Good practice call soon to be launched!

Cities face shared challenges across Europe. The recently agreed Amsterdam Pact reflects this. It cements the Urban Agenda for the EU and sets out clear priorities to address.

Cities are also where we are most likely to find the solutions to the wicked challenges of the 21^st Century. Already, they are in the vanguard of tackling the environmental, economic and social headaches we face. So, how do we get better at ensuring that lessons are shared and, most important, transferred as widely as possible?

For 14 years now, here in URBACT we have invested in building urban networks and sharing knowledge across the EU. Until now, the starting point for participating cities has been a shared challenge, providing the focal point for collaboration. 

A new type of networks

This year, we will be widening our repertoire of support tools for cities, with the introduction of Good Practice Transfer Networks. These will flip the original network concept by building the partnership around an established example of good practice, an existing solution with transfer potential. This issue of transfer is critically important.

In the Information Age, we are awash with examples of good practice in cities. The good practice should not though be an end in itself. Our business is about supporting the spread of integrated sustainable urban development. Consequently, it is the transfer process, and the ability to scale solutions across Europe that lies at the heart of the new URBACT network model.

Understand, adapt, reuse

Three principles have guided our approach - Understand, Adapt and Reuse - which derive from a successful pilot process completed in 2015.

The pilot experience showed that fully understanding the good practice is a prerequisite for successful transfer. Although an intervention may have worked in one city, it may not travel well. There are many barriers to the transfer process – governmental, political and financial amongst them – which cannot be fully addressed without a deep understanding of the good practice model.

A pool of European good practices will be first established. Each will be analysed, explained and widely showcased. The URBACT Good Practice cities will have the opportunity to get European recognition for their practice, while refining and improving it using URBACT expertise. They will also be in the position to mentor and lead the Transfer Networks, involving cities interested in importing the concepts.

So what's next?

So how can cities get involved? In December 2016 the first call for good practices will be launched. The aim is to select good practices which are addressing complex challenges in urban environments by using the integrated and participative approach to problem-solving.

Drawing upon these, a call for the creation of Transfer Networks will follow in 2017. For further information check www.urbact.eu and follow @urbact on Twitter.