With an aim to address the challenges of the smart city, the Rothberg International School at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has announced the first-of-its-kind M.A. program in Smart Cities and Urban Informatics. Taught by the Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, the program seeks to develop the new area of higher education and equip a new generation of urban planners, analysts and policy makers with the requisite toolbox for addressing the challenges of the Smart City.
A unique program within the landscape of Israeli universities, it capitalizes on the joint strengths of the existing program in Urban Planning at the Hebrew University and the Geoinformatics track in the Department of Geography. Leveraging these competences, the program is curated for social science students who want to acquire a broad-based understanding of contemporary urban development utilizing state of the art techniques in spatial analysis.
The program focuses on:
A. Smart Cities
An urban ecosystem optimizing city functions and driving economic growth while improving quality of life.This involves improving access to the city’s various services, enhancing safety, and reducing pollution using smart technology and data analysis. Smart cities are places with the ability to integrate information and communication technologies (ICT) and people in public areas to enhance the learning, knowledge, and quality of life of their residents, facilitating social, cultural, and urban development.
B. Urban Informatics
Urban informatics is grounded in a suite of tools and methods that enable us to capitalize on the latest advances in technology for capturing, storing, processing, and analyzing urban spatial information and presenting it as dynamic and visual entities such as 3D maps, multilayer databases, and dashboards. A big part of being a Smart City is the use of new, digital technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT) to improve municipal processes and civic technology for the benefit of urban residents. Urban Informatics is crucial in this process. When applied to urban issues, geo-data is crucial for a better understanding of human interactions with the city.
Program delivery
Taught in English, the program is a unique 1-year (2 semester) 32 credit M.A. program. Structured such that students acquire the key analytic competences in a relatively short-term frame, the program offers an opportunity to study in and experience the City of Jerusalem. With an active technological ecosystem, the city offers the ideal backdrop for the program.
Website:
https://smartcities.huji.ac.il/
Admission Cycle:
January 6 – April 29, 2021. A $200 scholarship will be awarded to students who apply to the program by April 29, 2021, are accepted, and pay tuition in full by May 13, 2021.
The university will be conducting a Virtual Open Day on March 14, 2021 for students looking to study and gather information about the programs.
Note: Late applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, until September 12, 2021
Admission Requirements:
Eligibility is contingent on a good quality bachelor’s degree (85 or equivalent grade average) and a high level of English proficiency.
Additionally, students are generally expected to come from a relevant disciplinary background such as, but not limited to, social or environmental sciences including Geography, Urban Studies, Sociology, Statistics, Economics, Public Policy, Political Science, Environmental Studies etc.
STUDY IN ISRAEL:
The Council for Higher Education of Israel launched the Study in Israel initiative to promote internationalization in the Israeli higher education system and attract international students. The initiative focuses on increasing awareness of Israel’s excellent academia and research while communicating the distinctive, engaged approach to education that Israel offers students. Through “Study in Israel” students from all over the world are invited to “Engage in Excellence”. For further information, log onto – https://studyisrael.org.il.
