CALL FOR IRISH CITIES TO CLAIM THE TITLE ‘URBACT GOOD PRACTICE CITY

URBACT believes that every city has ‘hidden’ good practices which – even if they appear mundane to locals - could be of interest to other European cities.  Concrete solutions to urban problems, however small which have demonstrated themselves to be effective in practice can be of huge interest to other cities. 

URBACT is inviting Irish Local Authorities who are interested in sharing what they do well with other European cities to come forward NOW.

If their good practice is endorsed by URBACT, they will be able to boast the label ‘URBACT Good Practice City’.

URBACT’s ‘Call for Good Practice’ opened on December 5th 2016 and will close on March 31st 2017.  

Why should Irish cities consider offering themselves as examples of good practice?

Benefits include the capacity to further refine and improve that good practice through sustained discussion and support from URBACT and peers and the opportunity to showcase their good practices widely across Europe. Being awarded the title ‘URBACT Good Practice City’ will help Irish cities brand themselves as thought leaders and pioneers and give them heightened visibility across the EU. 

So, don’t be modest! Irish local authorities who are interested in offering to URBACT their work as instances of good practice should do so by March 31st 2017. A streamlined application process will ensure that you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. And URBACT is placing NO LIMITS on the number of cities who might be awarded the accolade – so in theory your chances have never been better!

URBACT’s end goal is not the gathering of good practices but their effective transfer across Europe’s cities. A number of URBACT Good Practice Cities then will be invited to apply to lead and mentor Transfer Networks helping other European cities understand, adapt and reuse their solutions. These Transfer Networks will be established later in 2017 (likely September 2017). Whether Good Practice Cities opt to go forward into the Transfer Networks or not, they will still benefit from the promotion and showcasing this opportunity provides.  

As ever, the Irish NUPs (Professor Mark Boyle and Caroline Creamer) will be promoting this call vigorously in the coming three months and will happy to answer any questions you might have about any aspect of the call and what you might gain by participating – contact urbactireland@nuim.ie. 

More details will follow from the NUP in the New Year.

Further information about the ‘Call for Good Practice’ can be obtained at: http://urbact.eu/goodpracticecall