By Khaled Daher – Railway Installation General Manager | Lecturer in Smart Cities Management at Zigurat Global Institute of Technology | Global Thought Leader – Mobility at the Smart Cities Council.
I was honored to deliver a webinar session last week titled “Building Sustainable and Accessible Mobility in Smart Cities” for students and faculty at St. Joseph’s College of Engineering, Chennai remotely.
The webinar focused on sustainable urban transport, real-world infrastructure projects, and the role of smart technologies in shaping inclusive cities. I shared insights from my work on the Jerusalem Light Rail, Riyadh Metro, Dubai Tram and Cairo Monorail, showing how smart mobility projects can transform urban life.
After a discussion on the critical role that young engineers and students play in building future-ready, inclusive cities through purpose-driven innovation, I emphasized that smart cities are not only about technology, but about creating better lives for people through thoughtful design and sustainable infrastructure.
Students were especially curious about Hyperloop technology, asking how India could adopt and implement such futuristic mobility solutions.
Educational Message to Students
As part of the session, I encouraged students to take an active role in their learning journey in this field.
- They can deepen their knowledge through online training courses in smart cities, sustainability, and mobility systems.
- I recommended attending conferences, webinars, and workshops, even virtually, to gain real-world insights and connect with global experts.
- I also introduced them to the Smart Cities Council, a global platform that plays a major role in promoting smart city innovation and offers excellent learning resources and opportunities for young professionals.
