URBACT Programme: Call for municipalities and cities to participate in the learning programme
Call is: OPEN
Deadline: 22.01.2025.
Budget: N/A
Sector: Local Development and Territorial Cooperation
Call for: cities and municipalities
The call has been announced for the URBACT learning programme dedicated to cities and municipalities in IPA countries.
As part of the URBACT Territorial Cooperation Programme, a call titled URBACT Pioneers Accelerator (UPA) has been announced. This is a special learning programme dedicated to cities and municipalities from Western Balkan countries preparing for EU accession: Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Albania.
The call is open until 22 January 2025.
The learning programme is designed to support cities/municipalities in the region in addressing specific urban challenges with sustainable solutions aligned with the framework, values, and practices of the EU’s integrated sustainable urban development policies. Through this programme, good practices from EU cities will be explored, and expert support will be provided for structured action learning around integrated and participatory approaches to project design and implementation.
Around 20 cities/municipalities from the Western Balkans region will be selected to participate in the programme with their municipal teams. The URBACT programme aims to create a generation of urban professional leaders who will shape the future of their cities in innovative ways and be recognised as pioneers in the region.
Cities/municipalities will focus on specific urban challenges, including the following thematic areas:
- Sustainable mobility
- Waste management
- Urban nature
- Support for employment and SMEs
- Sustainable tourism development
- Culture
Cross-cutting themes, including digitalisation, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion, will apply across all areas.
The learning programme spans 18 months, running from April 2025 to September 2026.
During the 18 months, local teams from participating cities/municipalities will follow a structured learning process through several parallel activities:
- Introduction (EMBRACE): This activity ensures all participating cities adopt fundamental methodological approaches and tools for project management. It includes workshops, online masterclasses, and personalised support sessions.
- Exploration (EXPLORE): Cities united by a common thematic challenge will visit EU cities to explore potential solutions and good practices, enhancing their thematic knowledge.
- Action on the Ground (ACT): Local teams in each participating city will apply a “learning by doing” approach through the implementation of a small-scale pilot project—undertaking concrete actions on the ground.
Application documentation and further information about the call are available at: https://urbact.eu/get-involved.
Contact persons for the URBACT Programme in MEI:
- Rade Mirković (rade.mirkovic@mei.gov.rs)
- Ivana Davidović (ivana.davidovic@mei.gov.rs)
Register for the info session on the call, which will take place on 12 December 2024 at 10:00 am in an online format in English. Registration link: https://urbact.eu/events/urbact-pioneers-accelerator-info-session.
