Baguio taps students to pitch ideas for 'smart city' project

BAGUIO CITY — Baguio City government’s Management Information and Technology Division (MITD) and the Department of Informations and Communications Technology (DICT) Cordillera are tapping college students to pitch in their ideas for the city’s sustainable and smart city project.

The "Smart City Challenge 2024" is calling on all students from all disciplines in Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay (BLISTT) to join. 

They must be passionate about innovation and making a difference in their society and their environment.

The participating students should form teams each consisting of three to four members. 

Students coming from multidisciplinary fields of study such as engineering, computer science, business, environmental science, urban planning among others are encouraged.   

Each team is also required to have a faculty adviser or mentor, the public information office of the Baguio City government said.

The participants are expected to develop ideas or concepts of enhancing quality of life, improve environmental sustainability,and shape smarter cities using emerging technologies. 

Each team will pitch their proposals to a panel of experts, with top solutions having the potential to be adopted and implemented by the city.

Throughout the challenge, mentorship sessions will be scheduled simultaneously with the solution-crafting process. These sessions will provide teams with expert guidance and feedback to help refine their ideas and ensure they align with the Smart City objectives.

Registration of teams starts today, September 24, until October 4. They can download the form from the website of the "Smart City Challenge".