Developing a collaborative research program in the areas of transportation and smart cities was the focus of a recent Toronto workshop attended by researchers from UofT, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Utrecht University.
The June 8-9 workshop was a follow-up to a 2016 meeting and Memorandum of Understanding initiating a tripartite research agreement.
Several areas for research collaboration were identified at the workshop:
- establishment of inter-connected regional data observatories in Hong Kong, the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area and the Randstad urban region within The Netherland
- networking of software platforms for smart city data collection, management and analysis under development at UTTRI and CUHK.
- exploration of a range of issues dealing with transportation accessibility and equity, with the very different urban forms and transportation systems of three regions providing a unique opportunity for cross-national and cross-cultural comparisons.
Next steps for the group include:
- collaborating on a couple of initial papers that extend current accessibility-related work by group members
- starting the coordination of regional data lab activities
- developing a formal vision statement as the basis for seeking long-term funding for group research activities.
The next workshop is planned to take place in an estimated six to twelve month in Hong Kong.