Welcome to the first 

URBACT Local Support Groups 

Summer University!

 

 

For the very first time, the URBACT programme is organising a Summer University dedicated to URBACT Local Support Groups (ULSG) members from all networks. The event will take place in Krakow, Poland, from Monday 29 August to Wednesday 31 August 2011.  

 

The URBACT Local Support Groups members are essential partners of the URBACT II programme, whose core objective is to foster integrated and sustainable urban policies in Europe.

 

The Local Support Groups University is conceived as a unique learning experience, primarily aimed at strengthening individual skills and capacities to develop participative action-planning in urban policies. Urban practitioners, policy-makers, representatives of NGOs, civil society and the private sector… will come together and experience a combination of training, learning practical exercises and networking. 

 

The University will offer a range of stimulating activities:

 

URBACT TALKs (plenary sessions)

Experts in urban policies will provide brief and inspiring insights on a number of EU urban challenges.

 

URBACT LABs

Participants will be offered thematic training sessions on methods and tools on: 

  • The identification and involvement of local stakeholders
  • The definition of problems and shift from problems to objectives and strategy
  • Integrated action planning

ULSG at work

After each URBACT Lab participants will split into smaller groups and work in “virtual LSGs” on a city case study putting into practice the lessons learnt in the Lab. At all sessions ULSGs will have to deliver a report to the rest of the group. At the end of the day each ULSG will deliver an integrated Local Action Plan for the city they have been working on!

 

URBACT Networking

Different moments will be dedicated to networking. The famous URBACT Café will allow participants to meet and exchange with their national counterparts in their own language and try to answer to the question “How can we strengthen the ULSG?”

 

On completion of all sessions, participants will receive a “ULSG Summer University certificate”. 

 

The plenary sessions will be translated in English, French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish. For logistical reasons, the common language of the University will be English but we are considering providing translation in some URBACT Lab sessions, depending on the language composition of registered participants.

 

We invite you to officially register online (even if you are already pre-registered) to confirm your participation and select the policy area you would like to work on. 

 

Looking forward to seeing you in Krakow!