How can cities and regions steer innovation and economic development towards broader societal goals? On 23–24 September, Mission Possible: Driving Innovation in Dutch Cities will bring together policymakers, economic strategists and urban practitioners in The Hague and Utrecht to explore how mission-oriented and place-based approaches can translate ambitious goals into action.
Against a backdrop of geopolitical change, strengthening Europe’s competitiveness has become increasingly important. At the same time, cities and regions are facing major societal challenges that require economic development to contribute not only to growth, but also to wider strategic, social and environmental goals.
This is the starting point for Mission Possible: Driving Innovation in Dutch Cities, a two-day event organised by the European Urban Initiative, exploring how cities and regions can actively develop mission-oriented economic policies, build on their territorial strengths and collaborate across administrative boundaries.
Targeted at economic strategists and policymakers in urban municipalities and regional partnerships, the event combines European experiences with practical sessions designed to help participants translate mission-oriented thinking into their own regional economic strategies.
EconoMETREX 2.0 brings a metropolitan perspective
METREX’s EconoMETREX 2.0 Expert Group will be involved in the event, bringing metropolitan perspectives and experiences into the discussion on mission-oriented innovation, economic development and competitiveness.
On 23 September, Marcel Ionescu-Heroiu, World Bank and guest contributor to the Expert Group, will address the question of whether missions can boost urban competitiveness. Thierry Petit, Institut Paris Region, will explore how cities can connect missions with competitiveness and Cohesion Policy, drawing on the experience of Paris as a Mission City, while Cecilia Lindahl, Stockholm region, will bring Stockholm’s perspective as a Mission City.
The METREX community will also be represented on the second day by Dagmar Keim, member of the METREX Managing Committee and representing the City of Amsterdam and the EuroDelta Alliance Network Group. She will contribute to the session on urban and transregional missions, bringing a perspective that looks beyond individual cities towards cooperation across urban and regional boundaries.
From European experiences to practical tools
The first day, in The Hague, will focus on mission-oriented approaches for cities and regions and on the experiences of the 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission.
Alongside presentations and discussions, participants will work directly on the opportunities and challenges involved in developing mission-driven, place-based economies. A dedicated Mission Design Lab will introduce the OECD Mission Litmus Test methodology and explore how cities can assess their own readiness to address selected urban challenges through a mission-oriented approach.
The second day, held in Utrecht, will broaden the perspective to smaller cities and transregional cooperation. Experiences from Ghent, Košice and Amsterdam will show different ways of putting local and transregional missions into practice, followed by sessions exploring EU support and funding opportunities for urban missions.
The working language on 23 September will be English. On 24 September, sessions will be mainly in Dutch, with some contributions in English.
Find out more about the programme and register for the event on the European Urban Initiative website.
