Pablo Gandara – International Urban and Regional Cooperation

Melbourne and Berlin Deepen Exchange on Affordable Housing and Social Cohesion

Representatives from the cities of Melbourne and Berlin met through the IURC Affordable Housing & Social Cohesion Community of Practice (COP) for two interactive exchange sessions focused on housing affordability, urban inclusion, and community wellbeing. The meetings, held on 30 April and 8 May 2026, created a valuable platform for both cities to compare policy approaches, share local experiences, and...

IURC EU, Asia & Australasia: Cities and Regions Move from Cooperation to Implementation in 2026

More than 20 Communities of Practice drive concrete action on mobility, climate, innovation and regional transition The International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Asia and Australasia programme has entered a new phase in early 2026, as cities and regions across Europe, Asia and Australasia move from initial exchanges to structured cooperation and implementation. Between January and March 2026, the programme...

IURC Strengthens EU–Australia Collaboration on Climate-Resilient Viticulture

The International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) continues to advance international cooperation through its Agrifood and Forestry Community of Practice, with a dedicated focus on strengthening collaboration in climate-resilient viticulture. On 31 March 2026, experts from Europe and Australia convened for a specialised viticulture subgroup meeting, bringing together researchers and regional representatives to explore shared challenges and opportunities in wine...

IURC Advances Regional Cooperation in Resilient Agrifood and Forestry

On 31 March 2026, partners from Europe and Australia convened for the second Regional Community of Practice (RCoP) meeting, focusing on the finalisation of the Regional Cooperation Action Plan (RCAP). The session brought together representatives from regions including Western Greece, Gippsland, Val d’Oise, and Southwest Western Australia, alongside IURC coordinators. A Roadmap Around Four Key Activities The meeting confirmed that...

IURC Regions Advance Forestry Cooperation between Europe, Chile and Australasia

The IURC Region-to-Region Community of Practice on Resilient Agriculture and Forestry (CoP #2) has strengthened international collaboration through two dedicated meetings held on 24 and 27 March 2026, bringing together partners from Europe, Chile and Australasia to explore joint approaches to sustainable forest management. They are members of the sub-group "resilient forestry", including Trier Region (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany), Southwest (Australia), Concepción-Biobio...

EU-Australia Region-to-Region: Pilot Action on Forest Water Resilience and Climate Adaptation

The IURC CoP for a Resilient Agri-food Industry & Forestry Community of Practice (CoP) continues to strengthen international collaboration on climate resilience, with a meeting on 18 March 2026 bringing together experts from Australia and Germany to address one of the most pressing challenges facing forests today: water stress and climate-induced die-off. The subgroup discussed a potential pilot action involving...

IURC Regions CoP Developing Hydrogen Market & Industry Cooperation

The second meeting of the IURC Community of Practice (CoP 3) on Hydrogen Market & Industry took place online on 12 February 2026. The session connected partner regions from Europe and Asia–Australasia to exchange experiences and explore practical pathways for advancing hydrogen markets, supporting industrial decarbonisation, and enabling more sustainable mobility solutions. Participating regions included Île-de-France (Coordinator), Catalonia, Chungcheongnam-do, Jeju-do,...

European and New Zealand regions sign MoU on agriculture and innovation

The Ljubljana Urban Region in Slovenia and the regions of Taranaki and Manawatū in New Zealand have formed a partnership under the European Union’s programme on International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC). The partnership is part of the IURC community of practice on agriculture and innovation led by Catalonia in Spain. This community is helping regions in Europe and in...

Online session highlights EU funding opportunities for IURC cities and regions

IURC Asia and Australasia hosts in-depth online training on EU funding opportunities The IURC programme organised a dedicated online session on relevant European Union funding opportunities, bringing together around 50 participants from IURC partner cities and regions. The event aimed to strengthen participants’ understanding of key EU programmes and to support cities in identifying concrete opportunities aligned with their Communities...

Over 100 Participants Join IURC “Road to Singapore” Webinar Ahead of World Cities Summit 2026

Over 100 Participants Join IURC “Road to Singapore” Webinar Ahead of World Cities Summit 2026 On 27 January 2026, the International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) programme hosted the “Road to Singapore” webinar, gathering over 100 participants from cities and regions across Europe, Asia and Australasia to prepare for the World Cities Summit (WCS) 2026 in Singapore (14–16 June 2026)....

Author: indy