- eSchwechat: from Transport Hub to Knowledge Hub    click here to open paper content417 kb
by    Schrenk, Manfred & Paugger, Helmut | m.schrenk@ceit.at   click here to send an email to the auther(s) of this paper
Short Outline
The City of Schwechat is Vienna´s Airport City and traditionally it is an industrial town. This '4-modal-transport hub' lauched a municipial Information-Society-Technology-Intiative (IST) to develop 'from transport hub to knowledge hub'.
Abstract
The City of Schwechat is Vienna´s Airport City and an important transport hub in Austria and Central Europe as well as an industrial town.
Only 14.000 people are living within the city limits, but more then 18.000 work there – both numbers are rapidly increasing.

eSchwechat.at is a five year (2005 – 2009) municipial Information Society Initiative with the goal to develop the City of Schwechat, Vienna´s Airport City, from a transport hub to a knowledge hub.

Schwechat plans to become a seamless Information Society. An information society which will improve and simplify things for citizens in all areas of life – regardless of age and education. An Information Society in which everyone has access to the information they need, whether for work, school, further education or their private life.

As Hannes Fazekas, the Mayor of Schwechat and Member of Austrian Parliament puts it: ''eSchwechat.at is a concept for the present and the future that will guarantee the ability to remain economically competitive and increase in value going forward – with it guaranteeing the quality of life of people living here.''

The major aims are
· integrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a means of supporting every area of life in which it seems possible and worthwhile
· establishment of an internationally recognised High-Tech Location
· development and testing of innovative ICT systems on location
· improving the numbers of ICT firms settling in Schwechat, improved stimulation for the establishment of business as well as targeted growth support for ready established ICT firms, coupled to strengthened internationalisation.
· creation of new, well paid jobs.
· influx of people.
· improved education and training
· integration of otherwise disadvantaged people (such as the elderly and those with disabilities).
· democratisation of ICT and equal opportunities: Everyone should have access to all the important information they need for work and education.

An important measure already implemented is the foundation of CEIT – Central European Institute of Technology as an applied research institute, t
Furthermore the City sees itself as a “living lab” to develop and test new technologies in a real-life-environment, involving the people living and working here.
Keywords
municipial strategy info-society-initiative
Case Study presented on the ISOCARP Congress 2007: Urban Trialogues
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