On Friday, the 29th of May 2026, Jialong Zhu will defend his PhD entitled 'Smarter or More Inclusive? Inclusive Digital Transition in Smart Cities: Case studies in Chinese and European cities'.
- Date
- Friday 29 May 2026, 10:30 - 11:30
- Type
- PhD defence
- Spoken Language
- English
- Space
- Senate Hall
- Building
- Erasmus Building
- Location
- Campus Woudestein
More about his research
Cities are becoming “smarter” through digital technologies, but who truly benefits from this transformation? Despite growing calls for people-centric smart cities, inclusion remains an afterthought in both policy and practice. The pathways toward inclusive smart city transformation in real-world contexts remain underexplored. Jialong’s thesis, therefore, aims to address this gap through four studies conducted across China and Europe.
Drawing on a typology of 49 Chinese smart city pilots, a Qualitative Comparative Analysis of different configuration paths, a citizen-centric smart city narrative, and a comparative study of inclusive digital transition in Helsinki, Linz, and Tallinn, the thesis demonstrates that smart city development pathways are diverse. There is no one-size-fits-all blueprint for inclusive smart city transformation. Policy frameworks, contextual factors, and governance arrangements collectively shape whether a smart city transition becomes truly inclusive. The findings propose that meaningful inclusion in the smart city transformation requires progress across three dimensions: embedding inclusion as a core institutional principle, enabling genuine citizen participation in governance processes, and ensuring equal access to digital services for different population groups.
More about Jialong
- Supervisor: Prof.Dr. (Jurian) J Edelenbos (IHS/ESSB)
- Co-supervisors: Prof.Dr. W.M. (Martin) de Jong (DoIP) & Dr. (Alberto) A Gianoli (IHS)
Jialong's academic background is in urban regeneration and development. He received his MSc degree from the University of Manchester in 2019. In his master's thesis, he used the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City as a case study to explore the relationship between eco-city development and residents' lifestyle changes. His research interests lie in inclusive urban development, urban transitions, and smart cities.
Join Jialong's PhD defence to hear more about his research.
Date: 29th of May, 10:30
Place: Woudestein Campus, Erasmus Building, Senaatszaal
