GLOBAL & DOMESTIC OUTLOOK Smart Cities USE TECH TO IMPROVE CITIZENS' LIVES By Chuck Trahan Dubai a n o l e c r a B Berlin BARCELONA BERLIN DUBAI Barcelona is thinking much bigger than Barcelona. The city is setting forth its own initiatives while also providing support for the entire smart cities movement. Barcelona holds the Smart Cities Expo World Congress, the premier event for people involved in the smart cities movement. Barcelona also is pushing its City Protocol Initiative, which seeks to connect cities across the globe to address common challenges. The city that offers a mix of historic scenery and progressive views is also a hub for startups. Berlin is seeking to attract a creative class of workers who can lead urban renewal efforts and economic growth through innovation and entrepreneurship. Dubai gets an A for adding academics to its smart city portfolio. As part of its Smart Dubai Initiative, the city has teamed up with the Rochester Institute of Technology to create a groundbreaking Master of Science degree in data analytics - the first of its kind in the region - and has secured official accreditation from the UAE Ministry of Education. The degree program, which can be completed in 11 months, covers the increasingly influential field of data, which is the foundation of advanced services and smart city transformations around the world. STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKFORCE CHICAGO PRODUCTIVITY Chicago is a hectic city with a lot of moving parts. To streamline city services and address challenges, Chicago uses digital innovation to link its citizens to digital services and city information. These efforts go a long way toward improving the productivity of Chicago citizens. EDUCATION Photos: iStock