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On Wednesday, May 15, Jay Collins, Vice Chairman of Citi Group (U.S.A.), gave a special lecture titled “Smartville: The Smartest Sustainable City in the World” to students from the School of Political Science and Economics.

Collins, who spent one year as an exchange student in 1983 at Waseda University through the GLCA/ACM Japan Study program, briefly spoke about his experience studying abroad at Waseda University, the influence it had on his life and career, as well as his personal ties to Japan.

Collins began the lecture describing the mechanisms of innovation, which are generated through interactions among individuals and groups. He explained that the ideal Smart City cannot be achieved by technology alone, but also by driving innovation and actively proposing solutions to challenges facing humanity.

Collins emphasized that strategy, such as the utilization of big data and AI, and the establishment of the latest cybersecurity protections to ensure the safety and security of citizens and the city’s digital infrastructure, is paramount in realizing a smart city. He also emphasized the importance of creating an ecosystem that connects different components of the city to address urban agglomerations as well as having a digitally competent leader who can implement such measures. He illustrated these points by providing examples of cities across the world that have successfully implemented such policies. 

Collins also spoke about climate change, an issue with which he works closely. He explained that climate change cannot be solved by governments alone, and that it requires the cooperation of international organizations, NGOs, national governments, private industries in the area of technology, as well as international financial institutions. Smart cities have an important role in addressing climate change, he explained, namely in greening efforts and waste management. He also touched on the importance for smart cities to be equipped with a smart healthcare ecosystem and digital financial capabilities. The lecture was followed by a question-and-answer session, where he provided detailed answers to each question from students.

The lecture came to fruition when Collins contacted President Tanaka, expressing his wish to speak to students at his second Alma Mater. The students who attended the lecture were not only able to gain a deeper understanding of smart cities, which continue to rapidly evolve, but also profound insight into becoming global leaders who contribute to the realization of smart cities.