Feature Papers in Smart Cities (2026-2027)
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The rapid evolution of smart cities is fundamentally transforming urban systems through the convergence of digital technologies, intelligent infrastructures and sustainable development strategies. Advances in artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, urban data analytics, digital twins, hybrid transportation and citizen-centric governance are enabling cities to become more adaptive, resilient, efficient and livable.
This Special Issue, “Feature Papers in Smart Cities (2026–2027)”, aims to publish high-quality, original and impactful feature papers that address emerging challenges and innovative solutions in smart city research and applications. We particularly welcome contributions that demonstrate significant scientific novelty, interdisciplinary integration, methodological rigor and practical relevance for next-generation urban development.
Both original research articles and comprehensive review papers are encouraged. Submissions should provide cutting-edge insights, transformative technologies, advanced models, or evidence-based approaches that contribute to intelligent urban planning, sustainable infrastructure and transportation, smart governance, urban resilience and enhanced quality of life.
Researchers from academia, industry, government agencies and interdisciplinary research communities are invited to contribute their latest findings and visionary perspectives.
Prof. Dr. Zhixiang Fang
Prof. Dr. Bin Zou
Prof. Dr. Yongjiu Feng
Prof. Dr. Antonio Moreno-Munoz
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Smart Cities is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- smart city planning, policy and governance
- urban Internet of Things and sensor systems
- artificial intelligence and machine learning for urban applications
- urban big data analytics and intelligent decision support
- smart transportation, mobility and logistics systems
- sustainable, resilient and climate-adaptive urban infrastructure
- digital twins, urban simulation and predictive modeling
- smart energy systems and renewable energy integration
- citizen-centric services, e-governance and participatory urban management
- cybersecurity, privacy, ethics and trust in smart cities
- human-centered and inclusive urban intelligence
- emerging technologies and future urban innovation
- intelligent environmental monitoring and healthy urban environments
- smart sensing of urban air, water, thermal and acoustic environmental quality
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Published Papers
Smart Cities - ISSN 2624-6511