INSPIRE
INSPIRE: Innovative Networks for Smart Policies, Integration and Research on Digital Transformation and Governance in Smart Sustainable Cities
Starting soon
INSPIRE is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Staff Exchanges network of 39 organisations from 20 countries that develops and validates a Platform Governance Framework for smart sustainable cities, built through sociotechnical co-production and tested in twelve paired city contexts worldwide. International secondments between universities, city governments, NGOs and companies are the core mechanism: the contextual knowledge needed to co-produce a valid governance framework cannot be acquired remotely.
- Dates
- 1 January 2027 – 31 December 2030
- Programme
- Horizon Europe
- Action
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Staff Exchanges (HORIZON-MSCA-2026-SE-01)
- Role of BACKSLASH
- Partner
- Coordinator
- Universität für Weiterbildung Krems (Austria)
- Countries
- Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
INSPIRE is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Staff Exchanges network of 39 organisations from 20 countries that develops and validates a Platform Governance Framework for smart sustainable cities, built through sociotechnical co-production and tested in twelve paired city contexts worldwide. International secondments between universities, city governments, NGOs and companies are the core mechanism: the contextual knowledge needed to co-produce a valid governance framework cannot be acquired remotely.
The partners will international staff secondments between academic and non-academic partners in Europe, Latin America and beyond. Comparative case studies and twin-city pilots in twelve paired city contexts. Participatory policy labs with municipalities, SMEs and NGOs. Training, mentoring and career development for seconded researchers and practitioners. Open science practices and dissemination of governance tools and policy briefs.
By the end of the project the consortium expects to deliver: validated Platform Governance Framework for smart sustainable cities; Six city-adoptable governance tool concepts; Evidence-based policy briefs on climate resilience, digital inclusion and urban transformation; Replicable co-design methodology and training resources.
Objectives
- Advance transdisciplinary research on smart sustainable cities and smart governance through a sociotechnically co-produced Platform Governance Framework.
- Ensure real-world applicability through comparative case studies and twin-city pilots engaging city governments, NGOs, SMEs and civil society.
- Strengthen knowledge exchange, mentoring and research capacity through international secondments, training and career development.
- Translate research into policy and innovation by co-designing evidence-based governance tool concepts and policy instruments through participatory policy labs.
What BACKSLASH does in this project
BACKSLASH takes part as a non-academic partner through its Research and Innovation Unit on Digital Participation and Sustainability. It acts as a bridge between research and real users, contributing its experience of working with universities and municipalities on digital participation and inclusive civic engagement, and hosts and sends staff on secondments within the network.
Activities
- International staff secondments between academic and non-academic partners in Europe, Latin America and beyond.
- Comparative case studies and twin-city pilots in twelve paired city contexts.
- Participatory policy labs with municipalities, SMEs and NGOs.
- Training, mentoring and career development for seconded researchers and practitioners.
- Open science practices and dissemination of governance tools and policy briefs.
Results and outputs
- Validated Platform Governance Framework for smart sustainable cities.
- Six city-adoptable governance tool concepts.
- Evidence-based policy briefs on climate resilience, digital inclusion and urban transformation.
- Replicable co-design methodology and training resources.
Consortium
- Universität für Weiterbildung Krems Austria Coordinator
- Politechnika Gdańska Poland Partner
- Tallinna Tehnikaülikool Estonia Partner
- Universidad Nacional del Sur Argentina Partner
- Hochschule für Politik München Germany Partner
- Universität Koblenz Germany Partner
- Linköpings universitet Sweden Partner
- Paris-Lodron-Universität Salzburg Austria Partner
- University of the Aegean Greece Partner
- Universidad de Granada Spain Partner
- Tartu Ülikool Estonia Partner
- KU Leuven Belgium Partner
- Universitetet i Sørøst-Norge Norway Partner
- Universidad Nacional de La Plata Argentina Partner
- Municipalidad de San Isidro Argentina Partner
- Universidad Externado de Colombia Colombia Partner
- Berner Fachhochschule Switzerland Partner
- BACKSLASH Spain Partner
- Edinburgh Napier University United Kingdom Partner
- Stadt Bamberg Germany Partner
- Stadt Koblenz Germany Partner
- Fundação Getulio Vargas Brazil Partner
- Kreisverwaltung Mayen-Koblenz Germany Partner
Funding and disclaimer
Co-funded by the European Union
Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.