OpenCourser brand icon
Sign in
We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.
Course image
Course image
edX logo

Smart Cities

Christopher Vas and Anna Earl

The Smart Cities course charts a journey across New Zealand to understand how smart cities are shaping up from Christchurch in the South to the capital city Wellington all the way to Hamilton in the North.

You’ll learn from real live smart city projects such as LED lighting, solar powered waste management solutions and more allowing you to better comprehend how New Zealand is paving new paths to harness technology to create social change.

Read more

The Smart Cities course charts a journey across New Zealand to understand how smart cities are shaping up from Christchurch in the South to the capital city Wellington all the way to Hamilton in the North.

You’ll learn from real live smart city projects such as LED lighting, solar powered waste management solutions and more allowing you to better comprehend how New Zealand is paving new paths to harness technology to create social change.

You will analyse the role of various stakeholders in the ecosystem and examine some of the governance challenges. Finally, you will relate to developments in NZ by examining your own city context. Your interactions with other participants will have you contributing, debating, sharing and drawing insights from your city.

What you'll learn

  1. Understand how local City Councils in New Zealand are organising around the concept of ‘smart’ cities.
  2. Analyse the role of stakeholders in development of smart cities
  3. Examine governance challenges in smart cities
  4. Critique the evolution of smart societies.
  5. Articulate how Cities are tackling community challenges in smart cities
  6. Assess the relevance of global smart city practices to local context
Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Understand how local city councils in new zealand are organising around the concept of ‘smart’ cities.
  • Analyse the role of stakeholders in development of smart cities
  • Examine governance challenges in smart cities
  • Critique the evolution of smart societies.
  • Articulate how cities are tackling community challenges in smart cities
  • Assess the relevance of global smart city practices to local context

Syllabus

Module 1: New Zealand and Smart cities
You will understand how the concept of smart cities continues to evolve, understand the role of technology and data, and get introduced to smart cities in New Zealand from the lens of the City Councils driving these programs.
Read more

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Explores smart city concepts and practices in the context of New Zealand, providing a unique perspective on urban development
Provides real-life examples of smart city projects, offering practical insights into the implementation of sustainable technologies
Focuses on the role of stakeholders and governance challenges, equipping learners with a comprehensive understanding of smart city ecosystem
Involves collaboration and discussion with participants from different cities, fostering a global exchange of ideas and experiences
Examines the evolution of smart societies and the challenges they face, providing a critical perspective on urban development
May require some background knowledge in urban planning or related fields to fully grasp all the concepts discussed

Save this course

Create your own learning path. Save this course to your list so you can find it easily later.
Save

Reviews summary

Smart cities: nz insights and policy

According to students, this course provides a largely positive overview of smart city initiatives, with a particular focus on New Zealand's approach. Learners found the coverage of real-world projects, stakeholder roles, and governance challenges to be highly relevant and insightful. While many appreciated the well-structured content, some reviewers desired more technical depth or a broader international comparison beyond the strong NZ focus. A few also noted occasional issues with production quality of video content. Overall, it's considered a valuable course for those seeking to understand smart cities from a policy and social impact perspective.
Offers a strong introduction but may be too high-level for experts.
"I felt some modules could have gone into more technical depth. I was hoping for more practical tools."
"Found this course to be too basic for someone with a background in urban informatics. Maybe better for absolute beginners."
"The 'wicked problems' module felt a bit shallow; I wanted a deeper dive into solutions."
Provides excellent insights into governance challenges and stakeholder roles.
"The discussions on governance challenges were very relevant to my work in urban planning."
"Solid content, especially on governance and community involvement. It gave me a good framework."
"Understanding the role of different stakeholders and the governance challenges really broadened my perspective on urban development."
Offers highly relevant case studies from New Zealand's smart cities.
"This course provided an excellent overview of smart city initiatives in New Zealand. The case studies were particularly insightful."
"The examples from Christchurch and Wellington were fascinating, truly an eye-opening course."
"The real-world examples and focus on social impact resonated deeply. It helped me understand complexities and opportunities."
Some isolated feedback on the quality of video production.
"The course has interesting ideas, but the production quality of some videos was a bit low, and sometimes the audio was unclear."
Primarily focuses on NZ, with less emphasis on global comparisons.
"While the focus on New Zealand is strong, which is good if that's your interest, it felt less applicable globally without deeper dives."
"An okay course. The New Zealand examples are good, but I wish there was more international comparison beyond just mentioning it."
"Good introduction, but I think a bit more emphasis on data analytics aspects and global trends would enhance it further."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Smart Cities with these activities:
Join Class Discussion Groups
Engage with your classmates in online discussion groups to exchange ideas, ask questions, and deepen your understanding of smart city concepts.
Show steps
  • Actively participate in discussion forums assigned by your instructor.
  • Share your thoughts and perspectives on the course material.
  • Respond to questions and comments from your peers.
  • Collaborate with others to develop a shared understanding of key concepts.
Volunteer at a Local Smart City Project
Gain hands-on experience and contribute to the development of smart city initiatives in your local community.
Browse courses on Volunteering
Show steps
  • Research local organizations involved in smart city projects.
  • Contact the organizations to inquire about volunteer opportunities.
  • Attend volunteer training or orientation sessions.
  • Participate in data collection, outreach activities, or other tasks as assigned.
Take a Walk through Christchurch City, New Zealand
Kickstart your learning experience with an immersive project that encourages you to explore the real-world implementation of smart city concepts in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Browse courses on Smart Cities
Show steps
  • Research and identify smart city initiatives in Christchurch.
  • Plan your walking route to visit key landmarks and projects.
  • Document your observations and insights on the implementation and impact of smart technologies.
  • Share your findings in a class discussion or online forum.
Five other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all eight activities
Analyze Case Studies on Smart City Governance
Develop your critical thinking skills by analyzing real-world case studies of smart city governance models and challenges.
Browse courses on Case Studies
Show steps
  • Read and review provided case studies on smart city governance.
  • Identify key governance principles and challenges.
  • Compare and contrast different governance models and their effectiveness.
  • Write a short analysis paper summarizing your insights and conclusions.
Read: Smart Cities: A Global Perspective
Gain a broader understanding of global smart city initiatives and best practices by reviewing a comprehensive text on the subject.
View Smart Cities: Big Data, Civic Hackers, and the... on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read the book's introduction and key chapters.
  • Take notes on the different approaches to smart city development.
  • Compare and contrast the case studies presented in the book with the examples from Christchurch.
Complete Tutorials on Smart City Applications
Delve deeper into the technical aspects of smart city technologies by following guided tutorials that demonstrate their implementation and use cases.
Show steps
  • Identify platforms or websites that offer interactive tutorials on smart city applications.
  • Select tutorials that align with your interests or areas of focus.
  • Follow the instructions and complete the exercises provided in the tutorials.
  • Experiment with different parameters and settings to gain a practical understanding of the applications.
Design a Smart City Concept for Your Community
Apply your knowledge and creativity by designing a smart city concept tailored to the needs and challenges of your own community.
Browse courses on Community Engagement
Show steps
  • Research the unique characteristics and issues of your community.
  • Brainstorm ideas for smart solutions that address these challenges.
  • Create a visual representation or prototype of your smart city concept.
  • Present your concept to your classmates or a local community group for feedback and discussion.
Develop a Smart City Action Plan
Demonstrate your mastery of the course by creating a comprehensive action plan that outlines how smart city principles can be implemented in a specific context.
Browse courses on Action Plan
Show steps
  • Choose a city or region to focus on.
  • Analyze the local context, challenges, and opportunities.
  • Develop a set of goals and objectives for smart city development.
  • Outline strategies and actions to achieve these goals, including technology implementation, stakeholder engagement, and governance mechanisms.
  • Present your action plan to your instructor or classmates for feedback and evaluation.

Career center

Learners who complete Smart Cities will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Smart City Planner
This Smart Cities course provides a comprehensive overview of the planning, development, and implementation of smart city initiatives, with a focus on New Zealand's approach. As a Smart City Planner, you will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies to make cities more sustainable, efficient, and equitable. This course will equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in this role, including an understanding of smart city technologies, data analytics, and stakeholder engagement.
See salaries and explore the career path for Smart City Planner
Smart City Architect
The Smart Cities course provides a comprehensive overview of the design and implementation of smart city initiatives, with a focus on New Zealand's approach. As a Smart City Architect, you will be responsible for designing and developing smart city solutions that meet the specific needs of communities and stakeholders. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in this role, including an understanding of smart city technologies, data analytics, and stakeholder engagement.
See salaries and explore the career path for Smart City Architect
Smart City Engineer
The Smart Cities course provides a comprehensive overview of the design and implementation of smart city infrastructure, with a focus on New Zealand's approach. As a Smart City Engineer, you will be responsible for designing and developing smart city infrastructure solutions that meet the specific needs of communities and stakeholders. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in this role, including an understanding of smart city technologies, data analytics, and stakeholder engagement.
See salaries and explore the career path for Smart City Engineer
Smart City Data Analyst
The Smart Cities course provides a comprehensive overview of the collection, analysis, and use of data in smart city initiatives, with a focus on New Zealand's approach. As a Smart City Data Analyst, you will be responsible for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data to support smart city planning and decision-making. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in this role, including an understanding of data analytics, data visualization, and stakeholder engagement.
See salaries and explore the career path for Smart City Data Analyst
City Manager
The Smart Cities course offers a comprehensive overview of the development and implementation of smart city initiatives in New Zealand. As a City Manager, you will be responsible for overseeing the planning, development, and implementation of city-wide initiatives, including those related to smart city technologies and infrastructure. This course will provide you with valuable insights into the key challenges and opportunities associated with smart city development, helping you to make informed decisions and effectively manage smart city projects.
See salaries and explore the career path for City Manager
Information Technology Specialist
The Smart Cities course offers a comprehensive overview of the development and implementation of smart city initiatives, with a focus on their reliance on information technology. As an Information Technology Specialist, you will be responsible for designing, developing, and implementing information technology solutions for smart city initiatives. This course will provide you with valuable insights into the key challenges and opportunities associated with smart city development, helping you to make informed recommendations and effectively manage information technology initiatives.
See salaries and explore the career path for Information Technology Specialist
Data Scientist
The Smart Cities course offers a comprehensive overview of the development and implementation of smart city initiatives, with a focus on their reliance on data. As a Data Scientist, you will be responsible for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data to support smart city planning and decision-making. This course will provide you with valuable insights into the key challenges and opportunities associated with smart city development, helping you to make informed recommendations and effectively manage data science initiatives.
See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist
Project Manager
The Smart Cities course offers a comprehensive overview of the development and implementation of smart city initiatives, with a focus on their complexity and scale. As a Project Manager, you will be responsible for planning, executing, and monitoring smart city projects. This course will provide you with valuable insights into the key challenges and opportunities associated with smart city development, helping you to make informed decisions and effectively manage smart city projects.
See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager
Public Policy Analyst
The Smart Cities course offers a comprehensive overview of the development and implementation of smart city initiatives, with a focus on their potential to improve public policy. As a Public Policy Analyst, you will be responsible for analyzing and evaluating public policies, including those related to smart city development. This course will provide you with valuable insights into the key challenges and opportunities associated with smart city development, helping you to make informed recommendations and effectively manage public policy initiatives.
See salaries and explore the career path for Public Policy Analyst
Sustainability Manager
The Smart Cities course offers a comprehensive overview of the development and implementation of smart city initiatives, with a focus on their potential to promote sustainability. As a Sustainability Manager, you will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies to make cities more sustainable and environmentally friendly. This course will provide you with valuable insights into the key challenges and opportunities associated with smart city development, helping you to make informed decisions and effectively manage sustainability initiatives.
See salaries and explore the career path for Sustainability Manager
Urban Planner
The Smart Cities course offers a comprehensive overview of the planning, development, and implementation of smart city initiatives, with a focus on their potential to improve urban planning and design. As an Urban Planner, you will be responsible for developing and implementing plans for the development and use of land in cities. This course will provide you with valuable insights into the key challenges and opportunities associated with smart city development, helping you to make informed decisions and effectively manage urban planning initiatives.
See salaries and explore the career path for Urban Planner
Community Engagement Specialist
The Smart Cities course offers a comprehensive overview of the development and implementation of smart city initiatives, with a focus on their potential to engage communities and stakeholders. As a Community Engagement Specialist, you will be responsible for engaging communities and stakeholders in smart city planning and decision-making. This course will provide you with valuable insights into the key challenges and opportunities associated with smart city development, helping you to make informed recommendations and effectively manage community engagement initiatives.
See salaries and explore the career path for Community Engagement Specialist
Economic Development Specialist
The Smart Cities course offers a comprehensive overview of the development and implementation of smart city initiatives, with a focus on their potential to promote economic development. As an Economic Development Specialist, you will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies to promote economic development in cities. This course will provide you with valuable insights into the key challenges and opportunities associated with smart city development, helping you to make informed recommendations and effectively manage economic development initiatives.
See salaries and explore the career path for Economic Development Specialist
Research Scientist
The Smart Cities course offers a comprehensive overview of the development and implementation of smart city initiatives. As a Research Scientist, you will be responsible for conducting research on smart city technologies and solutions. This course will provide you with valuable insights into the key challenges and opportunities associated with smart city development, helping you to make informed recommendations and effectively manage research initiatives.
See salaries and explore the career path for Research Scientist
Policy Analyst
The Smart Cities course offers a comprehensive overview of the development and implementation of smart city initiatives. As a Policy Analyst, you will be responsible for analyzing and evaluating smart city policies and initiatives. This course will provide you with valuable insights into the key challenges and opportunities associated with smart city development, helping you to make informed recommendations and effectively manage policy analysis initiatives.
See salaries and explore the career path for Policy Analyst

Reading list

We've selected seven books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Smart Cities.
Cover image
Smart Cities: Big Data, Civic Hackers, and the...
Save
Provides a comprehensive overview of the concept of smart cities, including the role of big data, civic innovation, and the Internet of Things. It would be a valuable supplemental reading for this course, as it provides a deeper understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of smart city development.
Smart Cities: Big Data, Civic Hackers, and the...
Paperback
$$
Smart Cities: Big Data, Civic Hackers, and the...
Kindle Edition
$
Cover image
The Computable City
Save
Provides a spatial perspective on the development of smart cities. It would be a valuable resource for students wanting to understand the role of space and place in smart city development.
The Computable City: Histories, Technologies,...
Paperback
$$
The Computable City: Histories, Technologies,...
Kindle Edition
$$
Cover image
Environmental Governance
Save
Provides a comprehensive overview of the governance of smart cities. It would be a valuable resource for students wanting to understand the different approaches to smart city governance.
Environmental Governance (Routledge Introductions...
Paperback
$$
Environmental Governance (Routledge Introductions...
Kindle Edition
$$
Cover image
The Daddy Diaries
Save
Provides a comprehensive overview of the development of smart cities. It would be a valuable resource for students wanting to understand the different aspects of smart city development.
The Daddy Diaries: The Year I Grew Up
Hardcover
$
The Daddy Diaries: The Year I Grew Up
Kindle Edition
$$
Cover image
Ghost Road: Beyond the Driverless Car
Save
Collection of essays from leading experts on smart cities. It would be a valuable supplemental reading for this course, as it provides a variety of perspectives on the challenges and opportunities of smart city development.
Ghost Road: Beyond the Driverless Car
Kindle Edition
$$
Cover image
Cities in Civilization
Save
Provides a comprehensive overview of the field of urban informatics, which is the study of how data can be used to improve urban planning and management. It would be a valuable supplemental reading for this course, as it provides a deeper understanding of the technical and methodological aspects of smart city development.
Cities in Civilization
Paperback
Check
Cities in Civilization
Kindle Edition
Check
Cover image
Work Your Way Around the World
Save
Provides a global perspective on the development of smart cities. It would be a valuable supplemental reading for this course, as it provides a comparative analysis of smart city initiatives in different countries and regions.
Work Your Way Around the World: The globetrotters...
Paperback
$$
Work Your Way Around the World: The Globetrotter's...
Paperback
$$
Work Your Way Around the World, 12th
Paperback
$$$
Work Your Way Around the World by Griffith, Susan...
Unknown Binding
$$$
Work Your Way Around the World by Griffith. Susan (...
Paperback
$$$$
Work Your Way Around the World: A Fresh and Fully...
Paperback
$$
Work Your Way Around the World (Vaction Work's)
Paperback
$$
Work Your Way Around the World
Paperback
$$
Work Your Way Around the World
Paperback
$
Work Your Way Around the World
Kindle Edition
$$

Share

Help others find this course page by sharing it with your friends and followers:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Reddit
X
Link
Email

Similar courses

Here are nine courses similar to Smart Cities.
Foundations of strategic business analytics
Most relevant
Foundations of marketing analytics
Most relevant
Data Mining Project
Most relevant
Introduction to Genomic Technologies
Most relevant
Management of Urban Infrastructures – part 1
Most relevant
Managing Responsibly: Practicing Sustainability,...
Most relevant
The Total Data Quality Framework
Most relevant
Mastering Data Analysis in Excel
Most relevant
Data Management for Clinical Research
Most relevant

edX Buyer Protection & Guarantee

Verified partner policies & purchase protections

World-Class University Partner
Free Trial & Audit

Free Audit Track Available

Free audit track available for most courses, giving open access to video lectures, course readings, and assignments at no charge.

Return & Refund Policy

14-Day Full Refund Window

14-day full refund available up to 14 days after course start or 14 days after payment (whichever comes second, up to 6 months max), provided verified certificate has not yet been earned.

Buyer Protections

Verified Academic & Industry Partner

University-backed credentials authored by elite institutions like Harvard, MIT, and Oxford, with tamper-proof certificate verification.

Key Purchase Protections
Free audit track for open learning access
14-day money-back guarantee on verified certificates
Prestigious university credentials (Harvard, MIT)
Automatic unenrollment refund process via dashboard
OpenCourser Verified Partner Policy details last reviewed: 2026-10-22
Course image
Effort
3 to 4 hours per week for 6 weeks
Level
Introductory
Via
edX
Institution
University of Canterbury
Instructors
Christopher Vas
Anna Earl
Language
English
Transcript
English
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Explores smart city concepts and practices in the context of New Zealand, providing a unique perspective on urban development
Provides real-life examples of smart city projects, offering practical insights into the implementation of sustainable technologies
Focuses on the role of stakeholders and governance challenges, equipping learners with a comprehensive understanding of smart city ecosystem
Involves collaboration and discussion with participants from different cities, fostering a global exchange of ideas and experiences
Examines the evolution of smart societies and the challenges they face, providing a critical perspective on urban development
May require some background knowledge in urban planning or related fields to fully grasp all the concepts discussed
Share this
Share to help others discover this course.
Facebook LinkedIn X Reddit Link Email
Begin learning today
Enroll now to gain full access to Smart Cities.
Enroll now
Save for later
Add this course to your list. Find it anytime.
Save
Our mission

OpenCourser helps millions of learners each year. People visit us to learn workspace skills, ace their exams, and nurture their curiosity.

Our extensive catalog contains over 50,000 courses and twice as many books. Browse by search, by topic, or even by career interests. We'll match you to the right resources quickly.

Find this site helpful? Tell a friend about us.

Affiliate disclosure

We're supported by our community of learners. When you purchase or subscribe to courses and programs or purchase books, we may earn a commission from our partners.

Your purchases help us maintain our catalog and keep our servers humming without ads.

Thank you for supporting OpenCourser.

© 2016 - 2025 OpenCourser