Urban Learning Center for Eastern Partnership cities
This project aims to Devise the Urban Learning Center (ULC), Including Adapting/Crafting the Next Generation of Local Economic Development Plans in the Eastern Partnership cities (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine). The Urban Learning Center brings new learning and networking opportunities within the Mayors for Economic Growth (M4EG) network providing an enabling learning ecosystem.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have commissioned Arup, in partnership with EIT Climate-KIC and TalTech (FinEst Centre), to develop new ways to plan Local Economic Development, and foster learning across cities. This work builds on the Mayors for Economic Growth initiative working on the principles that by working in partnership with the private sector, public organisations and civil society, local authorities can improve the local business environment and create the conditions for private sector-led economic growth.
Objective
The Urban Learning Center (ULC) intends to introduce approaches beyond ‘business as usual’ with a range of tools and approaches with an ‘urban makeover’ intention, including such things as foresight, social and community listening, sensemaking, adaptive and agile management, learning and monitoring effects, all with a strong focus on local solutions linked to the global objectives set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its framework of SDGs.
Duration and partners
Duration: The project runs from March 2022 to December 2024
Partners: FinEst Centre for Smart Cities, United Nations Development Programme, Arup and Climate-KIC, Mayors for Economic Growth
The role of FinEst Centre for Smart Cities
The Urban Learning Center (ULC) is designed as an umbrella for various programme and learning opportunities, knowledge management and stakeholder engagement of the M4EG network. The ULC aims to be a learning ecosystem to facilitate the cooperation and learning among the members of the partnership. The main role of the FinEst Centre in this project is to develop a Smart City training module under the Foundations course and one full Smart City course besides sharing our experience in developing projects and pilots.
