URBACT Pioneers Accelerator

Edited on 11/12/2025

01/04/2025 30/09/2026

Ongoing
  • Urban planning
  • Participative governance
  • Social cohesion
  • Mobility
  • Waste
  • Tourism
  • Urban nature

 

URBACT Pioneers Accelerator is the bespoke learning programme for cities from accession countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. Participating cities will tackle specific urban challenges with solutions in line with the EU integrated sustainable urban development policy framework, values and best practices.

 

The URBACT Pioneer Accelerator is a structured and inspiring learning journey that helps cities lead sustainable change. It supports them in understanding EU urban development policies while fostering innovation through integrated and participatory approaches and the implementation of small-scale pilot actions.

 

The accelerator programme consists of three learning dimensions:

 

Participating Cities

  • Arandjelovac - Serbia
  • Subotica - Public Enterprise PERMUPHS - Serbia
  • Sremska Mitrovica - Serbia
  • Tuzla - Bosnia-Herzegovina
  • Tivat - Montenegro
  • Himara - Albania
  • Shtip - North Macedonia
  • Herceg Novi - Montenegro
  • Backi Petrovac - Serbia
  • Novi Pazar 2 - Serbia
  • Kamza - Albania
  • Mostar - Bosnia-Herzegovina
  • Trebinje - Development Agency - TREDEA - Bosnia-Herzegovina
  • Bosnia-Herzegovina
  • Bijeljina - Bosnia-Herzegovina
  • Banja Luka - Bosnia-Herzegovina
  • Doboj - Bosnia-Herzegovina
  • Niksic - Montenegro
  • Vinica - North Macedonia
  • Zrenjanin - Serbia
  • Kragujevac - Serbia
  • Kakanj - Bosnia-Herzegovina
  • Široki Brijeg - Bosnia-Herzegovina
  • Lezhë - Albania
  • Smederevo - Serbia
  • Senta - Serbia

Network Contact

Timeline

1 April 2025- Start of the URBACT Pioneers Accelerator journey

 

3-4 July 2025 - Kick off meeting online

16 -18 September 2025 - Milestone event in Ljubljana, Slovenia

October - November 2025 - First round of Thematic expeditions (Study visits) in EU cities (Munich, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Vienna&Zlin) 

December 2025 - First Local Action Labs in Pioneer cities (Focus: Vision Pitch)

Stories

  • Article
    ZUNAJ_Zarnikova_foto-Nejc-Trampuz

    URBACT Pioneers Explored Ljubljana’s Outdoors

    Zunaj (“Outdoors”), a local mechanism that enables communities to lead placemaking projects with modest financial and organisational support.

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  • Article
    URBACT Pioneers city reprsentatives hosted by the Deputy mayor in the Ljubljana city hall

    URBACT Pioneers continue their journey with the “Don’t Stop Me Now!” vibe!

     

    URBACT Pioneers gathered in Ljubljana for their first in -person milestone event on 17–18 September 2025, marking the transition from the DISCOVER to

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    URBACT

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  • URBACT Pioneers Accelerator: 27 cities embark on a unique learning journey

    URBACT is proud to launch the URBACT Pioneers Accelerator - a bespoke learning programme designed exclusively for cities from accession countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia). 

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  • URBACT Pioneers Accelerator programme

    URBACT Pioneers Accelerator: call for applications closes with strong interest from municipalities

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  • URBACT Pioneers Accelerator

    Join the URBACT Pioneers Accelerator! The bespoke learning programme dedicated to cities from the Western Balkans

    The URBACT Pioneers Accelerator is a bespoke learning programme dedicated to cities from countries preparing their accession to the EU from the Western Balkans: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.  

     

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