The 4^th edition of the International Conference on “Future Smart Cities”, the 4^th edition of the International Conference Resilient and Responsible Architecture and Urbanism”, and the 7^th edition “Earth Observation for Environmental Changes” & 9^th edition “Geo-information Technologies for Natural Disaster Management” was held in collaboration with Xiamen University Malaysia, and took place virtually from the 3^rd to the 5^th of December 2021, due to the travel restrictions caused by the pandemic.

The Conference offers an interdisciplinary forum in the fields of Environment, Sustainable Development, Remote Sensing, Surveying and Mapping, Geodesy and Geosciences, Forestry, Renewable Energy, Smart Cities, City Planning, Urban Design, Transportation, Natural Hazards, Disaster Management, and Climate Change Science, among many others.  

Among the main topics discussed in the conference:

1-     Challenges and Key Components for Developing Smart Cities.

2-     Computational Advancements in Future Smart Cities.

3-     The Path to Resiliency: Theory and Application.

4-     Earth Observation for Environmental Changes & Geo-information Technologies.

5-     Resiliency for the Future.

Day 1:

Welcoming Session:

The Opening Ceremony started with the online registration and welcoming speeches from the Conference Chair and IEREK’s founder.

First a Presentation about IEREK introducing IEREK as a company and its activities to the audience.

Following IEREK’s introduction, short welcoming speeches were given by the conference chair Prof. Jonathan Li, Dean of School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia, and the conference co-chair Prof. Saeid Pirasteh, Head of GeoAI Smarter Map and LiDAR Lab, southwest Jiaotong, China, and Prof. Zhang Ying Assistant President XMUM, Malaysia.

Finally, a video Presentation about XMUM University Malaysia was presented by Dr. Geetha Kanaparan, Assistant Dean of School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia.

Plenary session:

A plenary session was Moderated by Prof. Wang Hui Qiong, Director of Research Management Centre, Xiamen University Malaysia started by introducing the first keynote speaker Prof. Qiao Xiang, Professor of Computer Science at Xiamen, China , whose speech was entitled: “Toward Flexible, Efficient Smart Cities: A Network-Application Integration Perspective”, and the Second keynote Prof. Raed A. Abd-Alhameed, Professor of Electromagnetic and Radio Frequency Engineering at the University of Bradford, Uk, whose speech entitled: “Wireless Sensor Network for blockage and leakage within the sewer infrastructure in Urban Catchments”.

After the keynote speech was the First Session of the conference titled “Challenges and Key Components for Developing Smart Cities”. The session was moderated by Professor Siti Nurliana, Xiamen University Malaysia, and Professor Norma Liyana Binti Omar, Xiamen University Malaysia. The session had nine presentations before a short break.

Following the short break was the second Session entitled “Computational Advancements in Future Smart Cities” then started and was moderated by Professor Lawal Billa,The University of Nottingham, The United Kingdom, and Dr. Debashish Das, Xiamen University Malaysia. Four presentations were discussed during the second session and concluded the first day of the Conference.

Day 2:

The second day of the conference was Moderated by Prof. Yasser Mahgoub, Program Director, Faculty of Architecture, Galala University, Egypt by Introducing the Third Keynote Prof. Shasoen Wang, Dean and Professor of Architecture in School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Xiamen University, whose speech was entitled: “Resiliency on a Building Scale”

After the keynote speech, the Third Session entitled “The Path to Resiliency: Theory and Application”, which is moderated by Professor Yasser Mahgoub, Galala University, Egypt, and Professor Ahmad Affandi Supli, Xiamen University Malaysia. The third session discussed eight presentations, before a short break.

After the short break a new session was Moderated by Professor. Ahmad Affandi Supli, Xiamen University Malaysia started by introducing the third Keynote Prof. Saeid Pirasteh, Head of GeoAI Smarter Map and LiDAR Lab, Southwest Jiaotong University, China, whose speech was entitled: “Geospatial Infrastructure Management Ecosystem (GeoIME) Earthquake Preparedness and resiliency” and the Fiifth Keynote Prof. Arnis Asmat, Associate professor in the Program Environmanetal Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia, whose speech was entitled: “Google The Environment: What’s Next?”

the Next was the Fourth Session of the conference entitled “Earth Observation for Environmental Changes & Geo-information Technologies” and it was moderated by Professor Shabnam Jabari, University of New Brunswick, Canada, and Prof. Saeid Pirasteh, Jiaotong University, China. Four presentations were discussed during the Fourth session and concluded the second day of the Conference with the Sixth Keynote Prof. Amor Laaribi, Previously Senior Statistician in charge of Geosptial Information in Support SDGs Indicator Framework, United Nations, New York, whose speech was entitled: “Integration and Statistical Information in Support of Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Developments Goals”.

Day 3:

The Third day of the Confernece Started with the speeches of the remainig keynote speakers Prof. Anna Laura Pisello, Assistant Professor of Applied Physics at the University of Perugia in Italy, with a speech entitled: “A View of Urban Resilience to Climate Change”, and Prof.Baojie He, Professor at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Chongqinq University, China, with a speech entitled: “Creation of Cool Cities and Communities”.

After the Keynote Speeches, The Fifth Session, which is moderated by professor Liuyan Qian, Southwest Jiaotong University, China, and Professor Donia Zhang, Neoland School oc Chinese Culture and Chinese Culture Publishing. The Fifth and the last session discussed nine presentions.

A discussion and a Questions and Answers session followed, Introducing Presentation by Prof. Honschao Fan, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway, IEREK Upcoming Events 2022 & 2023 By Toka Amer, Operation Manager, IEREK,   and the Conference was concluded by Closing Ceremony & Awards Announcement selecting the Best paper and Best Presentation was led by Prof. Hamid Tahaei, Cagir, Xiamen University Malaysia, Prof Siti Nurliana Jamali, Co-Chair, Xiamen University Malaysia, and  a Panel session where final remarks and feedback were discussed.