Ongoing projects

Norwegian - Romanian Green Cooperation Initiatives Towards Innovation and Environmental Sustainability (NORO Green Cities project)

The partners are: DIH Oceanopolis AS, Norway; Nordic Edge AS with Smart City Innovation Cluster Arena Pro, Norway; Danube Engineering Hub, Romania; City Cluster, Romania; Institute of National Economy - Romanian Academy, Romania.

The project's primary goal is: to prepare Romanian public and private organisations for the deployment of smart city solutions.

It aims to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange with Norwegian entities. This will help increase the use of digital tools and solutions to develop Smart City Roadmaps. The Roadmaps will serve as a guide for municipalities and county councils to implement smarter digital solutions and promote the development of sustainable, cost-effective, and user-friendly solutions.

Period: October 2024 - February 2025

INE is involved in the following activities:

Survey 1: Initial Stakeholder Insights: Distribute and collect questionnaires to gather baseline data and initial insights from stakeholders about their current understanding, expectations, and challenges related to smart city initiatives. Objectives: Identify Current Knowledge Levels, Understand Initial Expectations, Highlight Immediate Challenges.

Survey 2: Enhanced Insights Post-Workshop: Distribute and collect an enhanced survey to gather additional insights based on the discussions and interactions during the first themed workshop and study visit in Romania. Objectives: Refine Stakeholder Needs, Validate Initial Findings, Identify Additional Opportunities.

Survey 3: Comprehensive Analysis and Validation: To gather comprehensive insights from stakeholders after the second themed workshop and study visit in Norway. Objectives: Finalise Needs Assessment, Prioritise Action Areas, prepare for step 2, Summary of  Survey Needs and Objectives.

Needs Assessment Study: Gather data to understand current urban development practices and identify opportunities for greener, more sustainable solutions. This strategic analysis ensures that interventions are targeted and effective, addressing specific sustainability challenges within the regions involved.