Page 59 - U4SSC Factsheet, Mashhad, Iran (Islamic Republic of), September 2021

Urban Observatory

In 2018, the Urban Innovation Centre in Mashhad was put into operation to establish a link between
urban management and emerging technologies.

The conceptual model of the Mashhad Urban Observatory was that it first forms an urban data
warehouse by collecting data and information from local organizations. In the next step, according
to the key issues of Mashhad city, as well as the approaches of the urban observatory, scenario
making, analysis and indexing are applied to these statistics and information and the products are
presented in understandable and transparent formats for different stakeholders. It should be noted
that the display window for each of the stakeholders is different according to their particular goals
and responsibilities, and the display content is filtered for each of them.

The goals of the observatory are:

• Preparing and providing data, data bank data infrastructure, data visualization, indicators and
criteria

• Creating a network of knowledge sharing and participation among different parts of government,
universities and researchers (establishing a knowledge management cycle)

• Coordinating between stakeholders, and creating partnerships between public and private
organizations
• Creating a decision-making system for urban planning

• Developing decision-making and simulation models

• Ensuring the comprehensive, sustainable and balanced growth of urban areas
• Expanding communication with the global network of partners and stakeholders

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