Experts from Bologna and Stuttgart participated in separate coaching sessions with the IUC-Asia experts aimed at further developing the U-CAPs and the pilot projects. The online meetings of approximately 90 min each allowed the EU cities’ experts to reflect on the bilateral exchanges held in China and Europe in the last 12 months, focusing on the development of the Urban Cooperation Action Plans (UCAPs) and the implementation of the pilot projects.
Few highlights:
– Within the cooperation with Yangzhou (Jiangsu Province), Bologna and Stuttgart Region have decided to join Yangzhou’s Horticultural Exhibition 2021. The event is endorsed by the AIPH (International Association of Horticultural Producers), co-sponsored by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration of China, the China Flower Association, and Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government. The exhibition will be held from April to October 2021. Bologna Metropolitan Area will be represented by Nuovo Circondario Imolese (NCI) – the association of 10 municipalities of the metropolitan area of Bologna. Stuttgart Regio will be represented by the association itself.
– Trilateral cooperation is being launched between Bologna, Stuttgart and Nanjing towards the development of a joint industrial design centre. The project aims to create a transnational ecosystem for industrial design cooperation between European design clusters (including Emilia Romagna Creative Industry and Design Cluster – CREATE), universities and Chinese counterparts. The platform will create a database of SME’s and freelance designers from the involved European cities to support them in the Chinese market entry, including multinationals such as Xiaomi and Alibaba. The project is a result of the IUC engagement with Nanjing since the TechWeek 2019, specifically the MoU signed between the cluster CREATE and the Nanjing High Tech Zone. The project fits with the SDG 4 (education), SDG 9 (industry and Innovation) as well as with the EU urban agenda partnership Jobs & Skills in Local Economy.
– Stuttgart will participate in the 2nd edition of the Nanjing Tech Week (18-22 June 2020). The event will focus on FinTech, Industrial Design and Artificial Intelligence, and will involve start-ups from Europe. A keynote will be delivered online by Dr Nicola Schelling, Director of Stuttgart Region. Alike within the IUC engagement 2019, also Bologna will participate in the event. Both cities’ participants will join from virtual exchange spaces for which a specific format is being developed.
– For cooperation with Liuzhou, both cities have been requested to provide experiences with regard to the revitalisation of urban areas. Liuzhou faces the challenge of revitalising public spaces and former industrial sites (brownfield) and is keen to learn from European experiences.
