Towards smart, digitalised rural regions and communities – Policies, best practices and case studies

Rural communities and regions face specific challenges in terms of thin markets, low population density, and long distances. Also, the demographics of these communities are often skewed towards the elderly, and the socioeconomics is characterized by higher share of low-income populations. While the concept of urban smart communities is quite well established, such as Smart Cities, the concept of smart rural region communities is only beginning to gain scholarly attention. Smart rural communities can be understood as rural areas and communities that build on their existing strengths and assets as well as on developing new opportunities based on the aforementioned. Traditional and new networks and services can be improved by utilizing digital telecommunication technologies, innovations, and better use of data and knowledge to benefit the communities. Investing in both physical and digital connectivity, and building digital environments for innovative services, economic sustainability, jobs, and social capital can be enhanced, thus contributing to active and live rural communities. Consequently, the development of smart rural communities and regions begins to emerge in research. What is becoming evident is that achieving the ambitions of smart rural communities requires not only digital technologies but also innovation of commercial and social services, as well as better digital capabilities and skills to bridge the existing – and in places the widening - divide between rural and urban communities.