Enabling Smart Cities – Facilitating European Networking (#ConnectedInEurope)

The European Green Deal and the Digital Europe Programme will play a central role in the implementation of European regulations and the creation of funding instruments in the coming years. One of the goals is to develop European municipalities into smart cities. This requires exchange among institutional actors and municipalities on how the digital transformation can contribute to the goals of sustainable, integrated and common good-oriented urban development at European and national levels.

When it comes to the “digital transformation and urban development”, municipalities need support. The project aims to help – for example by bundling the potential for participation in European networks, projects and initiatives for digital transformation in a structured manner and encouraging active engagement. For the municipalities, networking not only brings knowledge transfer on innovative and proven practices of digital urban development, but also resilient partnerships, collegial advice and opportunities for specialized exchange on replicable projects. To this end, the project systematically examines the participation of municipalities in European networks, projects and initiatives and supports them.

Core activities in the project include information, qualification and the facilitation of networking for German and European municipalities. For this purpose, the project team provides municipalities with peer learning and specialist workshops, practical tools and knowledge in order to develop and consolidate their network activities. At the same time, the project develops national and European networks on digitisation and urban development and promotes networking between the ministries responsible for urban development and digitisation as well as institutional actors at EU level and established networks and initiatives.

adelphi is leading the project and is responsible for the research and project design. The project team is analysing European discussions, regulations and strategies for smart city development and preparing the results for local authorities in a way that is appropriate for the target group. adelphi is facilitating the exchange between the ministries responsible for urban development on the subject of digital transformation through biannual networking meetings. For municipalities, adelphi offers specialist workshops, networking sessions and working materials, and sets up peer-learning tandems between German and European cities. The project is also developing recommendations for the continuation or further development of European networking in the field of digital urban development.