Global networking through ICF Nations and Institutes
ICF formed its first Institute for the study and advancement of the Intelligent Community movement in Ohio about 6 years ago followed by an ICF Institute in Mississippi. Another ICF Institute will be launched this month in Hsinchu County, Taiwan, focused on Taiwan and SE Asian smart cities. Others are in the works in Europe, Canada and in the USA. These ICF Institutions will provide a common approach to local, regional and global smart city challenges and opportunities. They will also monitor, study and provide measurable outputs in the form of research, evaluation and publication of information and programming for the purpose of demonstrating and modeling municipal infrastructure and programs to deploy and leverage connectivity and digital technologies.
These efforts will concentrate on subjects of importance to urban, rural and country-wide populations consistent with the mission of the ICF and its Institute for the Study of the Intelligent Community. At a regional level, these Institutes serve as a regional hub for all interested communities, universities, public, not-for-profit and private sector organizations, agencies and leaders and citizen groups seeking to learn the principles of the Intelligent Community. They will also examine best practices and encourage and inspire community leaders to align with the goals and opportunities of Intelligent Communities. Teaching government officials, instructors and even training the trainers, will be based on ICF’s recognized curriculum. At a global level, these Institutes will host an annual Symposium designed to maintain a dialogue among the ICF Institute and regional and international audiences. Some will venture forth and help foster and mentor other communities abroad as well as train communities to become SMART21 Intelligent Communities.
At the national level, currently ICF has two affiliates. One is ICF Taiwan, launched in February 2017 in Taipei, which works with its 14 Intelligent Communities in Taiwan, publishes information on smart businesses in Taiwan and is involved in the Taiwan Silicon Valley project in Taoyuan, among other projects and initiatives. In Canada, ICF’s affiliate is ICF Canada, formed following the successful 2015 ICF Summit in Toronto, marking the 20th Anniversary of the world’s first smart city conference held in Toronto in 1995. ICF Canada represents currently 37 Canadian communities, large and small from coast to coast. It also is helping communities that have not yet become recognized SMART21 cities and Intelligent Communities to prepare for their journey. This newsletter is but one of the many initiatives that ICF Canada is actively working on to share information, encourage and hopefully inspire communities to apply to become involved as SMART21 Communities and where possible to get them involved in its activities across Canada ad globally such the ICF Summit in London from June 4-6. ICF Canada will have a delegation at the event. Join us now by contacting Michael at michael@intelligentcommunity.org for more details.
Want to have a voice in iCommunity.ca, the official newsletter of ICF Canada? Please send your blogs, announcements and other interesting content to John G. Jung at jjung@icf-canada.com
ICF Canada 1310-20 Bay Street Toronto, Ontario M5J 2N8 www.icf-canada.com
Contact: John G. Jung at jjung@icf-canada.com 1-647-801-4238 cell
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