News from IURC – International Urban and Regional Cooperation

Generalitat Valenciana Highlights upcoming IURC Climate Adaptation Mission

The IURC programme has been featured on the official website of the Generalitat Valenciana, which announced that the Comunitat Valenciana will host an international mission on solutions for extreme climate events from 20–23 September 2026 (see website news here) The announcement highlights the important role of the IURC Climate Adaptation Community of Practice, coordinated by the Comunitat Valenciana, in promoting...

Cities share practical pathways to becoming AI-ready through stronger digital governance

Digital transformation is about far more than adopting new technologies—it requires the governance, infrastructure and institutional coordination to turn data into better public services. During an IURC Community of Practice session, representatives from the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB), Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) and Kaohsiung showcased different approaches to building data-driven cities that are ready for the next generation of...

Hamburg and Osaka showcase governance-first approach to digital transformation

How can cities unlock the full potential of data, artificial intelligence and digital twins? This question was explored during an IURC Community of Practice deep-dive session, where Hamburg and Osaka shared complementary approaches to building the governance, infrastructure and organisational capacity needed for data-driven city management. Hamburg presented its long-term digital strategy, which places open data and interoperability at the...

Turin & Rotterdam explore AI & digital twins to transform urban mobility

Artificial intelligence, digital twins and data spaces are becoming essential tools for managing increasingly complex urban mobility systems. During an IURC Community of Practice 2 session, experts from Turin and Rotterdam shared how their cities are using digital technologies to improve traffic management, support sustainable mobility and make better-informed planning decisions. Turin presented its integrated approach to AI-powered mobility management,...

Cities share strategies to help SMEs reach global markets

Supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to expand internationally was the focus of an IURC Community of Practice 12 technical deep dive, where Espoo and Melbourne presented two successful but complementary approaches to helping local businesses access overseas markets. The session explored how cities can play an active role in reducing barriers to internationalisation while strengthening local innovation ecosystems. Espoo...

Cities share practical strategies to strengthen global reputation through city branding

How can cities build a stronger international profile while attracting investment, talent and innovation? This question was at the heart of the IURC Community of Practice 12 technical deep dive, where representatives from Warsaw, Nagoya and Melbourne shared their experiences in developing successful city branding strategies. Despite their different contexts, the three cities highlighted common principles for creating a strong...

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....

IURC at the World Cities Summit 2026: A Global Platform for Sustainable Urban Innovation

The International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) programme made a significant impact at the World Cities Summit 2026 in Singapore, mobilsiing over 100 delegates from Europe, Asia, Australasia, and Latin America. As an official strategic partner of the Summit, the IURC project showcased its Communities of Practice (CoPs), focusing on the pilot projects as tangible outputs of the cooperation. The...

CoP 14 Webinar Highlights Multisectoral Strategies for Heat Resilience, Air Quality and Public Health

The International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) Community of Practice (CoP) 14 successfully hosted its third webinar, bringing together city representatives and experts to exchange practical solutions for addressing the growing challenges of extreme heat, air quality and public health. The webinar focused on how cities can strengthen climate resilience through integrated, multisectoral approaches, featuring experiences from Kawasaki (Japan), Pimpri...

CoP4 Convenes 2nd Deep-Dive Session on Just Transitions: Lessons from Bremen & Gippsland

Key Themes: Just Transition Challenges & Framework, Participatory Governance, Community Ownership, Energy (in)justice _ultp_gl_ic_full_screen_ultp_gl_ic_end__ultp_gl_ic_zoom_in_ultp_gl_ic_end__ultp_gl_ic_zoom_out_ultp_gl_ic_end__ultp_gl_ic_close_line_ultp_gl_ic_end__ultp_gl_ic_gallery_indicator_ultp_gl_ic_end_Load More The IURC Community of Practice 4 (CoP4) convened its second Deep-Dive Session, "Just Transition Frameworks and Energy Transition Cases from Germany and Australia," on 25 June 2026. The online session brought together 19 representatives from regional governments, research institutes, and the IURC network to explore...

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