The focal point of focus for the 9^th edition of the International Conference on “Future Smart Cities” (FSC) is to enhance human life through the strategic use of technology, data-driven solutions, and intelligent networks. This will provide cities with the opportunity to have more livable urban environments, resilient, and responsive to the needs of their inhabitants.

The FSC conference will discuss many important aspects of daily life, ranging from transportation and energy management to public safety and infrastructure, aspects which should be seamlessly integrated. It will also discuss the employment of advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics, which allow us to optimize resource allocation, improve efficiency, and foster a sustainable and inclusive urban future for generations to come.

Conference Scope:

The 9th edition of the conference focuses on the dynamic and innovative approach to the urban landscape. FSC aims to move beyond theoretical concepts and focus on practical and actionable strategies for building the cities of our future. It will explore how technologies and collaborative models can transform cities from the ground up into smarter, more sustainable, and more livable urban environments.

Statement of Purpose

The FSC 2026 conference has a unique purpose, that of prompting discussions that lead to tangible, on-the-ground strategies for building smarter, more inclusive, and sustainable cities. The main goal is, therefore, to empower participants and attendees to become drivers of positive change, inspiring the creation of urban environments that not only meet the challenges of today but also anticipate the needs of the future. The conference seeks to build a global community of forward-thinking individuals dedicated to shaping our cities’ future and paving the way for a more resilient and equitable built environment.

• 1. Recent Technologies and Innovative Design of Urban Mobility Networks

  This theme includes the integration of public transit, AI-driven traffic management, micro-mobility solutions, and the rise of autonomous vehicles. It will explore urban strategies and design guidelines for creating efficient and sustainable transportation networks.

• 2. Next-Generation Infrastructure

  This theme focuses on the modernization of infrastructure systems, including smart grids, sustainable water management, and the integration of circular economy principles into the built environment.

• 3. Design for People: Human-Centric Smart Cities

  This theme will address how technology can enhance social inclusion, public health, and citizen engagement. Topics include digital governance, responsive public services, and the design of urban spaces and pedestrian networks to promote human well-being.

• 4. Climate Resilience and Green Development

  This theme will explore how smart technologies can be leveraged to combat climate change, reduce urban heat islands, and promote greener environments through smart waste management, sustainable architecture, and nature-based solutions.

• 5. Environmental Sustainability

  This section addresses the critical challenge of making cities more environmentally sustainable. Topics include smart waste and water management, renewable energy integration, strategies for improving air quality, and promoting urban biodiversity.

• 6. Economy and Business Models

  This theme explores the financial and economic dimensions of smart cities. It covers innovative financing for urban projects, Smart City as a Service (SCaaS) models, and the role of public-private partnerships.

• 7. Public Safety and Security

  This theme focuses on how technology can enhance citizen safety. Topics include AI-powered applications, predictive policing, and robust cybersecurity measures to protect urban data and infrastructure investments.

• 8. Citizen Engagement, Health, Wellness, and Quality of Life

  This section discusses the human dimension of smart cities. It focuses on how technology can improve public health, education, and social life, as well as the design and development of parks and public spaces. Topics also include smart healthcare services, remote patient monitoring, and the use of urban data to create healthier, more livable communities.

• 9. AI-Driven Decision Making and Machine Learning

  This theme highlights the role of data analytics and AI in smart cities. Topics include machine learning for predictive infrastructure maintenance, computer vision for real-time traffic analysis, and natural language processing for enhancing e-governance. It will also explore how predictive analytics optimize urban planning, resource allocation, and emergency response systems in real time.

• 10. Blockchain for Urban Systems

  This section will investigate how blockchain technology can provide transparency and security in urban systems, including secure voting, land registry, and decentralized energy trading.

• 11. IoT and Ubiquitous Sensing

  This theme explores the expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT) into the Internet of Everything (IoE), where not only devices but also people, data, and processes are interconnected to create responsive urban ecosystems. Topics include distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) for traffic analysis and other innovative sensing technologies.

• 12. Social Equity and Digital Inclusion

  This section addresses the ethical implications of smart city technologies, focusing on bridging the digital divide, ensuring equitable access to services, and protecting data privacy for all residents

• 13. Resilience and Crisis Management

  This theme will explore how smart cities can leverage technology to build resilience against challenges such as climate change and public health crises. Topics include smart early-warning systems and rapid response protocols enabled by connected data.

General Instructions

1. Benefits:

   We recommend that all authors take advantage of the benefits that IEREK offers, including various attendance types, publishing opportunities, and opportunities for discounts and waivers.

2. Membership:

   We are pleased to inform all applicants that they can use their previous publications to register for an IEREK membership, which offers a special discount.

3. Collaborative Discounts:

   IEREK offers a special discount to applicants from collaborative universities that have signed an MoU with IEREK to host or co-host one of its conferences.

4. Income-Based Discounts:

   IEREK also provides special discounts to authors from low and medium-income countries.

5. Publication Accessibility:
   The disclosed fees are for the conference participation (Publication is free of charge, but only the conference participants can be considered for publishing in the conference proceedings).
   
   
6. Book Series/ Journal(s) Discounts:
   Some of the disclosed conference fees may vary depending on the book series and/or journal(s) presented as a publication outlet, as we encourage submission to newly founded book series and/or journal(s) by presenting a discounted rate for the conference's fees.
   

Publication Opportunities

IEREK offers many alternative venues for publication. All accepted submissions to the conference, after a rigorous double-blinded peer-review process by the respective and highly-distinguished Editorial Board, will be published through one of the following venues:

1. Scopus/Web of Science:

   Selected papers (according to the preference of the author) will be published in one of the Scopus-indexed or Web of Science-indexed book series or through related journal special issues. See the publishing opportunities section.

2. Springer Series/IEREK Journals:

   Accepted papers (according to the preference of the author) will be published through the Springer book series or through a special issue in one of the IEREK press open-access Journals.

Types of Applications, Attendance, and Registration

IEREK offers many types of registrations that are diverse in registration fees; applicants can choose the type they are familiar with as follows:

1. Academic:

   Participants who are PhD holders, post-doctoral researchers, and universities’ affiliated professors and experts in the field.

2. Students:

   Must provide proof of enrollment in a university by providing an enrollment certificate and/or a valid university ID (with issue/expiry date) etc.

3. Professionals:

   Participants who are not affiliated with universities such as practitioners, policymakers, entrepreneurs, etc.

4. Companions/Co-authors:

   Have access to the event to enjoy the discussions, coffee breaks, and lunch as a co-author or audience.

5. Presentation Only:

   An author may need to attend the conference for presentation only to present a research idea without publication or full paper submission; the fee in this case will be decreased.

   B. Online Attendance

   Type of Registration	Early Payment Deadline 10 May 2026	Regular Payment Deadline 10 June 2026	Late Payment Deadline 10 July 2026
   Scopus indexed-ASTI Book by Springer
   Student	300 €	350 €	400 €
   Academic	350 €	400 €	450 €
   Professional	400 €	450 €	500 €
   Co-author/ Audience	100 €	150 €	200 €
   SAIPA Book by Springer
   Student	250 €	300 €	350 €
   Academic
   Professional
   Co-author/ Audience	100 €	150 €	200 €
   Open Access IEREK Press Journals
   Student	200 €	250 €	300 €
   Academic	250 €	300 €	350 €
   Professional	300 €	350 €	400 €
   Co-author/ Audience	100 €	150 €	200 €

    

   IEREK offers virtual attendance, providing authors with a unique link to join the conference sessions and present their papers as per the announced program.

   IEREK is dedicated to optimizing the benefits for each delegate so, similar to physical attendance, when it comes to virtual attendance IEREK also provides two venues for publication, which are:

   Type 1:

   • (Online attendance+ Publication through Scopus and (SCImago), EI Compendex, zbMATH indexation)

     Online attendance + Publication through Scopus and Web of Science indexation Through IEREK – Springer Nature Interdisciplinary book series “Advances in Science, Technology, and Innovation” ASTI, see previous publications here! here.

     Online attendance + Publication through Scopus, Web of Science (SCImago), EI Compendex, zbMATH indexation Through Springer Nature Interdisciplinary book series, “Sustainable Civil Infrastructure” see previous publication here! here.

   • Online attendance + Publication through Open-access IEREK press Journals (to be indexed soon in Web of Science and afterward in Scopus)

   Type 2:

   • Online attendance + Publication through Springer Nature new book series (to be indexed in Scopus soon)

     Through IEREK – Springer Nature Interdisciplinary book series “Sustainable Landscape Planning, and Natural Resources Management” (SLNR). See previous publication here.

   • Online attendance + Publication through Open-access IEREK press Journals (to be indexed soon in Web of Science and afterward in Scopus)

   The online fee covers:

   • IEREK Participation/Contribution soft copy Certificate
   • Preliminary Acceptance Letter
   • Consideration for publication in the IEREK ASTI series by Springer or IEREK Press.
   • Access to conference recordings

   * Each research paper should have one main author who should pay the full fee (Author fees) regardless of attendance.

   * Co-authors, each, have their fees to pay to attend the event. This applies to online attendance as well as physical attendance.

   Discounts and Waiving Opportunities

   1. 15%: Participants who come from co-partner universities who have already signed an MOU with IEREK can receive a 15% discount. Authors should mention the key person who signed the agreement with IEREK. You are welcome to inquire if your university has an agreement with IEREK or not yet.
   2. 20%: Waiving with 20% from the announced fees for low-income countries according to the World Bank classification mentioned in the document below.
   3. 25%: If multiple abstracts are submitted by the same first author to the conference, a 25% discount is applied to each additional submission according to the deadline of payments.

   * Participants can use only one type of discount opportunity, which meets their preferences.

   * Authors should contact the conference manager through this email [email protected] to consider the discount and waiving for all the above cases so that the conference manager can provide an exclusive invoice for each case.

   Proof of capability to get the discount:

   • A copy of a student enrollment card for 2026 is essential.
   • Proof of affiliation to the partnering university is to be provided.
   • Proof of previous publication through IEREK conferences. 
   • A copy of passport for authors from low-income countries. Added below is the list of low and middle income countries according to the World Bank classification.

   Countries List

   Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Congo Dem. Rep., Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, India, Iran, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Rwanda, Samoa, São Tomé and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

   Publish through iDirect

   iDirect is a new and efficient platform that allows direct submissions of research papers across various fields of science. iDirect accepts and covers all fields of science, not only those related to a particular conference. Individual authors are encouraged to submit their research discussing new ideas and presenting solutions to everyday problems that fall under numerous scientific themes. The iDirect platform is integrated into the peer review system for online conferences. You can publish your work through iDirect without the need to attend the conference or adhere to any submission deadlines. iDirect accepts a wide range of disciplines, eliminating the need to align with the conference's specific theme or scope. Based on the scope of your research, we will identify the most relevant proceedings for publication. The editor will schedule a discussion with you to review your presentation before proceeding to the peer-review process. Learn more here!

   Publication Period

   IEREK puts a lot of effort into expediting the peer review process to publish articles as quickly as possible. This requires prompt responses from all authors to the editors' comments, if any. Your swift response is highly appreciated to advance the production process and get your articles online. We prioritize the first author to respond as per our formula. The conference proceedings will be divided into multiple books, with the first one scheduled for publication within 6 months after the conference date. We encourage all authors to aim for publication in the first release.

   Possibilities for Extra Fees

   1. Authors may request that their kits be delivered, for an additional fee decided by the courier, and upon request. Alternatively, authors located in Egypt can pick them up from IEREK headquarters in Alexandria.
   2. Additional Conference Kit (Excluding Delivery). *Contact us for a quotation on shipping fees.

IEREK has an unyielding policy regarding plagiarism. We believe that copying/taking the ideas and work of other Authors without permission and credit is fraudulent. The Reviewing committee and IEREK employees have the authority to reject a paper during its reviewing process, based on the paper being subjected to either minor or major plagiarism.

Authors must refer to, and abide by, the following instructions in submitting their abstracts/ papers:

Step 1: Abstract Submission Process

• The author should prepare and submit an Abstract of at least 150 – 300 words through the website.
• The abstract should be concise and clearly state the proposed research study's purpose, results, and conclusions.
• The author should select the most relevant topic for the paper from the corresponding conference topics.
• The author can use/download an Abstract Writing Template prior to submission
• To submit your abstract, you first need to (1) click on the “Register” button on the conference page, (2) click on “Submit Now” and:
  • Select the Topic in which you are making the submission
  • Insert the title of your study in the "Paper Title" section
  • Insert the full abstract in the "Abstract" section/upload a file in the .pdf, .doc, .docm, or .docx format
  • Add in writing 3 – 5 keywords that define the field, subfield, topic, and research area covered by the article to help other researchers understand and find your work.
  • Provide the names, affiliations, and E-mails of all authors/ co-authors involved
  • Confirm your submission by ticking having read the instructions and “submit Abstract”

Step 2.1: Abstract Acceptance

• After acceptance of your abstract of at least (150 – 300 words), you will receive a proforma invoice and specific instructions to complete the payment online or by bank transfer (See Registration & Fees) to confirm your participation,
• Once your abstract has been accepted, please refer to the important dates tab and carefully review the announced dates to avoid late payment, as late payment comes at an extra charge (early bird/regular/late).
• After successfully completing payment, you will be issued upon request with the following:
  • A signed/ stamped abstract acceptance letter
  • Please note that acceptance of participation, abstract submission, and extended abstract/short paper submissions all have different deadlines. To stay up to date and avoid paying extra fees, or delaying your paper, please carefully review the important dates tab.
  • Receipt of Payment/ Payment Invoice
  • Visa Invitation Letter, if needed
• After abstract acceptance, you may be given the option to extend the abstract to publish your work in the conference proceedings in ASTI published by Springer Nature (indexed in Scopus/SCImago) (optional not obligatory).

  This is not a prerequisite for presenting your work at the conference. Meaning, you can present your submitted abstract without intending to publish your work.

Step 2.2: Abstract Extension / Short Paper (Optional)

• Your Short paper should be a minimum of 6 pages and contain 4,000 words, excluding references. and submitted before the paper submission deadline, in English, and fit within one of the conference topics.
• The Extended abstract i.e., the short paper should follow the research paper structure as follows: Abstract (+keywords), Introduction, problem statement, and study aim, Review of the Literature, Methodology, results and conclusion/ discussion, References list using the Paper Writing Template.
• The submission (short paper i.e. extended abstract) should be made following the same procedure followed for the abstract or sent to the conference email.
• Here: Authors may need more pages than the allotted maximum of 6 to insert figures, tables, appendixes, etc. In this case, they can submit regular papers (max. 12 pages) with the same fixed fee. For a detailed outline of the fees, please refer to the payment table in the conference fees tab.
• The conference does welcome Arabic submissions (with abstracts written in the english language), which will only be considered for publication in BAHETH by IEREK Press.

Step 3: Rigorous Peer Review Process (double-blind)

This process can only be initiated after payment completion and confirmation:

• If submitted, the extension (short paper) will be preliminarily checked (iThenticate plagiarism/ similarity screening Software, readability, and scope) and it will be peer-reviewed. If similarity issues are detected, the following will apply:
  • % from all sources: 10-15%
  • % from one source: 3-5%
  • Higher than 30% (all sources): Reject completely
  • Lower than 30% (all sources): Ask for revision to decrease the similarities
• IEREK has an unyielding policy regarding plagiarism. We believe that copying/ taking the ideas and work of other Authors without permission and credit is fraudulent. The Reviewing committee and IEREK employees have the authority to reject a paper during its reviewing process, on the basis of the paper being subjected to either minor or major plagiarism.
• Each paper/ chapter is evaluated by a minimum of two reviewers, after which a final decision by the responsible Editor is made. There is no maximum to the number of times a paper can be reviewed, depending on the quality of the submission.
• If your short paper is accepted by the Editors for publishing with comments/ requested modifications, our Editors (publishing department) will contact you once a decision is made and you will be asked to revise and correct it. After resubmission, it will be re-checked. Note: There may be more than one round of peer review and the decision rests with the editors of the title. Missed deadlines may result in complete exclusion/ rejection from the final publication.
• If your short paper is accepted for publishing without edits/ comments, the corresponding author will be contacted to provide the final version of their chapters/ papers following Springer Guidelines and sign the Springer consent-to-publish (CTP) form to authorize publication in the conference proceedings.
• A back-and-forth process: modifications will be sent back to the responsible Editor/ Series Editor and another round of evaluation conducted where needed. Participants/ Authors should regularly check their emails (Junk/ Spam folders).
• If you are not interested in publishing an extended abstract in the proceedings in ASTI by Springer Nature, please inform the conference support ([email protected]).

Step 4: Extended paper 

• After the conference, the authors of the best papers will be invited to submit an extended version of their research, 8 – 12+ pages in length, (optional) of their short papers for publishing in an edited volume to be published by Springer Nature.
• Publishing your short paper (i.e., extended abstract) in the conference proceedings does not prevent the submission of the full version for publishing consideration after the conference if the similarity percentages (SR%) in Step 3 are taken into account.

Registration

To help the organizers plan for inter-disciplinary dialogue, participants are requested to choose from the conference themes/ Topics upon registration.

They must also refer to, and abide by, the following instructions in registering and submitting their abstracts/ papers:

Types of Participation

1. Attend/ Present Virtually and Publish in Conference proceedings

Organized from the comfort of your own home, the conference offers a virtual attendance option for your convenience. That said, participants will have a chance to present their abstract/research, online, and have their work considered for publication in the proceedings.

Virtual presenters are required to submit an abstract and extend this abstract following the “author instructions” below and before the deadline (see Important Dates). At least one author must pay the registration fee (see Registration & Fees).

For any reason, authors may wish to submit pre-recorded video presentations no later than 15 days prior to the conference. Alternatively, they may wish to record a voice-over PowerPoint presentation for submission to the conference organizers.

 2. Non-presenting participant

Non-presenting participants may also wish to attend the conference as Audience Members or Co-authors contributing to an already submitted abstract/ paper.