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Remote-IT - Building cities for the future of work

REMOTE-IT Podcast: How cities create Integrated Action Plans (IAPs)

How Cities Create Integrated Action Plans – Lessons from the Remote-IT Podcast

In the latest episode of the Remote-IT Podcast, titled "How Cities Create Integrated Action Plans (IAPs)", host Mark Thomas, editor of The Dubrovnik Times, leads a conversation with URBACT experts and ULG coordinators reflect on their experiences of designing these strategic documents and what makes them truly integrated.

Our guests in this episode are URBACT Lead Experts Alisa Aliti Vlašić (Remote-IT) and Bela Kezy (C4TALENT), joined by ULG Coordinators from the Remote-IT project — Kerttu Ahuna and Markos Kourgiantakis.

For cities unfamiliar with URBACT or the concept of an IAP, this episode offers a valuable behind-the-scenes look into what it means to build a local plan that is collaborative, actionable, and future-proof. An Integrated Action Plan (IAP) is not just another policy document. It is a structured, participatory roadmap that brings together stakeholders across sectors to co-create realistic and relevant local solutions — guided by the URBACT methodology and toolbox.

“An IAP is not only about having a plan. It's about how you create it.”

Remote-IT Quarterly Report 4&5

REMOTE-IT Online Forum: Gender equality, digital nomads and remote workers

Remote but not removed: Embedding gender equality in the future of work

Across the EU, at least in part due to the COVID-19  pandemic, people have changed the way they work. Remote and hybrid working, once seen as quite niche, has exploded, and many cities are also racing to attract a new generation of mobile professionals: digital nomads. However, it is not clear if this new future of work will be equally accessible to everyone. Is there a risk that - without intentional action - the flexibility and freedom that remote work promises could easily replicate, or even worsen, longstanding gender inequalities. As EU cities shape their strategies to welcome and retain remote workers and digital nomads, embedding gender equality from the outset will be key to creating inclusive and resilient urban futures.

This article considers some of these questions. It builds upon the extensive work on gender equal cities which URBACT has pioneered and comes from an Online Forum on the same topic, organised by the Action Planning Network - Remote-IT. 

Unlocking the potential of remote work: insights from the Remote-IT network

The global workforce is undergoing a profound transformation, with remote work and digital nomadism reshaping economies, urban planning, and governance. For cities, this shift presents both opportunities and challenges: How can urban areas attract and retain skilled remote workers? How can public administrations integrate remote and hybrid work models while maintaining efficiency?

The Remote-IT Network, composed of eight European cities—Dubrovnik, Brindisi, Tartu, Murcia, Heraklion, Bucharest District 6, Câmara de Lobos, and Tirana—explores strategies to make cities more adaptable to remote work. Through transnational meetings, testing action initiatives, and discussions in forums and podcasts, the network has identified key insights and recommendations for cities aiming to become leaders in the future of work.

Engaging stakeholders for success: Building effective URBACT Local Groups