In response to the growing challenges posed by climate change, leading experts from The University of Tokyo (UTokyo) and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) convened for a joint symposium focused on advancing climate-resilient infrastructure and smart city development. The event, held at UTokyo, brought together scholars, researchers, and students both in-person and online.
Co-organized by UTokyo’s Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies (III) and PolyU’s Otto Poon Research Institute for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure (RICRI), the symposium served as a platform for international collaboration and multidisciplinary knowledge exchange. Participants explored how data science, artificial intelligence, and engineering innovations can be integrated into urban systems to enhance resilience, adaptability, and sustainability.
The program featured keynote speeches from Professor MEGURO Kimiro (Dean, UTokyo III) and Professor LI Xiangdong (Dean of FCE & Director of RICRI, PolyU), followed by technical presentations from both institutions. Topics included extreme weather events, urban disaster management, digital twin systems for cities, and nature-based solutions—reflecting the broad scope of RICRI’s research.
Interactive discussions and networking sessions allowed participants to identify potential areas for future collaboration. Professor LI Xiangdong extended an invitation to UTokyo faculty and students to visit PolyU through various international programs, including the Climate Resilience Infrastructure Visiting Scholar Program and the Distinguished Scholar Lectures. This initiative was met with enthusiasm from the UTokyo community.
The symposium concluded with a laboratory tour at UTokyo, where attendees explored the university’s latest advancements in smart city technologies and well-being society concepts, such as Society 5.0, slow digital cities, and the application of IoT, AI, and Big Data.
