Networks and cities' news

Agents of change - Agueda's transfer story

CREATIVE SPIRITS is a network of nine European cities, funded by the European Union in the frame of the URBACT III Programme. The nine CREATIVE SPIRITS partner cities have a common need to improve the implementation of their existing integrated urban strategies/action plans by including novel approaches linked to creative and cultural industries (CCI) – creative places, people and businesses. The joint policy challenge for the network is to better facilitate the above “creative ecosystem” to be able to attract (more) creative entrepreneurs and boost creative entrepreneurship in dedicated urban areas.

Welcome to the European Playful Cities!

Games offer unique opportunities for engaging stakeholders in contemporary cities says Ileana Toscano. While European cities face challenges of ageing, climate change and social exclusion, we need to find enjoyable ways to co–create solutions. The URBACT Playful Paradigm transfer network is based on the use of “games” for promoting social inclusion, healthy lifestyles and energy awareness, place-making and economic prosperity.

What’s in a game?

The City of A Coruña hosts its 3rd ULG meeting

The third Urbact Local Group (ULG) meeting of A Coruña took place on 26^th August 2019 at the Centro Cívico Novoboandanza, in the city center.

Social and technological innovation at the service of educational success

Mireia Sanabria, URBACT III On Board Network expert says traditional education systems need to keep up with the current trends while keeping cities’ youths interested by evolving education into an open and progressive environment within the community.

School has never had the monopoly over education nor exclusivity in the transfer of learning, but in recent years this has never been more apparent. Even though education centres continue to play an essential role as instruments for accessing and managing information and knowledge, learning today has to be seen in a broader social and technological context. Because information flows are more voluminous and faster than ever before, our school centres need to be fully aware of this and have the resources to keep pace with current trends to offer modern, relevant and quality education for today and tomorrow’s citizens. City governments, on their side, being the nearest administration to the locals and aware of the city developments and needs, are best positioned to facilitate an education environment in the city that is relevant, suitable and attractive to youths.

Viladecans: the dawn of a new Educational Innovation Network

Innovability: can social media innovation foster development in the field of urban mobility?

The final report from the Genius-open project.

URBACT, another paradigm for European cities

With the integrated urban development approach promoted by the URBACT European programme, new models for improving our cities together are currently under construction. This is the narrative of a story that is already over fifteen years old.

(Translation of an article published in French in the magazine Urbanisme, issue n° 404, Spring 2017)

By Emmanuel Moulin, Head of the URBACT secretariat, and Eddy Adams, URBACT Programme expert