Most of Asian growth has been, and will continue to be, driven by urban centers. Asia is moving into an era of unprecedented urbanization, a change bringing prosperity and problems. Asian cities are growing rapidly. Another 1.1 billion people will live in the region’s cities in the next 20 years. By 2030, more than 55% of the population of Asia will be urban. In many places, cities will merge together to create urban settlements on a scale never seen before.

In the Global world that we are living today we have the interplay of political, economic and social forces that promote and prevent social and environmental justice. These include people’s struggles for wellbeing and sustainability and the visions that inspire them; and the roles of state, society and market actors. Also, the need of the hour is transcending geographical binaries of Nations, and looking into areas of complementarity and between inter-sections of economic development, social innovation, human well-being and environmental sustainability. Towards this outcome, initiating transboundary collaborations, strengthening global to regional networks, establishing interstate relations, and setting up robust communities are vital. Hence, this rapid urbanization is not without its challenges as it has implications on important issues such as city congestion, water/air quality, poverty, rising inequalities, urban-rural divide, citizen security and safety.

The Conference will combine skills and knowledge of international development with an in-depth focus on social justice, wellbeing and sustainability. It will endeavor to bring in perspectives from international relations through a reflective lens on international treaties and agreements, and transboundary initiatives in this area of interest.

In this context, this conference is an attempt to bring together different countries, and proposes to establish a network to synergise these efforts and, thereby contributing to a sustainable global Community-building. Cross-country or cross-regional participation and engagement will encourage a dialogue that can help ideate policy avenues and pathways to address international and regional issues that can ultimately foster strong inter-state relations.

This conference is envisioned as a collaborative platform where different countries from Asia and beyond (with room for expansion when it matures) – work towards the common goal of smart and technology-driven sustainable urban development. Its primary goal will be to improve the lives of global citizens, using technology and social innovation as an enabler.

Aims and Objectives: 

• Facilitate cooperation  between partnering countries and institutions. Institutions and their Representatives will come together to explore potential complementarities, share best practices, develop individualized action plans for collaboration and development, and craft a framework for building bridges and moving towards development that is unique to specific problems faced.

• To strengthen the science, technology and innovation capacity of the partnering countries, including the capacity to identify, absorb, develop, integrate and scale-up the deployment of technologies and innovations

• Fostering the national and regional capacity of each country for the effective utilization of technology in order to bring about transformative change.

• Catalyze bankable projects with the private sector and solution providers to kick-start practical and commercially viable projects with tangible outcomes.

• Develop problem oriented-solution models together, and collaborate on securing funding and support from external partners.

• The collaboration will be designed to allow partnering countries and institutions to focus on areas that matter to them (such as transport, water quality, energy, health care, education, public services, data, and information and communications technology), in line with each country’s local and cultural context.

• The ability to explore areas of complementarity and inter relations and to between human well being, economic development, social justice and sustainability

• Rich experience gained from working with people from a wide range of disciplinary, professional and national backgrounds.

• Urban Sustainability: Intersecting Political Dynamics and Technological Innovations

  • Exploring how political strategies and technological advancements work together to create sustainable urban futures.

• Technological Solutions and Political Actions in Environmental Crisis Management

  • Investigating the collaboration between political dynamics and technology in responding to and managing environmental disasters.

• Social Innovation in Displaced Communities: A Techno-Political Perspective

  • Delving into the role of social innovation, supported by technological and political frameworks, in empowering displaced populations.

• Resilience in Urban Spaces: Political and Technological Pathways

  • Discussing the synergy of political policies and technological solutions in enhancing urban adaptability and resilience.

• Cultural Heritage in the Digital Age: A Socio-Technological Approach

  • Examining the impact of technology and social innovation on preserving and redefining cultural legacies.

• Social Justice and Equity: The Nexus of Technology, Policy, and Social Innovation

  • Analyzing how technological and social innovations, guided by political dynamics, can advance gender equality and broader social justice.

• Healthcare Evolution through Technology and Social-Policy Innovation

  • Exploring the intersection of technology, social innovation, and political strategies in transforming global healthcare.

• Global Environmental Governance: A Blend of Technology, Social Innovation, and Political Insight

  • Focusing on the integration of social innovation with technology and political insights for effective environmental management.

• Climate Change Advocacy from the Margins: A Socio-Techno-Political Approach

  • Emphasizing the empowerment of marginalized communities in climate discourse through social innovation, technological means, and political advocacy.

The precise goals of this Conference is to encourage and support Cross-Country, Cross-University, multidisciplinary research collaborations between faculty and practicing professionals of sciences, social sciences and humanities background, along with students with faculties as mentors - specific to matters of relevance to all the partnering countries.

This seeks to advance: 

• Interdisciplinary research

• The development of new theoretical or methodological approaches to research

• The maintenance and sustainability of various disciplinary research activities

• The facilitation of communication of research outputs both within and outside the academic community

• The provision of input to administrators and policy makers.

Conference Fees and Registration will include:

• Admission to the Welcome Reception and side events

• Conference Kit

• Inclusion of your presentation in the Conference Programme

• A printed copy of the Conference Guide and Certificate of Presentation 

• Admission to all sessions, including the Plenary and Featured Speaker sessions and sessions in parallel conferences

• Ability to watch recordings of all live-streamed sessions during and after the conference (catch-up)

• Refreshments: Tea/Coffee and Snacks during morning and afternoon coffee breaks  and Lunch 

• Accommodation for Participants Only (Outstation Indian presenters and International Presenters)

For More Queries:

     Contact cks@christuniversity.in.