Block 3
Sustainability, Resilience and Urban Challenges
Module 7. Built environment and Mobility
Module 8. Sustainability and the Circular Economy
Module 9. Resilience and external stresses
FMT
Final Master Thesis
This project should describe the development of a Smart City project, considering the challenges this intervention seeks to address, the stakeholders involved, the intended outcomes, the methodologies used to research and design the intervention, as well as its potential costs, financing avenues, and realisation strategies.
SCC PARTNERSHIP
Professional Memberships with Smart Cities Council
All students enroled in the Master's will receive a complimentary Smart Cities Council Professional Membership.
With a global network of over 400,000 people,SCC is the world’s largest and longest running Social Impact Organisation, and Professional Members enjoy a suite of professional benefits.
From networking and mentoring through task force, podcast, webinar and global events participation, public speaking, sharing research, finding partners and funding, SCC Professionals bolster their skills, experience, and networks, significantly enhancing their profiles as future experts in the smart cities sector.
Faculty board
Academic Director
Chris Dymond
Instigator at Unfolding Ltd
Karol Argasiński
CEO & Founder at BIMfaktoria
Guillermo Corral Comeras
Urban Design Lead at MCORM Architecture and Urban Design
Daniela Idrovo Alvarado
Project Director at 360smartminds
Becki Clark
Consultant at Frazer-Nash Consultancy
Khaled Daher
Railway Installation General Manager at CAF
Albert Mubako
Co-Founder & Lead Consultant at SAP Retail and Mobility Solutions
Eduardo Martínez Gil
Head of Smart Cities at NTT Data
Eduard Alvarez-Palau
Senior Lecturer in Economics and Business Studies at Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
Testimonials
This Master literally changed my life: thanks to this programme I had a job offer and new amazing networking opportunities that opened up for meAlumni & professor Guillermo Corral - Spain
Urbanist & Project Director at 360smartminds
Smart cities should focus on people not tech, and this programme truly understands this.Malak Bukhari.
Assistant Manager at EY
This programme improved my knowledge, way of thinking, and design of smart solutions and smart mobility initiatives. It gave me the skills to connect the reduction of carbon and implementation of green energy solutions with the current demands of different stakeholdersAlumni Khaled Daher - Israel
Railway Installation General Manager at CAF
THIS PROGRAMME COMBINES TWO FACTORS THAT WILL GUARANTEE A BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL: THE ENVIRONMENTAL AGENDA AND APPLICABLE TECHNOLOGICALRESOURCES.Alumni Beatriz Ivo - Brazil
Journalist and Smart City Manager
The ZIGURAT methodology
Active & Social Learning
Training based on participation and collaboration
Studying at ZIGURAT means expanding your professional network and having the unique opportunity to participate in selective working groups, decided on through the expertise of our professors: leaders in technological innovation and construction.
Lifelong Support
A holistic view of the professional profile
From the initial orientation to post-Master's advice, we guide you to have a critical and 360º vision of your future as an expert in the sector.
Online Experience
Interactive and flexible digital experiences
Through live sessions with industry leaders and high-quality materials on global case studies, our learning approach adapts well to the hybrid pace of today's professionals.
Learning Tools
Training Partners
In Collaboration with
Admission process
Application for admission
Personal interview
Submission of documentation
Admissions Committee
Admission decision
Enrolment
Admission Request
If you wish to start the admission process, click here Admission Process.
ZIGURAT also offers financial aid plans, which 2,000 students have benefited from since we were founded. If you would like to find out more about these plans, you can do so by clicking on the link Institutional Grants.
Applications are open until the end of the available places and financial endowment of each program.
FAQ
A smart city is an urban area that uses technology to improve the quality of life for its citizens. This can include things like improving public transportation, increasing the efficiency of city services, reducing crime, encouraging citizen participation, and managing waste properly. Given the growth of population in cities and the urgency of tackling the climate crisis, smart city managers are key players in constructing the cities we need.
Yes. This programme covers all the phases of a smart city project: evaluation, strategy and implementation. That is, you will understand the endeavor of building smart cities holistically and within specific cultural contexts.
Enrolling in this smart cities master can open up several job opportunities in the fields of: urban planning; urban technology and digital solutions; project management; services & operations; enterprises & startups; and smart city consulting. There are many positions with excellent income potential:
Urban Planning and Place-making: Understand smart city options related to urban planning and identify how the integration of multiple information and communication technologies can give rise to possibilities for development and design.
Urban Technology and Digital Solutions: Leverage new technologies and digital solutions to streamline processes, change business models and secure better outcomes for city residents.
Project Management: Understand the needs and priorities of all the agents involved - citizens, city halls, service companies, utility suppliers, technology companies, universities - and propose plans of action to ensure all desired project outcomes are achieved.
Services & Operations: Explore a data-driven and tech-empowered approach to optimisingoptimizing city services, such as waste and water management, public safety, energy, mobility, etc. OptimiseOptimize the potential of the smart solutions and manage the interaction between the application and its users.
Enterprises & Startups: Recognize the real needs of the citizens and city hall in the urban environment and develop products and services that meet the challenges of this new era.
Smart City Consulting: Help different stakeholders and interested parties in defining, strategic planning and launching their smart city projects. The comprehensive vision acquired in the program allows you to connect their needs, enable them to think more critically about what they are doing, and help them succeed.
Chief Citizen Experience Officer (CCXO): The experience of the citizen must be a priority in the conception and creation of Smart Cities. The role of the Chief Citizen Experience Officer has emerged to ensure that all the resources of aSmart City are accessible and fit the needs and values of the people who live in it.
This Smart City Master gives you the tools and mindset to develop 360 skills:
Sustainability: Circular Economy, Waste Management, Urban Environment, Energy Transition, Water Management, Smart Farming.
Smart Economy: Intelligent systems, Digitalization of services, Low carbon economy, Project Financing, Innovation Ecosystems.
Urban Mobility: Road Accessibility, ICT Connectivity, GIS, Smart districts, Autonomous vehicles, Active Travel, Mobility-as-a-Service.
Smart Living: Social innovation, Urban Agenda, Digital Inclusion , Inclusive cities, Health and Wellbeing, Privacy-aware Security, Interactive Cities.
Emerging Technologies: Internet of Things, Blockchain, 5G Connectivity, Digital Twins, Artificial Intelligence.
Smart Governance: Digital Administration, Transparency, Citizen Participation, Strategic Planning, Digital Identity, Data Smart Cities.
