The course provides both theoretical and practical knowledge on the interrelationships between the digitisation processes shaping contemporary society and their implications for environmental sustainability. The specific focus of the course is cities, where the majority of the world’s population is now concentrated and which act as the driving force of knowledge production.
This interrelationship is analysed, described and interpreted through the concept of smart cities, understood as places where traditional networks and services become more efficient through the use of digital technologies and telecommunications, benefiting inhabitants and businesses, enabling a more effective use of resources and reducing the harmful emissions typically associated with production processes.
Smart cities generate improvements in several sectors: intelligent urban transport networks, water‑supply systems, waste‑management infrastructures, efficient lighting and heating systems, enhanced public‑administration functionalities, and increased usability and safety of public spaces — particularly important in societies with progressively ageing populations.
A sector in which these technological changes bring particularly significant transformations is electronic commerce, which is experiencing — and is expected to continue experiencing — sustained growth, with major implications for the environmental and social sustainability of cities. For this reason, a substantial part of the course focuses on the implications of e‑commerce for urban environments and on the policy measures that can be adopted, particularly regarding urban freight distribution, with the aim of mitigating negative effects and promoting positive outcomes for cities.
Students, through active participation in the course — including (1) critical discussions, (2) structured bibliographical research, (3) the drafting of short documents and (4) public presentations — develop the ability to approach complex issues rigorously and comprehensively, as well as soft skills that are valuable in professional contexts.
This interrelationship is analysed, described and interpreted through the concept of smart cities, understood as places where traditional networks and services become more efficient through the use of digital technologies and telecommunications, benefiting inhabitants and businesses, enabling a more effective use of resources and reducing the harmful emissions typically associated with production processes.
Smart cities generate improvements in several sectors: intelligent urban transport networks, water‑supply systems, waste‑management infrastructures, efficient lighting and heating systems, enhanced public‑administration functionalities, and increased usability and safety of public spaces — particularly important in societies with progressively ageing populations.
A sector in which these technological changes bring particularly significant transformations is electronic commerce, which is experiencing — and is expected to continue experiencing — sustained growth, with major implications for the environmental and social sustainability of cities. For this reason, a substantial part of the course focuses on the implications of e‑commerce for urban environments and on the policy measures that can be adopted, particularly regarding urban freight distribution, with the aim of mitigating negative effects and promoting positive outcomes for cities.
Students, through active participation in the course — including (1) critical discussions, (2) structured bibliographical research, (3) the drafting of short documents and (4) public presentations — develop the ability to approach complex issues rigorously and comprehensively, as well as soft skills that are valuable in professional contexts.
