Jiasi Zhou

Smart city co-governance and stakeholder interactions: Evidence from local narratives in the United Kingdom

Supervisors: Dr Brock Bersaglio; Dr Timea Nochta 

Smart city strategies and practices place significant emphasis on the interaction between technology and society to solve urban problems and achieve urban development. However, many have been criticised for adopting a “one-size-fits-all” approach to urban technology and data. This research project moves beyond the conventional dichotomy between top-down and bottom-up smart city narratives and seeks to develop a more holistic understanding of place-based smart city (co-)governance.

Jiasi Zhou 2026

Profile

Jiasi is a postgraduate researcher in the Department of International Development. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration (with Distinction) from the University of Birmingham and a Bachelor’s degree in Public Affairs Management (Health Services Management) from Guangdong Pharmaceutical University. Her PhD research focuses on smart cities, particularly at the intersection of stakeholder participation, technological innovation, and governance arrangements.

Qualifications

  • MPA in Public Administration, University of Birmingham, 2022
  • BSc in Public Affairs Management, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, 2021

Research interests

  • Smart cities
  • Urban governance
  • Technology policy and governance

Contact details:

Email: jxz033@student.bham.ac.uk