Heraklion, Crete, Makes “Smart21 Communities” 2014 List

The city of Heraklion on Crete is among the world’s Smart21 Communities of 2014 put together by Intelligent Community Forum (ICF), based in New York. This is the third year Heraklion makes it on the Smart21 list and is the only community from Greece and Europe.

Intelligent Communities are those which have – whether through crisis or foresight – come to understand the enormous challenges of the Broadband Economy, and have taken conscious steps to create an economy capable of prospering in it.

Crete

Home to the Science and Technology Park of Crete and one of Europe’s top research centers, the Foundation for Research and Technology, the city of Heraklion has four telecom providers and a free wireless overlay network that have made broadband available to nearly 100 percent of the population.

The city has also made substantial investments in e-government services and established digital skills training centers.

To promote innovation, the University of Crete works with the Chamber of Commerce and government to identify training needs, connect graduates with job opportunities, and provide consultation for both young entrepreneurs and job seekers.

Gaining a place among the year’s Smart21 is considered a badge of honor as well as the first step greater recognition as an Intelligent Community positioned to prosper in the broadband economy.

Smart21 Communities

Evaluation of nominations is based on the five Intelligent Community Indicators, which provide the conceptual framework for understanding all of the factors that determine a community’s competitiveness and point to its success in the broadband economy: Broadband Connectivity, Knowledge Workforce, Innovation, Digital Inclusion, Marketing and Advocacy.

In addition, the awards were guided by this year’s theme, Community as Canvas, that looks at three specific aspects of culture: as art and craftwork with both economic and social value, as heritage that gives a place its identity, and as attitudes arising from that heritage that determine how people react to change.

A second stage in the organization’s evaluation will determine the top seven digital cities by January, while the world’s “digitally smartest” city will be selected by next June.