In the framework of the EU Erasmus+ project “Unlocking the Transformative potential of Ukrainian Universities towards climate neutral and sustainable cities – UniCities”, a study visit to the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and other institutions in Spain took place on October 30 – November 3, 2023. Representatives of the project consortium took part in the trip.

During the meetings, the participants discussed many important issues related to capacity building and systemic innovation, cooperation in the field of climate transition and green transformation between universities as neutral platforms for interaction, and cities, as representatives of local authorities.

Juan Azcarate, deputy general director of Energy and Climate Change, shared the story of cooperation between the City of Madrid and the Technology Innovation Center for Development of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and explained the role of resource, knowledge, and experience sharing and trust in establishing successful activities.

Moreover, the team of the Technology Innovation Center for Development of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid shared their practical experience in creating and implementing a joint master’s program in Development Strategies and Technologies with the Complutense University of Madrid. An important role was also given to the experience of training for various stakeholders, emphasizing learning models and techniques, as well as educational modules within the framework of the European project “Netzerocities“.

Moreover, it is worth noting that itdUPM is in charge of implementing the national platform citiES2030, which aims to decarbonize Spanish cities within the framework of the European Union’s missions. Five Spanish cities – Madrid, Valencia, Valladolid, Zaragoza, and Vitoria-Gasteiz – have been awarded by the European Commission under the Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission for their commitments under the Climate Contracts for these cities.

The organized meetings helped to focus on project tasks designed to promote the quality implementation of the UniCities project.

The visit also included a discussion in a mixed format: “(Un)likely dialogue: Collaboration for urban climate transition in Ukraine”, organized by the Technology Innovation Center for Development of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. The panel discussion involved Olga Kordas, Program Director of Viable Cities and professor of sustainable urban development at the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden (KTH), who will provide insights into sustainable urban development and initiatives for climate-neutral cities; Yulia Bandura, Director of the Development and Project Implementation Center of the Association of Ukrainian Cities (AUC); and Veronika Khudolei, Rector of the International Scientific and Technical University (ISTU), who shared their experience of cooperation between universities and cities in Ukraine in the field of climate neutrality. The discussion also included UPM professors, researchers, and students, as well as representatives of the UniCities partner universities from Ukraine.

An important element of the events was a visit to the Polytechnic University of Valencia, which has been successfully cooperating with the municipality for many years and has extensive theoretical and practical experience in implementing a model of cooperation between the city and the universities of Valencia in green transformation and urban transition. The team of the Polytechnic University of Valencia noted that this model allows not only to conduct research and share knowledge in areas that are critical for urban development but also allows universities to become drivers of change and opportunities for green transformation, innovation, and climate neutrality. The visit participants were presented with the current structure of communication, management, and cooperation between universities and cities.

The project team also visited the Las Naves Innovation Center, a public space funded by the local government of Valencia. All stakeholders interested in urban and green transformation have free access to this Center, which provides an opportunity to jointly find and develop innovations and technologies, and implement the necessary projects for the city’s development.

The organized meetings made it possible to focus on project tasks, including the creation of similar Collaboration Centres in 3 cities and 4 partner universities in Ukraine.

The UniCities project will run from 2023 to 2026. It will unleash the transformational potential of Ukrainian universities as catalysts and accelerators of systemic change in cities toward sustainability, resilience, and climate neutrality through interdisciplinary, challenge-oriented collaborative education, research, and innovation.