Journal of Urban Development and Smart Cities (JUDSC)
The Journal of Urban Development and Smart Cities (JUDSC) is a peer-reviewed, diamond open access journal established in 2023 and published by Locke Science Publisher. JUDSC provides an international forum for research and practice that improves how cities are planned, governed, built, and managed in a rapidly changing world.
The journal publishes high-quality theoretical, empirical, and applied work that supports evidence-based urban policy and advances smart city planning and sustainable urban development. JUDSC welcomes multidisciplinary contributions from urban planning, public policy, engineering, data science, geography, architecture, economics, environmental studies, and related fields, provided the work clearly contributes to urban development and city outcomes.
JUDSC prioritizes submissions that are methodologically rigorous, transparent in data and methods where feasible, and relevant to real-world urban challenges. We encourage research that connects innovation with equity, resilience, and practical implementation.
Core areas of interest include (but are not limited to):
urban development strategies, land use, and spatial planning
smart city governance, digital transformation, and public-sector innovation
data-driven and evidence-based urban policy, evaluation, and decision support
urban infrastructure planning (transport, energy, water, waste, housing, public space)
sustainability transitions, climate adaptation, resilience, and disaster risk reduction
mobility systems, accessibility, and integrated transport planning
urban analytics, GIS, sensing, urban AI, and responsible use of data in cities
inclusive development, equity, participation, and citizen-centered services
urban health, safety, well-being, and quality of life indicators
economic development, innovation districts, and urban competitiveness
implementation and management of urban projects and programs
JUDSC considers original research articles, review articles, policy and practice reports, and other scholarly contributions defined in the journal’s author guidelines. JUDSC serves researchers, urban planners, policymakers, practitioners, and institutions seeking reliable evidence and transferable insights for improving cities and urban regions. JUDSC publishes one annual volume with one issue under a continuous publication model. Accepted papers are published online as soon as they are ready, enabling timely dissemination while maintaining rigorous peer review.