IURC Communities of Practice (CoPs) pave the way for joint pilot projects across continents

IURC is coordinating an intensive series of online Communities of Practice across Asia and Australasia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and North America, bringing together EU and non-EU cities and regions in 22 thematic groups — 16 focused on cities and 6 on regions. Spanning ten thematic clusters, from agrifood and clean energy to circular economy, climate adaptation and urban innovation, these structured exchanges are moving beyond initial dialogue into focused preparation for advanced cooperation, study visits and the development of pilot projects to be implemented in 2026 and 2027.

The Communities of Practice (CoPs) enable cities and regions to jointly address shared challenges, translate technical exchanges into actionable roadmaps and co-design cooperation activities under common thematic priorities. Each CoP is currently developing a Regional Cooperation Action Plan or Urban Cooperation Action Plan (UCAP) to guide collaboration, define joint priorities and support the identification of pilot actions. Depending on their stage of maturity, some of these plans will be submitted to the IURC Competitive Fund to support implementation in 2026. The process builds on the introductory thematic sessions held in the second half of 2025 and represents a key step in shifting from knowledge exchange to structured implementation.

Delegates from participating EU and non-EU cities and regions have highlighted the strong level of technical preparation already underway. Current exchanges span key policy areas including clean hydrogen, artificial intelligence and digitalisation, circular economy approaches, nature-based solutions, smart tourism, blue economy, food policy and urban regeneration — reflecting the programme’s focus on resilient energy and digital transitions. These exchanges are expected to yield practical, transferable cooperation models.

Agriculture and innovation across the Asia-Pacific

Two regional Communities of Practice focus on agrifood. The Agriculture and Innovation Community connects Catalonia, Val d’Oise, Ile-de-France, and Ljubljana from Europe with Kyoto Prefecture from Japan and Manawatu and Taranaki from New Zealand. Partners are addressing cutting-edge technologies in agriculture, personnel exchange programmes, and smart diversification in the agrifood industry. A separate Resilient Agri-Food Industry and Forestry Community connects Val d’Oise, Mazovia, Western Greece, and Central Macedonia with South West Australia and Gippsland, tackling supply chain resilience, digitalisation and precision farming, environmentally friendly production, and climate adaptation in forestry and viticulture.

Regions unite to strengthen resilient agri-food systems

Coordinated by the Region of Val d’Oise, partners from Central Macedonia, Western Greece, Mazovia, Gippsland, Southwest Australia and Trier/Rhineland-Palatinate have also discussed joint action on circular economy and resilient agri-food systems. Exchanges focused on developing a Smart Circularity Tracker for agri-food and forestry by-products, alongside a Circular Bioeconomy Living Lab and Skills Accelerator to strengthen innovation capacity. Partners also explored ways to reinforce short supply chains and food sovereignty through a Digital Short Supply Chain Resilience Platform and an Innovation and Training Lab.

Discussions additionally addressed traceability and market differentiation, including a Digital Provenance and Quality Assurance System for climate-resilient agri-food products, complemented by knowledge exchange on branding and storytelling to enhance product identity and regional value. The proposed pilots range from a Digital Climate Stress Observatory and Circularity Tracker to short supply chain platforms and interoperable provenance systems — all supported by training labs and demonstration sites designed to bridge the gap between data and decision-making, strengthen SME capacity and enable scalable, climate-smart, market-oriented agri-food and forestry solutions.

Regions explore innovation in forest management and fire mitigation

Within the Asia and Australasia track, representatives from the regions Australia’s South West, Germany’s Trier Region and Central Greece convened online to explore cross-regional cooperation on forestry and climate change. The session focused on bushfire mitigation, forest resilience and sustainable management practices, with a follow-up discussion on viticulture also planned.

Participants highlighted shared challenges such as increasing fire risk, prolonged droughts, pathogen threats and extreme weather events, as well as the need to better understand ecological thresholds for forest die-off. They exchanged insights on innovative approaches including drone-based monitoring, AI-supported moisture stress detection in forests and vineyards, predictive modelling for fire prevention, shorter-rotation crops, engineered timber transitions, and the integration of Indigenous knowledge into forest science. Ongoing EU-funded initiatives on fire detection and community engagement were also presented, alongside Australian experiences in large-scale bushfire management.

The group agreed to deepen collaboration by mapping common interests, connecting regional experts, reviewing proposed project ideas and convening a follow-up meeting in the coming weeks to identify concrete joint actions — with particular emphasis on forest fire prevention, climate adaptation and shared monitoring technologies. They are also exploring ways to involve Concepción, Chile’s forest capital, as well as the professional forest engineering association and the forest management agency in the cooperation.

Regions building hydrogen ecosystems across continents

Within the Asia and Australasia track, one of the most advanced regional CoPs focuses on the development of hydrogen markets and industry. This cooperation connects regions from Europe, East Asia and Oceania that share a common ambition to accelerate the green transition through hydrogen deployment.

The Community brings together Île-de-France and Catalonia from Europe with Osaka Prefecture, Chungcheongnam-do and Jeju-do from East Asia, alongside Taranaki and Christchurch from New Zealand. Central Denmark participates as an observer. Despite their diverse regional contexts, these partners face similar structural challenges: high production costs, limited infrastructure for storage and distribution, low market uptake and the need for coordinated governance frameworks to support long-term development.

Cooperation is structured around practical and technical exchanges designed to support the creation of integrated hydrogen ecosystems linking mobility, energy systems, industry and innovation networks. Planned activities include a virtual colloquia series on hydrogen technologies, mobility applications, governance models, standards and social acceptance, as well as joint research workshops connecting universities and research centres. Partners are also preparing solution-oriented hackathons addressing cost reduction, storage challenges and airport decarbonisation, alongside the development of joint case studies on hydrogen deployment models across regions. Notably, the Community is already exploring joint applications to Horizon Europe funding, including under the Clean Industrial Deal call on decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries and the forthcoming Hydrogen Cities call opening in early 2027.

Regions agree on clean energy, just transition, and industrial transformation work

Alongside hydrogen, IURC’s regional Communities of Practice are driving cooperation on just transition and low-carbon technologies. This Community connects Łódź Voivodeship, Bremen, Pomerania and Valencia from Europe with Jeollanam-do, Chungcheongnam-do and Gippsland, with Greater Hobart participating as an observer. Partners are exchanging insights on collaboration between energy-focused universities and businesses, regional resident engagement in the energy transition, and just transition best practices, with a view to preparing joint Horizon Europe applications under the Clean Technologies for Climate Action call.

A further regional Community, focused on industrial transformation with AI, brings together Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Emilia-Romagna, Catalonia, Sisak-Moslavina County and Western Greece from Europe with Aichi Prefecture and Hiroshima Prefecture from Japan. The group is addressing human resource development programmes, incubation facilities and the human-centric use of AI in industrial modernisation, with potential links to the Digital Europe Work Programme.

Regions developing blue economy cooperation: sustainable ports

Within the regional track, a Community on circular and self-sufficient carbon-neutral small ports, nautical tourism, and blue biotechnology connects Bremen, Valencia Region, and Emilia Romagna from Europe with Greater Hobart and Christchurch from Oceania. This group is addressing the digitalisation of the blue economy, carbon-neutral port infrastructure, climate and energy transition for the fisheries sector, and aquaculture. Partners are exploring a Horizon Europe call on ports of the future, with a deadline in April 2026, and planning a business engagement event at the Med BlueTech Summit in Alicante in November 2026.

Cities and circular economy: from waste and water to food policy and repair hubs

Among the city-level Communities of Practice, circular economy is one of the most active thematic clusters, with four dedicated groups. The Smart Circular Cities Community, coordinated by Debrecen, connects Sofia with Iskandar Malaysia, Cuttack, Jabalpur and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and is developing pilot projects on integrated circular economy labs and treated wastewater reuse for urban green belts. Its UCAP is 80 per cent complete, and a study visit hosted by Iskandar Malaysia is planned for June 2026.

In parallel, a Circular Carbon Economy Community coordinated by Trier, together with Bremen, Chennai, Cuttack and Jabalpur, is exploring the potential of hydrogen and biogas solutions within the circular carbon economy. A Food Policy and Circular Food Solutions Community led by Milan brings together Vicenza, Košice, Seberang Perai, Melaka, Kuala Lumpur and Zhengzhou, with co-financing from the FAO for training on food waste recovery and the replication of food aid hubs, as well as engagement with the World Food Programme on school meals programmes. A mission to Japan in early 2026 is connecting the Community with potentially interested Japanese cities through Kyoto University.

The Circular Economy Urban Centres Community, coordinated by Bologna Metropolitan City with Sofia, Riga, Gangtok, New Taipei and Seberang Perai, is the most advanced in the cluster: its UCAP is 100 per cent complete and under review. Study visits are confirmed to Bologna in May 2026, coinciding with the city’s flagship Repair Festival, and to New Taipei in June.

Cities and Regions working on climate adaptation: nature-based solutions and data-driven resilience

Two city-level Communities of Practice focus on climate adaptation. The Nature-Based Solutions for Urban Climate Adaptation Community, proposed to be led by Cluj-Napoca, brings together the Central Denmark Region’s Klimatorium, Leh, Iskandar Malaysia and Christchurch. Drawing on Cluj-Napoca’s experience in river revitalisation, biodiversity parks and green belts, the Community supports cities in translating nature-based strategies into replicable projects — from coastal resilience and water-sensitive urban design to mountain ecosystem adaptation. Its kick-off took place on 5 February 2026.

The Urban Climate Data, AI and Citizen Engagement for Resilience Community, with Valencia Region as proposed lead, connects Bologna, Sofia and Hamburg from Europe with Pimpri-Chinchwad, Kyoto, Kawasaki, Suzhou and Beijing. The Community focuses on urban climate data platforms, AI-based heat and flood forecasting, early warning systems and citizen engagement. Valencia has contributed an innovative climate data platform designed by the Mediterranean Centre for Environmental Studies, as well as a floodable parks project developed in response to the DANA catastrophe of October 2024. The draft UCAP is ready and under review.

Cities cooperate on smart mobility, digital governance, and urban innovation

The mobility and transport cluster includes two city-level Communities. The Densification of the City through Innovation in Mobility Community connects Rotterdam and Torino with Seoul, Beijing, Guangzhou and Christchurch, addressing city logistics, AI-driven mobility, shared mobility and the coupling of traffic models with digital twins. The Future Modalities Community, bringing together Torino, Rotterdam and Leuven with Kitakyūshū, Shenyang, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Jeju Province, focuses on connected and cooperative automated mobility, robotic solutions for urban logistics and user behaviour change.

In urban innovation, four Communities are active. The Data-Driven City and Digital Governance Community links Barcelona Metropolitan Area and Hamburg with Osaka, Christchurch, Incheon and Kaohsiung. The Multispecies Resilience AI Agent Cooperation Community, led by Tampere with Melbourne, explores the integration of planetary intelligence and advanced AI technologies acting as advocates for ecosystems and planetary boundaries. The International Human Smart Living Lab Network connects Coimbra and Cork with Adelaide, Jeonju and Christchurch. The Economy in Cities Community, one of the programme’s largest, brings together Grenoble Alpes Métropole, Espoo, Warsaw, Tallinn, Torino, Bielsko-Biała and Leuven with Nagoya and Melbourne, focusing on innovation hubs, start-up ecosystems and branding as an accelerator for local economies.

Cities, smart tourism and cultural heritage

Two city-level Communities of Practice address the strategic sectors cluster through tourism, heritage, and cultural positioning. The Sustainable Smart Tourism Community, coordinated by Prato and Coimbra, connects with Gangtok, Seberang Perai, Jeonju, Melaka, and Leh. The cooperation focuses on strategies for managing historical and cultural heritage sites, improving visitor distribution and data-driven planning, and unlocking the economic potential of tourism while strengthening sustainability and community participation. Activities include structured technical exchanges, thematic deep-dive sessions, and study visits linked to the development of pilot initiatives in areas such as smart destination intelligence, heritage clustering, and climate-resilient tourism models.

In parallel, the Festivals, Events and Branding Community brings together Granada Province and Messina with Chinese partner cities including Zhengzhou, Beijing, and Guangzhou. The group held its kick-off meeting on 29 January 2026 and is exploring cooperation around cultural exchanges, joint festivals and events, tourism promotion, and links between heritage, gastronomy, and agri-food traditions. Partners are preparing joint action proposals and pilot concepts that can support city branding, cultural tourism development, and institutional cooperation once the next phase of collaboration is formalised.

Cities cooperating on urban planning and social cohesion

Two city-level Communities address urban regeneration and social cohesion. The Urban Planning, Social Cohesion and Land Intensification Community connects Berlin, Bari, the BuildInn Cluster of the Basque Country and the Region of Valencia from Europe with Singapore, Guangzhou, Melbourne and Suzhou. Partners are exchanging insights on adaptive reuse for housing, retrofitting of abandoned areas, public-private partnership models and affordable housing policy. A study visit from the Basque Country to Singapore is planned for June 2026.

The Integrated Urban Planning Community, one of the programme’s largest city-level groups, brings together Madrid, Sofia, Košice, Cluj-Napoca, Vienna and Rome from Europe with Brisbane, Adelaide, Jabalpur and Shenyang. Key themes include strategic networks of open spaces, walkability and the retrofitting of districts in line with New European Bauhaus principles. Brisbane’s Green Grid legacy project and Adelaide’s Park Lands Trail are among the practical contributions being shared.

Major gatherings anchor the cooperation calendar

Two significant milestones will bring Communities of Practice together in person. In April, partners will convene in Cali, Colombia, for a meeting dedicated to the IURC Latin America and Caribbean cooperation. The gathering will provide an opportunity to consolidate emerging partnerships, validate thematic priorities and align next steps towards the identification of pilot actions.

In June, the IURC Asia and Australasia leg will host a side event at the World Cities Summit in Singapore, connecting the work carried out through the online Communities of Practice with one of the world’s leading platforms for urban policy and innovation. Several study visits are being timed to coincide with the Summit, including visits hosted by Iskandar Malaysia and New Taipei. The event will support further matchmaking, policy dialogue and visibility for interregional cooperation outcomes.

Several study visits are already planned for the hydrogen Community of Practice. In September 2026, partners are expected to travel to Jeju and Chungcheongnam-do, combining technical site visits with participation in the Jeju Green Hydrogen Global Forum and visits to demonstration facilities. A visit to Osaka in October will coincide with the Osaka Global Startup EXPO 2026, creating opportunities to engage with start-ups, research institutions and industry. In Europe, two meetings are already targeted, including participation at the EU hydrogen energy week (26-30 October 2026) and a visit to Île-de-France (19-21 January 2027) back-to-back with the Hyvolution International Hydrogen Forum in Paris. These events will link partners from Asia and Australasia with major European hydrogen stakeholders from public authorities, business and research.

Transatlantic engagement through EU Cities Gateway

In North America, thematic engagement is advancing under the current phase titled EU Cities Gateway. The Affordable and Attainable Housing thematic meeting held in mid-December 2025 laid a strong foundation for further cooperation and potential pilot development. Building on this momentum, a new series of thematic sessions is planned for 2026, with upcoming meetings on circularity in April, nature-based solutions in May and digitalisation in June. These exchanges continue to strengthen transatlantic knowledge sharing and support the identification of joint areas for collaboration. Several EU cities participate in both IURC Asia and Australasia Communities and the EU Cities Gateway cluster — including Debrecen and Riga in circular economy — reinforcing cross-programme synergies.

Building the backbone of structured cooperation

Across all regions, the 22 Communities of Practice are becoming the backbone of the IURC cooperation process. By connecting policymakers, technical experts, research institutions and industry stakeholders, they are translating shared challenges into structured collaboration and long-term partnerships. Horizon Europe funding opportunities are actively being mapped to each Community’s thematic focus, with relevant calls under the Clean Industrial Deal, the Missions Work Programme and the Digital Europe and New European Bauhaus programmes already identified for several groups.

Each Community is working towards finalising its Regional Cooperation Action Plan or UCAP in early 2026. These living documents will guide the next phase of cooperation, support the organisation of study visits and joint activities, and prepare the ground for concrete pilot actions to be submitted to the IURC Competitive Fund later in the year.