Greetings everyone!
I am Konstantinos Koutsovoulos, a final year Civil Engineering student and sustainable mobility enthusiast. Having a passion for urban planning and ITS. I’m all about innovation to shape the ultimate smart city experience.
For the past two months I volunteer with MISSION (Multi-modal Inclusive Smart urban mobility SolutIONs) project, as part of the Interreg Volunteer Youth programme, at the University of Patras in Greece.
Supported by Interreg IPA ADRION programme, MISSION focuses on decarbonizing urban transport through technology-based solutions and testing innovative mobility strategies, in various cities in the Adriatic-Ionian region.
To achieve this, MISSION brings together a strong network of partners:
Politecnico di Milano (Italy) as the Lead Partner, PLUSERVICE S.R.L. (Italy), Municipality of Maribor (Slovenia), University of Patras (Greece), City of Novi Sad (Serbia), City of Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Capital City of Podgorica (Montenegro).
Core of the project, is the promotion of multimodal transport, encouraging people to combine public transit, cycling and walking. To make this a reality, a user-friendly SmartApp is developed and designed to provide real-time assistance to users, guiding them to the fastest and greenest travel routes.
As a volunteer, my tasks are directly linked to the success of the SmartApp.
To make the SmartApp a success, as a volunteer, I help with research and urban planning, learning the actual needs of the local community and also to explore how to integrate real-time transit information into the app.
It’s an exciting challenge to turn traditional transportation planning into a dynamic digital tool.
However, technology alone is not enough!
Its success relies on active citizen participation. The app design focuses on people who will actually use it, through frequent communication with local stakeholders, businesses, and citizens. Feedback is gathered to ensure the app meets the everyday needs of travelers.
Would I recommend the IVY programme?
To anyone thinking about joining the IVY programme: Go for it!
I was welcomed into a friendly and supportive environment.
Their enthusiasm for sustainable urban mobility is remarkable and their advice has been tremendous to my personal and professional growth.
If you want to make a real impact and learn from experts, IVY is the place to be!
– Konstantinos, IVY Project Partner at University of Patras for the Interrreg Project “MISSION”, under the programme Interreg IPA ADRION.
