What's new

A conversation on energy poverty, knowledge transfer, governance and the role of cities in Europe

Contacted by Maximiliano Schulz, intern at the German URBACT Point, EmPowerIngUs Coordinator Fernando Gonzalez Ferreira and Ad Hoc Expert Chiara Lucchini had the chance to dialogue and reflect about the project's development, trajectories, legacies and future perspectives. The interview was also a priceless occasion to reflect on the URBACT programme as an opportunity for cities in the EU to innovate and reframe their courses of action, as much as to explore new frontiers of governance, government and integrated development**. 

THE COM’ON CHRONICLE (Issue #1: November 2025 – August 2026)

Understanding before translating: How five European cities want to improve and rebuild their youth participatory budgeting (YPB) based on the Com’ON Cluj good practice

Grüne Transformation in der Praxis: 47 URBACT-Städte zeigen, wie es geht

Von der Revitalisierung brachliegender Flächen über die Transformation von Industriestandorten bis zur Kreislaufwirtschaft: Fünf URBACT-Netzwerke zeigen, wie Städte die Ökologisierung ihrer Stadtwirtschaft konkret voranbringen.

UNIDAS4EU à Meylan : comprendre les réponses locales face aux violences faites aux enfants et aux personnes vulnérables

Meylan accueille ses partenaires européens du réseau UNIDAS4EU pour partager son expérience et renforcer les réponses locales face aux violences domestiques et fondées sur le genre.

A seat at the table: six URBACT Good Practices inspiring better administration

What happens when cities open up two of their most powerful administrative tools to their residents?

Can social data make better cities?

What does it take to make social data work for cities? Discover the new URBACT Knowledge Hub on Social Data Management.

European cities are not short on data. Today, sensors track air quality in real time. Administrative systems record who applies for housing, who claims benefits, who uses which services. Citizens fill in surveys, flag problems, and show up to consultations.

When it comes to the social policies, many cities still cannot answer basic questions: who is this policy actually reaching? Is the situation improving, and for whom? The gap is not about how much data exists. It is about connection: data that sits siloed across departments or disconnected from the decisions it should inform.

URBACT is expanding its knowledge platform to address the challenges surrounding effective social data management. Want an idea of the type of expert insights and partner city inputs from the new section of the URBACT Knowledge Hub? Read the article for information on what social data is, how it can be collected and managed, and, ultimately, how its impact can be measured.