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Category: News from Asia & Australasia

Regions and Industry Leaders Exchange Insights on the Future of Wind Energy

Representatives from Bremen (Germany), Gippsland (Australia), Łódzkie (Poland), and Jeollanam-do (Republic of Korea) gathered online on 5 August 2026 for the latest IURC Community of Practice 4 Business Mixer Session, bringing together 49 participants from regional governments, wind energy companies, research institutions, and international partners. The session brought together six wind energy companies — Ørsted, Star of the South, WindTAK,...

Economies in Cities COP (Startups, Innovation & Branding) — 3-Subgroup First Plenary: Shared Direction, Fact Sheets & Study Visits

The meeting recapped strong feedback from the Singapore COP event, where the group was recognized as the most innovative among those present, and then reviewed a broad agenda covering fact-sheet drafts, subgroup progress, the Nagoya study visit, and a pilot startup mission proposal. Draft fact sheets summarized city strategies across three subgroups: attracting early-stage investors (e.g., Grenoble’s “pull” events vs....

Jeollanam-do Presents Community-Based Energy Transition Approaches and Next-Generation Power Grid Strategy with IURC Partners

Representatives from Jeollanam-do (Republic of Korea), Łódzkie (Poland), and Gippsland (Australia) gathered online on 30 July for the latest session of IURC Community of Practice 4, exchanging experiences on renewable energy transition, community engagement, and future energy systems. The session featured presentations by Ms. Suhee Kim and Dr. Minho Lee from the Green Energy Institute (GEI), Jeollanam-do, highlighting the province’s...

Gangtok and Leh Showcase Himalayan Leadership on Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Tourism

The International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Programme successfully convened the fifth Deep Dive Online Technical Session under the Community of Practice (CoP) 3 – Sustainable Smart Tourism, bringing together partner cities and experts to explore climate resilience, organic ecosystems, and sustainable tourism in the Himalayan region. The session featured presentations from Gangtok (Sikkim) and Leh, highlighting innovative approaches to...

Webinar: Climate resilient plant breeding

This was the second webinar in a thematic series organized under the COP Agriculture Community of Practice (CoP), led by Catalonia. The session brought together regional partners from Catalonia, Kyoto Prefecture, Ljubljana/Slovenia, Île-de-France, and Val-de-Oise to share research, innovations, and strategies related to smart and climate-resilient agriculture, with a particular emphasis on climate resilient plant breeding. Professor Anna Maria Gras...

Webinar: Human-centric development of digital & AI skills

A webinar hosted by Catalonia (Spain) was held on July 9th, 2026 on behalf of the Community of Practice for Industrial Modernization and AI – Human-Centric Digital & AI Transformation. The session, which drew approximately 50 participants, highlighted the key essense of human-centric development of digital & AI skills, drawing on case studies from Catalonia, Western Greece, Hiroshima Prefecture (Japan),...

IURC Featured in DG REGIO’s Panorama: Showcasing the Global Dimension of EU Cohesion Policy

The IURC programme is proud to be featured in the latest edition of DG REGIO's flagship publication, Inforegio Panorama, in an article highlighting how EU Cohesion Policy is strengthening international cooperation and delivering tangible global impact. The feature places a particular spotlight on the IURC Asia & Australasia (IURC AA) activities at the 2026 World Cities Summit in Singapore, where...

Melbourne and Berlin strengthen affordable & social housing partnership through study visit in Berlin

Building a shared understanding of urban governance Shared housing challenges and opportunities Despite operating within different policy and governance frameworks, Berlin and Melbourne are facing remarkably similar urban challenges. Both cities are experiencing sustained population growth and increasing pressure to deliver affordable, high-quality housing while ensuring that new neighbourhoods remain inclusive, climate-resilient and well-connected. Throughout the study visit, participants explored...

Researchers Strengthen Global Collaboration Through Joint Hydrogen Research Workshop

Researchers, regional governments, and innovation agencies from Europe, Asia, and Australasia convened an online joint research workshop  on 7 July 2026 under the IURC Community of Practice (CoP) 3 – Hydrogen Market & Industry. The workshop welcomed participants from Catalonia (Spain), Île-de-France (France), Christchurch and Taranaki (New Zealand), Chungcheongnam-do and Jeju-do (Republic of Korea), and Osaka Prefecture (Japan). Researchers from...

Jeonju Showcases Heritage, Night-Time Economy and AI Innovation in IURC Sustainable Smart Tourism Community of Practice

On 30 June 2026, the IURC Communities of Practice (CoP 3): Sustainable Smart Tourism convened its 4th Deep Dive Online Technical Session (DDOTS), hosted by Jeonju, Republic of Korea. The session brought together city representatives and urban experts from across the IURC network to exchange practical experiences on heritage-led tourism, the night-time economy and digital innovation for more sustainable and...