Program signpost
STAGE 1
10.00–11.00: Pilot Mobility Projects – Proven Solutions for Every Municipality
A fast-paced journey through the world of new mobility in a PechaKucha-style format—from urban planning and transformations of public space in cities to innovative solutions.
Cities such as Dobříš, Krnov, Pelhřimov, Říčany, and Třinec are currently working on changes to public space as part of the “SLOW DOWN” campaign. Jan Pešek from Xmarton is building a collaborative group of companies and solutions offering a comprehensive transport and energy system for cities and municipalities.
11.30–12.30: How to Effectively Prevent Waste: Reuse Centres Under the Microscope
How can a great reuse centre be developed in both small and large cities?
What are the ways to support the reuse of items and materials?
How can municipalities prepare for furniture EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility)?Bratislava operates a reuse centre located in a retail zone, while Slavičín integrates its facility within a broader site where not only materials circulate, but also rainwater and energy. The largest reuse volumes in the Czech Republic are reported by OZO Ostrava. Reuse can also extend to materials, and material banks in municipalities represent a significant opportunity.
Come and get inspired.
13.00–14.00: Not all “smart” is the same – Czech municipalities show what really works
Real examples of mayors and municipal representatives showing that a smart solution can take the form of social work, landscape measures, youth engagement, or well-designed municipal governance.
Municipal resilience does not have just one form. In some places it means better water management in the landscape, elsewhere more accessible social support, involving young people in city planning, or smarter governance of a small municipality. This session will present a diverse range of inspiring examples from Czech practice, from municipalities and cities of different sizes. It will show that the size of a municipality does not matter and that a smart city is not only about technology, but above all about the ability to find solutions that make sense for a specific place, its people, and the capacities of local government.
14.30–15.30: Idle Money? Local Financial Infrastructure for Municipalities
Shrinking European funds, growing municipal indebtedness, and increasing pressure on local budgets. What happens if we move away from the continuous search for grants and instead focus on mobilising and making more effective use of local resources that currently lie idle?
The panel will present two specific Czech pilot projects (crowdfunding in Nový Hrozenkov by Boson Distribution and the “Účka” initiative in Ústí nad Labem) and place their emergence within an international context in which a new generation of so-called local financial architectures has been taking shape in recent years. The practical examples will be complemented by an introduction to the Community Wealth Building approach, a model of local economic development known, for example, from Scotland and the city of Preston in the United Kingdom.
Our aim, however, is not merely to showcase specific solutions. We also want to open up a broader strategic debate: what possibilities become available to local governments when they begin to view local economic mechanisms as infrastructure—similar to water supply systems or transport networks—that needs to be intentionally and systematically built over the long term?
Participants will leave with a perspective that will enable them to think more strategically about the long-term economic resilience of their municipality. The panel will conclude with a short shared exercise in imagination: what might your municipality look like in ten years’ time if such financial infrastructure had matured into a fully functioning public service?
15:30–16:00: Brno–Barcelona: What Impact Will We Make This Year?
A look back at URBIS while it is still fresh in our minds—and a look ahead to our participation in the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona this autumn. How has the Czech Smart City ecosystem evolved over the past year? Do we have ideas and solutions that can inspire the world? Can Czechia secure a green hat-trick in Barcelona? And what comes next?
The key players of the Czech Smart City scene will be given a special challenge: to transform the fatigue of three intense days in Brno into a vision for the future.
STAGE 2
9.30–10.30: Conference: Dukovany II: Fission of Opportunities (Part 1)
Conference EDU II within the URBIS The Smart Cities Meetup focuses on current challenges in building capacity for secure energy systems, the related territorial development, and the active involvement of all affected stakeholders. It brings together representatives of state administration, regional and local governments, the professional community, public service providers, and businesses with the aim of sharing experience and transferring best practices.
The program will feature two expert panels and discussions on topics primarily related to the development of areas affected by energy projects, strategic planning, and innovative approaches to regional development. The goal is to support cooperation among key actors and the sharing of concrete solutions for current and future practice.
Programme
9:30–9:40 Opening remarks
South Moravian Region / Moderator – Jiří Kokmotos
9:40–9:50 State perspective – current status of the project
Ministry for Regional Development – Kamil Papež
9:50–10:00 Industry perspective and involvement of Czech companies
Ministry of Industry and Trade – Kamil Števanka
10:00–10:10 Investor’s perspective on the project
EDU II – Petr Závodský
10:10–10:20 Updates from KHNP
Korea team – Alois Míka
10:20–10:35 Role of regions and implementation of regional action plans
South Moravian Region and Vysočina Region – Deputy Governors Marek Sovka, Jiří Pokorný
10:35–10:50 Teplárny Brno
Petr Fajmon
10.45–11.45: Conference: Dukovany II: Fission of Opportunities (Part 2)
BLOCK 2 – Practical
11:00–11:15 Experience with foreign partners from the Moravian-Silesian Region
Petr Vaněk
11:15–11:25 Cooperation on large-scale projects and the role of the South Moravian Region Centre for Foreigners
Alena Krejčí
11:25–11:55 Cities and associations of municipalities – where cooperation pays off
Zdeněk Juránek, Milan Buček, Vladimír Korek, Jan Kotačka, and Vítězslav Jonáš (Eva Fruhwirtová)
11:55–12:00 Summary and closing remarks
Moderator – Jiří Kokmotos / South Moravian Region
12.30–13.30: 5G and C-ITS projects for traffic management in Brno
Within this session, representatives of the City of Brno, Brněnské komunikace, experts, and members of the Czech Telematics Association (SDT) will present two recently completed intelligent transport system projects using 5G and C-ITS technologies in accordance with the C-ROADS specifications. The projects, funded by the National Recovery Plan, bring concrete improvements to traffic flow and safety in Brno, and the experience gained can also serve as inspiration for other cities.
Programme of the panel:
- The expert panel will be opened with participation of representatives of the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the City of Brno
- Smart and practical C-ITS and 5G solutions for transport in Brno – Jiří Stratil, Brněnské komunikace
- Project Smart Brno – South – Jiří Vojta, Yunex
- Priority passage of emergency vehicles through retractable bollards in Brno’s historic centre – Matěj Malý, INTENS Corporation
- C-ITS and C-ROADS in practice: from pilots to transferable implementation – Roman Srp, Czech Telematics Association
- Q&A session
Moderator: Jiří Matějec, Czech Telematics Association
The expert panel will be followed by a live outdoor demonstration of the presented C-ITS and 5G technologies and their interaction with emergency vehicles and Brněnské komunikace (BKOM).
14.00–15.00: Water in Our Settlements: Synergy of Technology and Nature in Practice
Sustainable water management in our settlements requires a thoughtful integration of technologies with blue‑green infrastructure. Representatives of local governments, companies, and the Slovak Environmental Agency will present real‑world practice from the field – ranging from leak prevention in buildings and innovative materials for urban greenery to nature‑based landscape interventions. At the same time, they will demonstrate with concrete data that smartly designed solutions save resources and do not necessarily require dramatic investments. Participants will thus take away both an overview of immediately applicable measures and an understanding of the current European context and trends, brought to the discussion by a representative of the Climate KIC agency.
Speakers:
- Morten Kildahl Sorensen, Climate KIC
- František Mach, nextdrop
- Petra Drexler, nextdrop
- Patrik Flegl, Glassiteca
- Petr Blahák, Vohančice
- Juraj Moravčík, Slovak Environmental Agency
ARCHIMEDES
10.00–12.00: Innovation Ecosystem for the 21st Century II: People and SMART Skills
What determines whether a region succeeds in the 21st century – or starts falling behind? This two-part workshop at URBIS will bring inspiration from leaders of the European innovation scene, alongside an interactive discussion focused on smart specialization and the development of modern regional innovation ecosystems.
The second part of the workshop will focus on skills development, the ability to collaborate across sectors, and building resilient innovation ecosystems based on strong communities and a shared vision. Insights will be shared by innovation and ecosystem mentor Ákos R. Wetters, together with Victor Scholten. They will be joined by Georg Würffel, who brings more than 17 years of experience in educating municipalities in digital skills development.
The workshop will be held in English, led by Dagmar Juchelková, as part of the national research project CESMOD at VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava.
Who is it for: the Czech RIS3 network, regional representatives, researchers, and everyone actively working with innovation ecosystems.
Capacity is limited.
Registration: https://forms.gle/ugsJSnHxQ5Qkqfny7
13.00–15.00: Innovation infrastructures – afterparty
Pavilion A, Morava Conference Hall
9:30–10:30: School as the Engine of the Region BLOCK I: DATA & STARTING POINTS
Organizer: Institute for Quality of Education ukvr.cz | Guarantors: Masaryk University (ECON MUNI), Eduzměna Endowment Fund (Opening remarks and patronage: Karel Jurka, JMK Councilor)
This panel is focused on data and the real impacts of regional education on the development
and economy of municipalities. The discussion is built on dialogue and will show why it is essential for the mayor and the school principal to share common starting points. We will show how macroeconomic trends shape public administration and how insights from pilot projects can help schools optimize finances.
- Exclusive data from practice: Experts Jana Soukopová and Filip Hrůza from ECON MUNI will present an analysis of the impacts of current and planned changes on municipal budgets.
- Outputs from pilot projects: Zdeněk Slejška will present the conclusions from the extensive transformation of regional education in the Kutná Hora region.
- Foundations for synergies: How to set up a functioning dialogue between the founder and the school that will stand up even in turbulent times?
The discussion will be based on connecting academic data with the hard reality of regional education. This panel is ideal for founders and school principals who want to base their decisions on facts, not assumptions, and are looking for a path to effective financial management.
11:00–12:00: School as the Engine of the Region BLOCK II: CHANGE MANAGEMENT & SUPPORT
Organizer: Institute for Quality of Education ukvr.cz | Guarantors: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR (Middle Management Support), Association of Local Governments of the CR (SMS ČR)
This panel focuses on practical and methodological support during the implementation of legislative and structural changes. We will focus on the benefits of systematic cooperation between the founder and school management, and where municipalities and schools can find certainty in a period full of changes (incl. the transfer of non-pedagogical staff). The discussion will move beyond theoretical proclamations and focus on real forms of state and professional support.
- Current forms of support: Pavel Vyhňák and Jaroslav Mihal will present the latest methodological and practical help directly from the MŠMT Middle Management workshop.
- Experiences from the field and protection of interests: Viktor Liška will share the most common challenges faced by municipalities and how professional associations help solve them.
- Systematic solutions for municipalities: How to effectively implement upcoming changes so that the operation and quality of teaching are not compromised?
The discussion will be designed as a practical guide for safely and systematically navigating changes. This panel is indispensable for decision-making tandems looking for solid ground, wanting an overview of available state support, and wishing to avoid managerial mistakes.
13:30–14:30: School as the Engine of the Region BLOCK III: INSPIRATION AND PRACTICE (SMART SOLUTIONS)
Organizer: Institute for Quality of Education ukvr.cz | Guarantors: Lipka (Enterprising Mind), Panelists from among successful mayors
The final block will draw you directly into the successful practice of municipalities and show the school not only as an educational institution but as a living community center. Concrete examples from the field will be given space. You will find out how to implement "smart" approaches, develop entrepreneurship in students, and how proactive cooperation between the founder and the principal is already bringing tangible results to the community.
- School as a community hub: Experts Hana Šolcová and Dáša Zouharová (Lipka) will show how to build an entrepreneurial environment and connect the school more closely with life in the region.
- Inspiration from colleagues in practice: A panel discussion of successful mayors will reveal concrete case studies and functioning "smart" solutions from their municipalities.
- Best practices and sharing: What specifically has proven successful in municipalities and how can these models be immediately and effectively transferred to your practice?
The discussion will be based on case studies, sharing best practices, and interacting with mayors from the audience. This block will be appreciated by all visionary municipal representatives and principals who are not satisfied with the basic standard but want to make their school a true engine of the entire region.