As part of the course titled “IW 52 – International Project: Smart Cities,” students in the Computer Science and Energy and Electrical Engineering programs at UTBM can participate in a week-long collaborative project with our partner, theFHNW: University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, located in Basel.
This year, the FHNW welcomed seven students from UTBM from February 10 to 14, 2025, accompanied by their teachers, who took turns throughout the week: Ms. SMITH, Ms. ZAVADA, Mr. BLUNTZER, Mr. GECHTER, and Mr. PHILLIPS.
Jennifer WALDMEIER-TSCHOPP, a research associate at FHNW, emphasizes: “It is an honor for me to be your host. The collaboration between the two universities—the University of Technology of Belfort-Montbéliard and FHNW Business—involving students from various disciplines (engineers, computer scientists, and economists) seems very fruitful. It’s wonderful to see how interested and engaged the students have been throughout this week. We’re looking forward to the rest of the program!”
An intense and rewarding week
Days 1 and 2
From day one, our UTBM students take a joint module with the FHNW in Basel on the topic of Smart Cities: an introduction to the concepts, digital transformation, Smart Energy for Smart Cities, a presentation of the Klybeck site renovation project and a tour of the site, a presentation of Basel’s Superblock project, and, to wrap things up, a unique dining experience in total darkness at the Blinde Kuh Basel restaurant.
Day 3
On the agenda: a tour of the Uptown Basel project and a presentation on the development of activities related to quantum computing and artificial intelligence (Quantum Basel) by Sonja ANDRIST and Anita GASHI, followed by a presentation on mobility solutions for Roche employees by Julian HENNIG and Laura SCHWAB, and finally, a return to group work at the FHNW.
Day 4
Our students had the opportunity to visit the Vitra campus in Weil am Rhein and tour the VitraHaus with Markus SOHRMANN; they then returned to prepare for their presentation scheduled for the following day.
Day 5
The final day of Smart Cities Week for students from FHNW and UTBM featured a presentation of their projects on the following topics:
Smart People and Smart Governance
Smart Mobility and Smart Economy
Smart Living and Smart Environment
What’s next?
The experience doesn’t end there! Back at UTBM, our students will continue their research to turn their ideas into proof-of-concept projects.
Franck GECHTER, Director of International Relations at UTBM: “A big thank you to Jennifer WALDMEIER-TSCHOPP and the entire FHNW team for organizing this event. I’m delighted that our students were able to participate in this multidisciplinary and multicultural exchange. It’s an incredible opportunity to engage with business students on crucial topics—all in English. I wish them the best as they see their project through to completion over the course of the semester. I’m thrilled to announce that next year, UTBM will host this event.”
Hsin-Jou WU, a computer science student: “During the week, we explored how any city can be smart, regardless of its size, and visited places developing cutting-edge technology. The course was enriched by exchanges of ideas and cultural insights with Swiss students, offering different perspectives on smart cities. As an outsider, I had the opportunity to observe the differences between the French and Swiss groups, deepening my understanding of both cultures and experiencing occasional culture shocks.”
Hamza FETHOUNE, a student in Energy and Electrical Engineering: “It was a unique learning experience, both culturally and scientifically, led by passionate people. It opened my eyes to new perspectives.”
Congratulations to everyone on this wonderful academic and personal journey!
