About the Project
Cities worldwide are grappling with complex sustainability challenges that require innovative solutions. Urban digital twins - virtual replicas of cities that simulate real-world conditions - offer a promising approach to overcome data silos and address the intricate interdependencies hindering urban innovation. However, developing these systems faces two significant challenges: the need for coordinated adaptation of complex technological systems under various constraints, and the requirement for cooperation among diverse stakeholders with their own goals and interests. This research project aims to tackle these challenges by investigating how urban digital twins can drive sustainable urban development through collaborative innovation. The study will explore three key questions:
How do organisations create and capture value in urban digital twin ecosystems?
How can governance structures in these ecosystems effectively balance scalability and innovation?
How can urban digital twins catalyse cross-sector collaboration for urban sustainability?
To answer these questions, the project will combine the supervisors’ expertise in collaborative innovation, emergent digital technologies, urban infrastructure, and technology diffusion. The research will involve extensive fieldwork in both Manchester, UK and Melbourne, Australia, engaging with various stakeholders in urban digital twin initiatives. This international comparison will provide insights into how different urban contexts impact value co-creation and ecosystem governance. The project will employ a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, including interviews, case studies, and potentially system dynamics modelling. It will explore innovative business models that encourage collaboration while allowing individual organisations to capture value. The research will also examine how governance structures evolve as digital twin initiatives scale up, and how they can balance centralised control with decentralised innovation.
Furthermore, the study will investigate how urban digital twins can break down silos, facilitating dialogue between technical experts, policymakers, businesses, and citizens. It will explore how these platforms enable collaborative design processes that address both technical and social aspects of urban sustainability.
The project offers a unique opportunity for a PhD candidate to engage with cutting-edge research at the intersection of digital innovation, urban planning, and sustainability. The successful candidate will spend time at both the University of Manchester and the University of Melbourne, benefiting from world-class expertise and research networks at both institutions. This research has significant implications for both theory and practice. It will contribute to academic debates on ecosystem governance, collaborative business models, and the role of digital platforms in urban innovation. For practitioners and policymakers, it will provide insights into designing effective governance structures and value creation mechanisms for urban digital twin platforms.
By bridging the gap between technological potential and practical implementation, this project aims to unlock the full potential of urban digital twins in creating more sustainable, resilient, and liveable cities. The findings will be valuable for city planners, technology companies, policymakers, and anyone interested in the future of urban development and digital innovation.