Public Innovation: Building Capacity in Europe's City Governments

Cities across Europe, like those around the world, are grappling with unprecedented challenges – whether it’s addressing the climate crisis, managing disruptive technologies, fostering more inclusive economies, or supporting rapidly ageing populations. The scale and urgency of these challenges mean cities are confronted, as perhaps never before, with the need to innovate.

Public sector innovation – from mission-driven policies to citizens’ assemblies or new cross-sector leadership roles – is increasingly being recognised as a necessity rather than a ‘nice-to-have’. So how are Europe’s cities developing their capacity to innovate? What’s working? What can Europe’s cities learn from each other? And where do they need more support?

This in-person public event launches a new report, led by LSE Cities and developed in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies and Eurocities, which maps the landscape of European city government innovation. The event will be a chance to discuss the report findings, which build on a new Eurocities Pulse Survey of 65 European cities and deep-dive case studies from across the continent, with an international panel of city leaders and experts on city government innovation.

We are delighted to be hosted at the European Parliament by MEP Pierfrancesco Maran, and joined by Gaia Romani, Deputy Mayor of Milan, Judit Rozsa, Director General, DG Reform, European Commission, James Anderson, Head of Government Innovation Programs, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Nathalie Guri, Projects and Knowledge Sharing Director, Eurocities and Ben Rogers, Director of the European Cities Programme at LSE Cities.