Smart Villages Assam Workshop 1

While the ‘Smart Villages’ concept generally requires the rural community to be empowered with self-sustained local resources, knowledge, skills, health and wellbeing, a clear body of knowledge for bringing about the transformation is not readily available within the academic context. One of the key enablers in the transformation is the customised “Construction Management Practice” where local resources are utilised through professional education and rigorous community engagement.  The ‘Smart’ concept is a local phenomenon, however, design of ‘Smart Solutions’ for a global relevancy must be based on the relevant standards and available best practices.

The aim of the project is to undertake a thorough analysis of the relevancy and applicability of existing construction management practices with a view to developing a range of solutions in a cross-cultural context between the State of Assam and Australia. Focusing on housing and infrastructure sectors, the project aims to foster relevant knowledge for augmentation of construction management practice and collaborative capacity building. The project will result in creation of technical and intellectual knowledge and opportunities for sustained growth and capacity building in a cross cultural context.

The three broad aims of the project are:

1. Comprehensive assessments of construction skills, knowledge, materials, technology and processes in relation to growing challenges of housing and infrastructure needs in cross cultural context and devising strategies for building capacities, improvements and growths including historical and cultural implications in future urban conditions in relation to the ‘Smart Village’ program;
2. Development of frameworks for comprehensive integration of community in terms of the specific needs and requirements and strategies for achieving optimal social value outcomes in housing and infrastructure projects in smart village context. The framework will be demonstrated using selected project case studies in Assam and for providing guidance to relevant authorities, industries and policy makers on how to maximise the opportunities for communities by successful planning and delivery of housing and infrastructure projects within the smart village program.
3. Professional development and local capacity building in research, education and training required for supporting Smart Village program and underlying issues associated with the urbanisation and development processes across the state.