Exploring how Serbia is embracing innovation and sustainability to build smarter cities and improve quality of life for its citizens
According to forecasts, by 2050, as much as 60% of the world’s population will be living in smart cities. This revolution in urban living will significantly shape the future of Serbia, but the question arises—what exactly are smart cities? Drivers often experience traffic congestion. Smart cities use systems to reduce congestion and shorten travel times. Digitalisation of public administration was another characteristic of smart cities—tasks like registering a business or obtaining a birth certificate were completed online, without waiting in queues. Furthermore, smart cities were also characterised by public lighting systems that adjusted to human movement and presence, saving energy. These were just some examples of how smart cities improved the quality of life for citizens.
The project Journey to a Smarter Future: Building Smarter and More Sustainable Communities in Serbia, organised by the Nordic Business Alliance, was launched in close cooperation with four Nordic embassies in Serbia (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden). The project partners were the National Alliance for Local Economic Development (NALED) and the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM), under the motto of shared values of innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity. The project received substantial support from the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications and the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government.
As the seat of the National Data Centre, Kragujevac was chosen as the starting point for the project’s launch. The Minister of Information and Telecommunications, Mihailo Jovanović, officially opened the event and emphasised: “The city of Kragujevac, recognising digitalisation as the most important catalyst for innovation, has done more than most cities and municipalities in the area of open data. It currently ranks second in the number of open data resources, with 215 resources available on the national Open Data Portal. Such data is essential for efficient planning, decision-making, and delivering quality services to citizens, as well as for building smarter and more sustainable communities.”
With the support of Nordic countries, Serbia is taking significant steps toward building smarter and more sustainable cities, enhancing both infrastructure and the overall quality of life for its citizens
The Minister also highlighted the importance of the Leap into the Future – Serbia 2027 programme for the citizens of Serbia, from further raising living standards, including average wages, pensions, and minimum wages, to intensive modernisation, industrialisation, infrastructure development, and the integral development of the entire country. “There is no part of Serbia that is not covered by this programme, and Kragujevac is one of the cities that, thanks to previous state investments in digitalisation and industrialisation, has transformed from being technologically behind to becoming Serbia’s Silicon Valley, where projects for further modernisation are well underway.”
H.E. Kristin Melsom, Ambassador of Norway to Serbia, North Macedonia, and Montenegro, emphasised that environmental protection and sustainable development had been key in the Nordic region for decades. “In our pursuit of a sustainable and green future, the idea of smart cities, which combine technology, planning, and community engagement, plays a crucial role. International cooperation is essential in this context, as the challenges are interconnected and require a joint response.
This conference was an opportunity to exchange ideas and build partnerships towards these goals.” The main goal of the project is to create a roadmap for the development of smart cities in Serbia, said Iva Petrović, Executive Director of the Nordic Business Alliance, adding that a strategic opportunity had been identified to approach this topic systematically. “By using the knowledge and experience of Nordic countries, in cooperation with decision-makers in Serbia, we will define priorities and strategies to ensure that Serbia becomes part of the global smart cities network as soon as possible. Activities will continue in other cities, with the aim of fostering connections and cooperation, as well as sharing knowledge and experience throughout Serbia. An integral part of this project are the member companies of the Nordic Business Alliance, with a special focus and support from Nordic Business Alliance.”
“The era of smart cities has arrived, where modern technology allows us to ‘read’ the city. It is important to find optimal solutions that meet the needs of all citizens while saving time, energy, and money,” said Nikola Dašić, Mayor of Kragujevac. The project’s launch in Kragujevac combined a conference with two interactive workshops. Solutions that made cities smarter in terms of infrastructure, public services, and environmental protection were presented—areas identified as key priorities by NALED’s study of 49 local municipalities. Renowned experts from Nordic countries shared their knowledge and successful examples from these fields with the attendees. Additionally, there were discussions on examples from Serbia, demonstrating how smart city infrastructure could improve citizens’ lives.