The ExcellCity event “Excellent Education for Capacity Building in Smart City” was successfully held on May 11, 2026, at the Metropolitan Hotel in Sofia, Bulgaria. The forum brought together representatives of academia, partner organizations, PhD students, students, and innovative businesses to exchange knowledge, ideas, and good practices in the field of Smart Cities.

The event officially opened with presentations of the main activities and achievements within the project’s work packages, focusing on research and innovation capacity building, R&I twinning activities, small joint R&I projects, dissemination, communication, and project management.

Associated partners of ExcellCity — including the University of Messina (Italy), the University of Murcia (Spain), FIWARE Foundation, Sofia Development Association, and Virtech Bulgaria — actively participated in the programme by presenting good practices, collaborative initiatives, and opportunities for future cooperation.

Special attention was given to the participation of PhD students and students involved in ExcellCity activities, as well as to the sessions dedicated to start-up initiatives and demonstrations of innovative technological solutions for Smart Cities.

The event provided an excellent platform for networking, knowledge exchange, and discussions on the future development of Smart Cities and the role of education and innovation in this process.

Through initiatives such as this event, the ExcellCity project continues to promote international collaboration and the development of a sustainable ecosystem for innovation, education, and research in the field of Smart Cities.

Celebrating the ExcellCity Journey

As ExcellCity approaches its official conclusion at the end of May, we are proud to share this special video celebrating the journey, achievements, partnerships, and inspiring moments that shaped our project.

During the final ExcellCity conference, we reflected on the remarkable collaboration, innovation, and shared vision that brought together partners, researchers, educators, and participants from different countries and backgrounds.

This video is dedicated to:

  • All project partners
  • Every member of the project team
  • Participants, contributors, and supporters
  • Everyone who helped transform ideas into meaningful impact

ExcellCity has been more than a project — it has been a community driven by cooperation, creativity, and the ambition to build smarter and more connected futures.

We sincerely thank everyone who was part of this journey. We hope the results, experiences, and connections created through ExcellCity will continue to inspire future initiatives, collaborations, and innovations beyond the project itself.

Watch the video and celebrate the ExcellCity journey with us!

Valuable Collaboration within the ExcellCity Project

In this video, we are pleased to present our partnership with the University of Messina and share some of the collaborative activities and initiatives carried out together during this period.

International cooperation and the exchange of expertise are essential for fostering innovation, strengthening research capacities, and building sustainable academic connections across Europe.

We sincerely thank our partners from the University of Messina for their professionalism, commitment, and inspiring collaboration!

Inspiring Partnership within the ExcellCity Project

In this video, we are pleased to present our collaboration with the University of Murcia and highlight the joint activities and achievements accomplished during this period.

The exchange of knowledge, good practices, and innovative ideas among partners plays a key role in developing sustainable solutions and strengthening academic and research networks.

We sincerely thank our colleagues from the University of Murcia for their excellent cooperation and inspiring teamwork!