City Upgrade Conference Brings Together Leading Experts in Digital City Development

For the seventh consecutive year, the Association of Cities is connecting entrepreneurs with local government units at the City Upgrade conference, creating a platform for the exchange of knowledge and experiences and promoting collaboration in the implementation of digital solutions. Leading experts from various institutions, mayors, representatives of local government, ministers and state secretaries, members of the ICT Group of the Association of Cities, heads of IT departments of cities and utility services, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Justice, administration, and digital transformation experts will gather from June 13 to 14 in Opatija, at the Gervais Center, for the City Upgrade conference.

– The City Upgrade conference is a leading event focused on digitalization and innovation in cities, and this year the emphasis is on the cybersecurity of cities and the use of artificial intelligence in providing public services. This year we have confirmed how eager the market is for such a conference, but also how ambitious we are as an Association in our intention to provide it – stated the Association of Cities of the Republic of Croatia, a national community established in 2002 that includes 127 member cities.

In two days of a rich program with more than 30 speakers and panelists and over 250 participants, the conference will address some of the pressing questions related to artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity, smart traffic management in cities, digital solutions for easier city management, and interactions with citizens.

Special guests of the conference are Gianluca Misuraca from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, executive director of the Master’s program on artificial intelligence in public services (AI4GOV), and Joab Q. de Lang, digital strategist of the City of Rotterdam, whose specialties include digital inclusion, cybersecurity, AI, and ethics. Their lectures will provide insights into the application of advanced technology, as well as the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation in cities.

This year’s conference also introduces the concept of round tables to provide a deeper analysis of certain topics and enable a more immediate way of discussion and idea exchange.

Journalist Petar Štefanić will moderate a panel discussion on the topic of Artificial Intelligence – (un)friend for public services, Tin Bašić will lead a discussion on the topic of Technological Challenges and Digital Solutions for Smaller Cities, while cybersecurity expert Marko Gulan will moderate the panel Cybersecurity, NIS2, and Technological Challenges (and Solutions) for Cities.

The City Upgrade Conference 2024 is a unique opportunity for all participants to enhance their knowledge, establish new business contacts, and jointly contribute to the development of smart and digitally advanced cities.

The conference is held under the auspices of the City of Opatija, and it has been supported by numerous partners: Avola Solutions, SOM competitions (Fortis Labor), Hrvatski Telekom, Infigo IS, Infodom, Transmitters and Connections (OIV), RAO, Span, and Storm Group.

Check the conference program and register for participation.