The City of Adelaide is located on the traditional lands of the Kaurna People, the original custodians of the Adelaide Plains, stretching from Port Broughton in the north to Cape Jervis. Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia, founded in 1836, and globally recognised as a planned ‘garden city’. Adelaide is a hub for education, business, biomed and health and government. It is renowned its arts, culture, and festival scene, including the Adelaide Fringe, the largest festival in the Southern Hemisphere and second only to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The city’s setting is defined by heritage, architecture and public realm, and Adelaide is a regular top ten most liveable city in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s rankings and the Wall Street Journal labelled Adelaide as Australia’s coolest city offering “an almost utopian alternative to the typical urban sprawl”.

ANCI Lazio represents the Lazio Region, including the Rome metropolitan area, and addresses urban regeneration at a territorial scale. The pilot focuses on multi-level governance, coordination between municipalities and large-scale sustainable development strategies, supporting climate action, mobility transformation and inclusive growth across diverse urban and peri-urban contexts.

Barcelona is a global reference in urban regeneration, climate action and smart city development. The city integrates neighbourhood-based regeneration, social inclusion, low-emission mobility and digital innovation through initiatives such as superblocks, retrofitting of housing estates, climate shelters and data-driven urban management, reinforcing resilience, social inclusion and quality of life.

The Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) is the public administration of the metropolitan area of Barcelona, which occupies 636 km² and encompasses 36 municipalities with 3.4 million inhabitants. AMB’s management areas are related to territory and urban planning, mobility, housing, environment economic development and social cohesion.
The Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) shares strong expertise in cartography, BIM data creation, and open data platforms, delivering high-accuracy 2D and 3D geospatial products with a strong focus on interoperability and data standardisation. AMB is also a pioneer in public housing, promoting typological and social innovation, energy-efficient and bioclimatic design, emissions reduction, and the rehabilitation of existing housing stock.

Bari is the ninth most populous city in Italy and one of the most important cities in southern Italy. It boasts a very extensive coastline (42 km), an international airport (4.5 million passengers), an Adriatic port, 70,000 university students, and five major public and private universities. It also boasts a significant architectural and landscape heritage, including the cult of Saint Nicholas, whose relics are located in the city.

Beijing is the capital of China, serving as the national political centre, cultural centre, hub for international exchanges, and centre for scientific and technological innovation. Among the 16 administrative districts, Daxing, Beijing’s “Digital Gateway” to the world, is a global high-end industrial hub and the capital’s international front. Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (BDA) is the capital’s only national-level economic and technological development zone, striving to build a model area for new-quality productive forces and a city fully embracing artificial intelligence.
Beijing advances an AI-driven smart development ecosystem by integrating smart cities and intelligent connected vehicles through coordinated infrastructure spanning vehicles, roads, data, networks, and sensors. Its experience in aligning policy, technological innovation, and market application—particularly in smart transportation and green energy industrial chains—offers valuable insights for international partners pursuing sustainable mobility and clean energy solutions.

Berlin is the capital of Germany, a key start-up hub in Europe, a prominent city of science and a booming metropolis with liveable neighbourhoods. And it’s the city of freedom and tolerance. Berlin is international and open-minded. Berlin is diversity in action. Our mission is to shape and develop Berlin in a way that empowers us to master the current challenges.
Berlin is addressing rapid population growth through carefully managed neighbourhood development focused on affordable housing, sufficient living space, social diversity, environmental sustainability, and strong local identity. Citizen participation and close coordination with surrounding areas are central to this approach.

The impact area of Regional Development Agency (ARRSA) which is the arm of the city of Bielsko-Biala (owner of the 72% of shares), covers the Southern Subregion of Silesia – with Bielsko-Biała as a capital and a leading city. It has homogenous societal, economic and industrial challenges in terms of eg. brain drain, digital transformation, unlocking innovative potential and undergoing industrial transition to green economy. Bielsko-Biala and towns adjacent to it constitutes one of the most important economic areas of Southern Poland.

Bologna is recognised for its strong social cohesion model, cooperative economy and inclusive urban governance. The city prioritises social innovation, affordable housing, accessibility and participatory planning, supported by digital public services and data-driven decision-making. Bologna integrates social policies with sustainable mobility and climate action, reinforcing equity and quality of life across neighbourhoods.

The Metropolitan City of Bologna, in northern Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, is a vibrant hub of history, culture, and innovation. Centered around the medieval city of Bologna, it combines UNESCO-listed porticoes, renowned cuisine, and Europe’s oldest university with dynamic industry, research, and transport networks, bridging tradition and modern development. MCBO is an association of 55 Cities.
The Metropolitan City of Bologna brings strong expertise in sustainable urban regeneration, developing innovation parks, circular economy networks based on repair and reuse, and green infrastructure solutions. Its experience also spans ecodesign training for creative and cultural sectors, nature-based solutions, and renewable energy initiatives, including energy communities and agrivoltaics.

Braga combines a strong historical identity with contemporary urban regeneration strategies. The city focuses on innovation districts, sustainable mobility, digital services and youth-oriented economic development, positioning itself as a growing knowledge and technology hub in Northern Portugal.

Brisbane is Australia’s fastest-growing capital city, celebrated for its active outdoor lifestyle, unique natural assets and innovation. Recognised as the country’s happiest city in 2023, Brisbane has also ranked in the top 40 cities globally on the 2023 Innovative Cities Index. As Host City of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the city is committed to delivering a lasting legacy for all residents and businesses by improving transport connectivity, facilitating economic development, enhancing livability and promoting active, healthy communities.

Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, promotes urban regeneration through public space renewal, sustainable mobility and housing improvement. The city integrates social inclusion, climate action and digital governance, advancing neighbourhood revitalisation and resilient urban infrastructure in a dense metropolitan context.

Cartagena de Indias integrates sustainable territorial planning, affordable housing and water management in informal settlements. The city addresses climate vulnerability and inequality through inclusive urban development, coastal resilience and regeneration while guaranteeing social cohesion.

Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, is a major metropolitan city in South India known for its cultural heritage, strong governance, and economic resilience. As a coastal city, it leads in urban planning, climate adaptation, and smart mobility, making it an ideal partner for international cooperation under the IURC program.
Chennai demonstrates strong expertise in integrated solid waste management, data-driven governance, and resilient urban planning. Its decentralised waste systems, digital monitoring, and inclusive mobility solutions in coastal and flood-prone areas provide replicable best practices for climate resilience and improved urban service delivery.

Chongqing is a national key city, a famous historical and cultural city, and an international comprehensive transportation hub in China. The city is accelerating its development as an anchor for Large-Scale Western Development in the new era and a comprehensive hub for inland opening-up.
Chongqing adopts an open development model in which transport corridors drive logistics, logistics support trade, and trade promotes industrial growth. The city offers practical experience in corridor-based economic development, digital city development, and modern megacity governance, supported by industrial parks and international cooperation initiatives.

Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand. The Indigenous Māori peoples of the region are Waitaha, Ngāti Māmoe and Ngāi Tahu. Its international airport and seaport support strong global connections. The University of Canterbury hosts the country’s National Centre for Research on Europe.
Christchurch, an IURC graduate city, drives innovation through strong collaboration among businesses, researchers, and public officials. It hosts diverse technology clusters and leads in smart technology adoption, applying post-earthquake recovery lessons to address climate adaptation challenges.

The Cluj Metropolitan Area comprises the municipality of Cluj-Napoca and 18 surrounding communes. It is experiencing rapid growth in both urban expansion and GDP. Recently, its development indicators have converged with the EU average. As the second-largest city in Romania, Cluj-Napoca serves as a powerful economic engine but faces challenges in urban mobility and rising living costs.
The Cluj Metropolitan Area is recognised for its participatory, housing-first approach to desegregating informal settlements, acknowledged as good practice by the OECD. Applying this model to peri-urban green spaces earned CMA a New European Bauhaus Prize. The area also stands out for regenerating underused green spaces through international design competitions and for promoting a walkable city approach.

Coimbra, located in central Portugal, is renowned for its academic tradition and cultural heritage. Home to the University of Coimbra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and major research institutions, the city stands out for innovation, health, and entrepreneurship. These combined assets make Coimbra an attractive destination for education, business, tourism, and international collaboration.

Concepción promotes sustainable mobility and climate adaptation of riverfront areas as part of a broader urban sustainability strategy. The city strengthens public transit, urban connectivity and citizen participation while supporting economic and institutional innovation towards social sustainability and resilience.