The University of Westminster recently hosted the final of the Netcompany Smart Cities Challenge, designed and delivered by Ahead Partnership, which saw Year 8 students from schools across the UK compete to design the best concepts for a smart city of the future.
Netcompany is a leading IT service company that delivers business-critical strategic IT projects to public and private sector customers across Europe to help accelerate digital transformation.
In 2023, they established the Smart Cities Challenge with Ahead Partnership, a social enterprise tackling social disadvantage and connecting young people to new opportunities. The challenge targets schools with higher than average numbers of students eligible for free school meals and who speak English as an additional language.
As part of the challenge, students explored how technology is used around cities and how emerging smart technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), could shape the future. Through in-school workshops and mentoring sessions with volunteers from Netcompany, students applied their knowledge of science, technology, engineering, arts and maths (STEAM), and explored key technologies such as AI, green energy, UX design and accessibility technology, to design their own smart cities. The programme took place over the autumn school term and resulted in regional finals, helping participants develop essential skills in design thinking, teamwork, communication and problem-solving, supporting their future careers in digital and smart infrastructure.
Students from across the UK attended their regional finals, with the winner of each getting the opportunity to present again at the UK national final in January 2026. The London regional final was hosted at the University of Westminster and a panel of judges from Netcompany and the University, one of them being Dr Luz Navarro, Course Leader of Urban Planning and Design BA Honours at Westminster’s School of Architecture and Cities.
At the final, London’s winning team from Lilian Baylis Technology School presented their idea for their Smart Stick, a tech-enabled walking stick that utilises vibrations, sensors and a camera to help users navigate safely around the city. The team was praised for their innovation and how closely their presentation hit the challenge brief of ensuring any idea supported work, learning, sustainability, accessibility and assistance.
Simay Sali Sevik, Development Manager at the University of Westminster, said: “Giving young people the opportunity to engage with real-world challenges, develop future-ready skills and see how their ideas can create a positive impact is essential. It was inspiring to see students apply STEAM subjects such as AI, sustainability and accessibility to thoughtful, practical solutions like the Smart Cities. With the support of partners such as Netcompany and Ahead Partnership, we are proud to support the programmes that empower the next generation to design inclusive, sustainable cities and to see themselves as the innovators of the future.”
Dr Luz Navarro added: “It was a real pleasure to see such creative, thoughtful and ambitious work from the students, who all engaged with the idea of Smart Cities, not just as a technological challenge, but as a social and environmental one. Their proposals showed a strong awareness of accessibility, sustainability and the realities of everyday life in our cities.
“I was impressed by how clearly students presented their ideas and how effectively they worked together as teams. The quality of their thinking and communication suggests they will make excellent future urban planners creating climate-resilient, sustainable, healthy and inclusive cities!”
This initiative directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, 10: Reduced Inequalities and 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out how individuals and organisations can support similar initiatives via the University of Westminster Development website or email the Development Team.
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