Another year is coming to an end and what a great (and intense) one it has been for JPI Urban Europe. Looking back at 2018, the year has been characterized by our work with refurbishing our strategic research and innovation agenda, SRIA 2.0. One of the main emphases with the process has been to develop it in an inclusive way. With numerous opportunities for stakeholder engagement, from a public consultation to a series of workshops up to national consultations, the agenda is now approved and will be launched at our Policy Conference in February.
Our international outreach has been another highlight this year! The great interest in our pilot call with China and continuing collaboration with Brazil will hopefully pave the way for future wider international cooperation. Speaking of enhanced cooperation, JPI Urban Europe was recently formally approved as a permanent observer to the Urban Agenda for the EU! With this assent, combined with insights from our SRIA 2.0, we feel ready to further explore the role of JPI Urban Europe in Horizon Europe.
It is with content I’m looking back on everything we have achieved this year, and it is with excitement I’m looking forward to 2019, a year I’m sure will include continued cooperation with all interested parties and stakeholders and joined forces towards implementing the SRIA 2.0.
All the best,
Margit Noll
Chair of JPI Urban Europe Management Board
Eleven outstanding projects funded in the joint European – Chinese pilot call
JPI Urban Europe and NSFC can today proudly present the eleven projects awarded in the pilot call Sustainable and Liveable Cities and Urban Areas. The call generated a large number of applications reflecting a significant interest from researchers in China and Europe to cooperate and the global nature of urban challenges. The eleven projects will allow academics and practitioners in Europe and China to collaborate on a range of exciting projects.
Joint JPI Urban Europe and NSFC call acclaimed in Science magazine
In an editorial in the magazine Science, Manfred Horvat, honorary professor at Vienna University of Technology and Senior Advisor for International Cooperation of JPI Urban Europe, discusses how cooperation and exchange between funding agencies have huge potential to strengthen international science. According to Horvat, the NSFC and JPI Urban Europe joint pilot call on sustainable urbanisation will provide guidance for future multilateral initiatives between China and Europe.
In an interview with Antonio Collado, Shafayet Choudhury discusses different scales of energy and how the project Smart Urban Isle (SUI) works to improve energy management.
SUI is a project looking to change the very way in which we measure energy itself. The idea is that a SUI identifies where the energy donors are and redirects energy from them when it is needed.
In an interview with the team in the JPI Urban Europe financed project SmartGov we discussed new ways of designing and managing public services, infrastructure, sustainable mobility, economic development and social inclusion.
"The project illustrates how smart city governance can be executed and how to increase citizen engagement and two-way communication..."
Communicative and engaging activities are often experienced as usatisfactory by citizens when it comes to urban complexity issues. Something the JPI Urban Europe project Play!UC have addressed by developing a series of six serious games in urban development.
Research and Innovation for urban transitions in Brazil
Since early 2018, FINEP (the funding authority for studies and projects in Brazil) and JPI Urban Europe with support of the H2020 INCOBRA projectare working towards joint activities to bring Brazilian and European expertise and knowledge together. The partners recently joined in a workshop hosted by FINEP with the aim to reflect the main issues regarding urban accessibility, connectivity and mobility in preparation of the JPI Urban Europe’s 2019 call.
Policy Conference 2019: Urban Transitioning - A Joint Adventure
Welcome to the fourth JPI Urban Europe policy conference with the main aim to launch the updated Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA 2.0) and to provide an arena for discussions and exchange on urban transitions. Join urban practitioners & policymakers, researchers, European institutions & organisations and engage in discussions and networking. Listen to city leaders describing how experimentation, socio-technical innovation and stakeholder involvement can play an important role in local urban transition strategies. Together with other participants, apply your own knowledge and experience in interactive break-out sessions.
Back to back with the Policy conferece, on 13 February 2019 JPI Urban Europe invites all projects funded in the Making Cities Work call to a projects kick-off meeting in Brussels starting with a joint dinner the evening before.
In the third epiode of JPI Urban Europe’s webinar series Urban Lunch Talks, we will explore the urban dilemma "From Urban Resilience to Robustness". Together with a panel of experts, particpants from anywhere in the world will join the conversation through chat rooms, polls and Q&A sessions.
This November, a symposium brought together speakers from all seven UK represented Sustainable Urbanisation Global Initiative/Food-Water-Energy Nexus projects, together with Bristol FWE stakeholders. The Symposium was the starting point for an ongoing engagement and networking with the UK linked projects, forming the first of a series continuing to 2021, where the projects can connect and update on progress and findings.
How does a city best use its space for urban manufacturing?
That is a question the JPI Urban Europe-project Cities of Making wishes to find the answer to. In a film series about their objectives, goals and planned results, they discuss how projects vary from city to city and that the components and ingredients necessary need to be specified to a district- or even street block level.
Urban Lunch Talks #3 - From Urban Resilience to Robustness 11 January 2019, webinar Read more and register
Urban Lunch Talks #4 - Sustainable Land-use and Urban Infrastructures 25 January 2019, webinar Read more and register
UERA General Assembly Meeting
11 February, Antwerp Read more
JPI Urban Europe Policy Conference 2019 12-13 February 2019, Brussels Read more and register
Making Cities Work Projects kick-off meeting 13 February 2019, Brussels Read more
The Nature of Cities Summit 4-7 June 2019, Paris Read more
Urban Future Global Conference 22-24 May 2019, Oslo
JPI Urban Europe are next year an academic partner to Europe's biggest event on how to make cities more sustainable! With more than 50 sessions on urban mobility, built environment, green business & innovation and leadership as well as numerous field trips in and around Oslo this is one of the signature events of Oslo European Green Capital 2019. Read more
JPI Urban Europe and NSFC can today proudly present the eleven projects awarded in the pilot call Sustainable and Liveable Cities and Urban Areas. The call generated a large number of applications reflecting a significant interest from researchers in China and Europe to cooperate and the global nature of urban challenges. The eleven projects will allow academics and practitioners in Europe and China to collaborate on a range of exciting projects. 
