Specialization / Track "Smart Cities and Advanced Digital Technologies"
The specialization/track "Smart Cities and Advanced Digital Technologies" aims to educate and train scientists from different fields to work in the new digital urban landscape. It also aims to design and support new services in the ever-changing "Smart Cities" connected to the modern ecosystem, infrastructure, operations, and services. These services include smart transportation, communications, smart homes, e-governance, smart grids, smart cultural heritage, smart health, smart agriculture, smart digital infrastructure, and smart energy management. The specialization/track also focuses on providing expertise in managing complex urban issues, equipping individuals with the necessary tools for developing innovative governance systems for a safe and sustainable city, designing and supporting functional and efficient resource-saving methods, as well as smart disaster management.
Who is the specialization "Smart Cities and Advanced Digital Technologies" aimed at?
The specialization "Smart Cities and Advanced Digital Technologies" of the M.Sc. program accepts holders of a first-cycle degree from Greek or foreign universities according to the provisions of Law 4957/2022. The program is open to graduates from various fields, including but not limited to Information and Communication Technology, Engineering, Architectural Engineering, Urban Planning, Natural Sciences, Technological Sciences, Pedagogy, Agricultural Sciences, Maritime Studies and Industry, Environmental Engineering, Information Technology, Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Spatial Planning and Regional Development, Civil Engineering, Production and Management Engineering, Humanities, Economics and Social Sciences, Law, Computer Science Departments, Information Technology and Communication Technology Departments, Geology and Geoenvironment, Cultural Heritage and New Technologies Management, Media and Culture Communication, Digital Media, Sound and Image Arts, Cultural Technology and Communication, Communication and Cultural Management, Graphic Design, Library and Museum Studies, Mineral Resources Engineering, Technical Education Schools, and related specialties. Graduates from Greek or foreign universities, polytechnics or technical institutes, as well as holders of equivalent degrees from foreign universities, are also eligible to apply (the above list is indicative and not exhaustive). For more information regarding each specialization, you can contact the Secretariat of the M.Sc. program via email at dcsciot@unipi.gr or by phone at 210 4142451 (Monday to Friday, 12:00-14:00 & 16:00-18:00).
Master's Degree
The M.Sc. program awards the Master's Degree (M.Sc.) titled "Digital Culture, Smart Cities, IoT and Advanced Digital Technologies".
Course Schedule
The courses will start in October 2023. The teaching hours are from 18:00 to 21:00, four days a week.
Applications Interested individuals can submit their applications until October 30, 2023, electronically on the website http://www.cs.unipi.gr/registration/dicul.php and send their application and relevant documents to the Secretariat of the Postgraduate Studies Program (M.Sc.).
Cloud Computing, Content Delivery Networks, Agile and V2X Technologies
This course presents topics related to the study, design and implementation of modern distributed systems including cloud computing, content delivery networks and vehicular networks. The course offers a comprehensive study of key concepts related to distributed computing hardware and software. Emphasis is placed on the communication among the various components of the system as well as on task management, ontology naming and security. The course provides an in-depth examination of cloud computing architectures as well as emerging models that expand their capabilities (Network Function Virtualization - NFV, Software Defined Networking - SDN, Edge Cloud και Fog/Edge Computing). In addition, technologies and architectures of content delivery and vehicular networks will be studied. Relative composition models will be explored including heterogeneity, scaling, dynamic workflow representation techniques, quality assurance, classification of parameters and requirements, and fault tolerance techniques.
Learning Results
Professors
Name
Position
Office
Telephone
Email
Michalas Angelos
Professor in University of Western Macedonia
208/ΚΕKΤ
amichalas@unipi.gr
Skondras Emmanouil
Teaching Staff, Postdoctoral Researcher
208/ΚΕΚΤ
+30 210 4142458, +30 210 4142127, +30 210 4142060
skondras@unipi.gr
Papapanagiotou Stavros
Teaching Staff
104/ΓΛ126
+30 210 4142479
papapast@unipi.gr
Vergados Dimitrios
Professor
104/ΓΛ126
+30 210 4142479
vergados@unipi.gr
Data Analytics and Statistics
• Basic methods of clustering, categorization, and prediction. Inference and recommendation systems. Dimensionality reduction in large-scale data (Principal Component Analysis, Random Projections, Parallel Methods). Applications of large-scale data in various areas of daily life (World Wide Web, Social Media, Medicine, Smart Cities). Large-scale data visualization. Standards for Machine-Readable Data. Analysis of Open and Linked Data. Tools and Platforms for Big Data Management.
• Matrices, matrix operations, determinants, transpose and inverse of a matrix. Linear equations, methods for solving linear systems, Gauss elimination, Cramer's rule. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Probability theory, basic discrete and continuous random distributions.
• Data cleaning, transformation. Measures of similarity, distance. Linear and logistic regression. Introduction to the MATLAB program, programming in MATLAB. Introduction to R.
• Linear-multiple linear regression, logistic regression, inverse normal regression (Probit regression), analysis of variance (ANOVA-MANOVA). Exploratory factor analysis. The R language environment, syntax, basic structures and functions, applications in linear regression and logistic regression using R.
• Basic types of categorization. Statistical classification. Discriminant function analysis. Evaluation criteria for categorization methods. Data mining and advanced prediction techniques from databases. Applications of clustering and neural networks using MATLAB and R.
Learning Results
Professors
Name
Position
Office
Telephone
Email
Anagnostopoulos Ioannis
Professor in University of Thessaly
104/ΓΛ126
+30 210 4142479
janag@unipi.gr
Filippakis Michael
Professor
504/ΚΕΚΤ
+30 210 4142566
mfilip@unipi.gr
Tasoulas Ioannis
Assistant Professor
542/ΚΕΚΤ
+30 210 4142313
jtas@unipi.gr
Razis Gerasimos
Teaching Staff
104/ΓΛ126
+30 210 4142479
makisraz@unipi.gr
Industry 4.0 and Smart Grids, M2M, IoT, Digital Twins
This course introduces the main challenges, solutions and application fields of machine-to-machine communications. As an emerging networking paradigm, machine-to-machine communications spans all communication processes that do not involve only humans and which are designed to pursue tasks of automation in the most general sense. This enables completely new application areas but introduces several novel and severe challenges, especially in the Smart Cities and IoT world. Many Issues have been addressed by research industry and by researchers over the last years and new standardization activities have initiated. This course deals with these new insights and technologies and related them to the new emerging application fields in IoT and smart cities. Indicatively, the course includes traditional automation systems, connected world and networking, Internet-of-things, smart grid, vehicular networks communications and application scenarios.
Also, this course M2M (Machine-to-Machine) includes drivers and benefits, business trends, relationship of M2M with Machine Learning and the IoT (Internet of Things), Machine Learning algorithms, M2M standardization efforts, M2M ecosystem and applications, M2M network infrastructure technologies, M2M network planning and implementation in Smart Cities, and other key topics.
Additionally, the course includes the following subjects: Fundamentals of Wireless Communications and Networking, Physical Modeling of Wireless Channels, Transmission Fundamentals, Multiple Access Techniques and Wireless Protocols, Channels’ Capacity. Next Generation Networks (NGN) and Applications, NGN Architectures, principal characteristics and platforms. Satellite Communications, DVB-T platform and DVB-S 2+, analysis and design of satellite links. Multihop networks. Wireless LAN, IEEE 802.11, and Ad-hoc/Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), Power Control and Energy Efficiency, Routing, Resource Allocation. M2M Communication Fundamentals. Requirements. Services. Application Examples. Information communication technologies. Wired transmission. Wireless transmission. Analysis of popular reference models, e.g., Lora, SigFox, LTE-M. Data Transfer protocols.
Learning Results
On successful completion of this unit students will be able to: ● Identify the basic concept of wireless networks; Introduce various wireless systems and standards and their basic operation cases. ● . Analyse traffic theories, mobile radio propagation, channel coding, and cellular concepts. ● Learn to model radio signal propagation issues and analyze their impact on communication system performance. ● Understand the techniques of radio spectrum allocation in multi-user systems and their impact on networks capacity. ● Compare and contrast multiple division techniques, mobile communication systems, and existing wireless networks. ● Classify network protocols, ad hoc and sensor networks, wireless MANs, LANs and PANs. ● Learn to simulate wireless networks and analyze the simulation results. ● Analyze and propose broad solutions for a range of mobile scenarios.
Professors
Name
Position
Office
Telephone
Email
Skondras Emmanouil
Teaching Staff, Postdoctoral Researcher
208/ΚΕΚΤ
+30 210 4142458, +30 210 4142127, +30 210 4142060
skondras@unipi.gr
Vergados J. Dimitrios
Associate Professor in University of Western Macedonia
104/ΓΛ126
+30 210 4142479
dvergados@unipi.gr
Sotiropoulos Dionisios
Assistant Professor
543/ΚΕΚΤ
+30 210 4142314
dsotirop@unipi.gr
Vergados Dimitrios
Professor
104/ΓΛ126
+30 210 4142479
vergados@unipi.gr
Tyrovolas Marios
Teaching Staff
Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Administration of Smart Cities and Smart Regions - Green Transition
The objective of this course is to understand the new way of urban governance and management of "Smart Cities" through the utilization of digital technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT). Collaborations take place among industries, businesses, local authorities, and society, focusing on sustainable development, sustainable urban mobility, sustainable neighborhoods, sustainable built environment, technologies for energy, transportation, information, and communication infrastructure. The Internet of Things (IoT) and modern digital technologies, with the assistance of emerging businesses operating in this field, result in the enhancement of entrepreneurship, reduction of social inequalities in urban areas, reduction of unemployment, and the development of a new digital economy and modernization of public administration in collaboration with the private sector. Adopting innovative technological solutions contributes to the development of entrepreneurship by "controlling" the business through modern technological means. Through applications integrated into the Internet of Things, students will have the opportunity to recognize high-level specialized services for citizens and customers, with the ultimate goal of optimal information management.
Additionally, this course serves as an introduction to sustainable development and responsible innovation, particularly in the digital domain. It provides conceptual and empirical foundations for students to approach technology and entrepreneurship in their connections with environmental, social, and political factors. It familiarizes students with the practices and key issues surrounding the creation of new economic activities and the financing of such initiatives. Students will gain a deep understanding of the nature of innovations (smart technologies) in urban infrastructure systems. They will also learn and comprehend the most modern strategies that can be used for "smart infrastructure" solutions in cities while effectively managing the transition from older infrastructure to smart systems, supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in the process.
Learning Results
By the end of the course, students will be able to: ● Understand the key issues affecting finance decisions. ● Have a broad knowledge of issues related to the key goals, concepts, stakeholders, problems, decisions, variables, imitations and tools involved in the financial management of an organization managing cultural heritage. ● Prepare capital budgets, evaluate capital investment projects, and proceed to capital budgeting decisions. ● Identify the various financing options, sources and procedures that are available for funding Cultural Organizations and non-for-profit organizations. ● Prepare proposals for grants
Professors
Name
Position
Office
Telephone
Email
Siountri Konstantina
Teaching Staff
104/ΓΛ126
+30 210 4142479
ksiountri@unipi.gr
Psychogios Dimitrios
Associate Professor
319/Δεληγιώργη 107
+30 210 4142399
dpsycho@unipi.gr
Papapanagiotou Stavros
Teaching Staff
104/ΓΛ126
+30 210 4142479
papapast@unipi.gr
Vergados Dimitrios
Professor
104/ΓΛ126
+30 210 4142479
vergados@unipi.gr
Koronakos Gregory
Teaching Staff
Sustainable Mobility and Logistics - Algorithms for Urban Transportation
The objective of the course is the modeling and presentation of algorithmic techniques for computational problems that arise in the field of urban transportation. Specifically, optimization techniques and algorithms will be presented for the design and management of goods and passenger transportation, as well as the induced traffic in urban environments. The lectures of the course will cover the following topics: Traffic prediction, Service pricing, Multi-modal transportation, Congestion modeling and reduction techniques, Design of public transportation lines and timetabling, User Behavior Models, Infrastructure design, Routing in road networks, Delay management and emergencies, Fleet vehicle routing and supply chain issues, Central traffic management, Electric mobility and green transportation, Vehicle sharing systems (car sharing, carpooling, ride sharing), Tourist route design, Game-theoretic techniques for incentivizing users, Intelligent parking solutions, Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and the use of a single ticket for all urban trips.
Learning Results
Professors
Name
Position
Office
Telephone
Email
Konstantopoulos Charalampos
Professor
104/ΓΛ126
+30 210 4142124
konstant@unipi.gr
Pantziou Grammati
Professor in University of West Attica
Energy Management and Circular Economy - Green Cities and Smart Agriculture
As part of the course, new technologies applied in a "smart building" as well as in agricultural operations that allow monitoring of energy consumption as a whole, as well as individual consumptions, will be studied. Emphasis will be placed on technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), sensors and actuators, geolocation systems, and Big Data. The lectures of the course will focus on the following thematic units: Technologies that enable remote control of loads using smart loads (controllable loads), innovative algorithms for automatic load management with the help of sensors and actuators (heating/humidity/motion/presence/window position), Decision Support Systems (DSS) for integrated management of agricultural operations with the aim of optimizing performance, real-time load dynamic adjustment systems based on energy market conditions to minimize consumption costs, enabling their integration into energy communities.
Additionally, the course includes the following topics: Introduction to the Smart Grid (architecture, feasibility, alternative implementation technologies), ITU-based Intelligent Grid Analysis Model, Ownership/regulatory issues of the Smart Grid, Smart meters and Big Data, Economic evaluation of Smart Grid benefits, Institutional framework for energy management with a focus on building infrastructure, Introduction to ISO 50001, Building energy footprint, Energy management of information infrastructures, Use of drones in agricultural activities.
Learning Results
Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to: ● Understand the architectural structure of the Smart Grid and alternative technologies for its implementation. ● Evaluate the utility of smart grid technologies according to the characteristics of the implementation area. ● Become familiar with smart meters and the needs generated for big data and cloud infrastructures. ● Learn the basic principles of the institutional framework for energy infrastructure management with emphasis on building infrastructure (offices, process, industrial). ● Understand the utility of installing an energy management system and regularly performing energy audits in accordance with the law. ● Understand the key variables affecting energy consumption and how to determine the energy signature. ● Understand the energy management of information infrastructure with emphasis on data centers. ● Become familiar with UAV technologies for smart farming.
Professors
Name
Position
Office
Telephone
Email
Michalas Angelos
Professor in University of Western Macedonia
208/ΚΕKΤ
amichalas@unipi.gr
Skondras Emmanouil
Teaching Staff, Postdoctoral Researcher
208/ΚΕΚΤ
+30 210 4142458, +30 210 4142127, +30 210 4142060
skondras@unipi.gr
Vergados Dimitrios
Professor
104/ΓΛ126
+30 210 4142479
vergados@unipi.gr
Tirovolas Dimitrios
Teaching Staff
104/ΓΛ126
+30 210 4142479
Livieratos Spyridon
Professor
slivieratos@unipi.gr
Spaxos Petros
Associate Professor in University of Thessaly
Sustainable Cultural Development and ESG for Digital Cities
The concept of future digital cities aims to promote economic development and improve the quality of life for people by leveraging technology, enabling sustainable and environmentally friendly development in local areas. Given that the people of a city and their cultural heritage are closely connected to the present and future of the city, any effort to change the quality of life should consider the cultural needs along with the economic and social expectations of its residents.
This course addresses issues related to the promotion of cultural heritage, urban composition, and the character of the city. It also covers topics related to contemporary forms and expressions of culture and new trends in the cultural industry, such as methodology and experience of multimedia spectacle/narration (transmedia storytelling, cross-media circulation, multi-platform distribution), user-generated content, and social networking.
Additionally, the following topics are taught in the course: Conceptual approach to cultural routes, European Cultural Routes, projection and promotion of cultural routes, digital media promotion, Trails, European Long Distance Paths, digital trails, Creation of Digital Cultural Routes, Case Studies.
Learning Results
On successful completion of this unit students will be able to: ● Identify the key concepts of cultural paths. ● Understand the techniques of promoting cultural paths. ● Analyse and propose techniques for designing digital cultural paths.
Professors
Name
Position
Office
Telephone
Email
Siountri Konstantina
Teaching Staff
104/ΓΛ126
+30 210 4142479
ksiountri@unipi.gr
Katapoti Despoina
Assiociate Professor in University of the Aegean
Copyright, Personal Data and Regulatory Issues
The development of digital technologies, particularly the Internet of Things (IoT), raises a number of legal issues related to intellectual property law, privacy protection, consumer protection, free access to information, regulation of data rights (especially in the case of Big Data), as well as information security and cybercrime issues. This course examines all of the above and additionally explores the legal aspects of artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain technology, and smart contracts.
The purpose of this course is to enable students to identify and address the legal issues arising from the rapid development of digital technologies, particularly the new reality of the Internet of Things (IoT).
Learning Results
Upon completion, students are expected to be able to: ● Identify potential third-party rights infringement in the development of digital applications in the context of the Internet of Things and Advanced Digital Technologies ● Realize the legal boundaries in developing relevant applications ● Negotiate their position and responsibilities in the context of relevant actions ● Form their own opinion about the respective business strategies of private or public entities
Professors
Name
Position
Office
Telephone
Email
Vagena Evangelia
Teaching Staff, IT & IP Law Expert and lecturer, CIPP/E, vice president of HADPP
104/ΓΛ126
+30 210 4142479
evagena@unipi.gr
Vergados Dimitrios
Professor
104/ΓΛ126
+30 210 4142479
vergados@unipi.gr
Urban Design of Digital Cities
This course aims to create interdisciplinary teams of experts who can design innovative solutions to ensure the sustainability of future cities. We will explore technological trends and tools that support the digital transformation of our communities and delve into the environmental and social impacts that need to be considered when reimagining the future of a city.
Additional concepts covered in this course include: Basic Principles of Geographic Information Systems, Selection of Spatial Data Models (vector/raster depending on the nature of the study), fundamental concepts and cartographic techniques, basic principles of geographic database management systems, spatial analysis concepts and techniques, cartographic visualization of spatial data at regional and urban levels.
Learning Results
Upon completing this course, students are expected to be able to work on new principles of urban planning and digital feedback technologies that enable the creation of distributed and dynamic urban systems, significantly reducing resource consumption. They will learn that being "smart" does not necessarily imply the automation or artificial intelligence of these different systems but also refers to how designers, artists, theorists, engineers, and city officials approach the urban environment. They will understand that being "smart" in urban planning means understanding the economy, density, networks, social characteristics, and the unique profile of a place.
Additionally, students will be able to: ● Identify the fundamental concepts of geographic information systems. ● Analyze different spatial levels and scales and choose an appropriate spatial data model. ● Analyze demographic and general statistical data at the national/regional/district level and map them. ● Analyze data at the urban/urban planning level and map them. ● Formulate spatial queries and interpret their results.
Professors
Name
Position
Office
Telephone
Email
Siountri Konstantina
Teaching Staff
104/ΓΛ126
+30 210 4142479
ksiountri@unipi.gr
Vasilara Archontoula
Teaching Staff
104/ΓΛ126
+30 210 4142479
avasilara@unipi.gr
Tsigkas Epaminondas
Teaching Staff, Teaching and Research Staff (TRS) NTUA
104/Lam.126
+30 210 4142479
etsigkas@unipi.gr
Software for Smart Cities
The objective of the course is the development of software that can be utilized within the context of smart cities. This software can be installed and operated on modern smartphones as well as other smart devices that have emerged in recent years and utilize an operating system. The software applicable to smart cities includes, among others, software for wearables, software for smart TVs, software for next-generation smart cars, and software for smart boards using "Android Things." The course covers an analysis of the most popular IoT operating systems and development tools for applications on these systems. However, the main focus of the course is on the use of the object-oriented programming language Java for application development on mobile devices using the Android operating system, as well as software development on cloud computing platforms.
Learning Results
Professors
Name
Position
Office
Telephone
Email
Michalas Angelos
Professor in University of Western Macedonia
208/ΚΕKΤ
amichalas@unipi.gr
Skondras Emmanouil
Teaching Staff, Postdoctoral Researcher
208/ΚΕΚΤ
+30 210 4142458, +30 210 4142127, +30 210 4142060
skondras@unipi.gr
Alepis Efthimios
Associate Professor
540/ΚΕΚΤ
+30 210 4142311
talepis@unipi.gr
Vergados J. Dimitrios
Associate Professor in University of Western Macedonia
