• First project workshop kicks off  

• The Interreg Europe funded SUP4SUD Project enhances sustainable urban planning strategies  

• Project partners meet to discuss Stakeholder group and the project Baseline study 

The Northern and Western Regional Assembly are excited to be part of a European consortium with a broad representation of public bodies and agencies that will collaboratively explore new approaches to strategic integration of sustainable development into urban planning. SUP4SUD is a project funded by Interreg Europe EU that focuses on integrating social and environmental sustainability into urban strategic planning across European cities. The aim is to support local actors to build the capacity for comprehensive approaches in urban planning building on the 2030 Agenda and the New European Bauhaus principles.   

The 4-year project commenced in May 2025 and has already seen the partners come together at an online kick meeting followed by this first workshop on the 10th June to address the project Stakeholder Groups, their role and tasks, as well as the first deliverable: the Baseline study.  

During the first workshop the Lead Partners’ Project Coordinator from the Central Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency (KDRIÜ) broke down the differences between a Network, Audience and a Community and elaborated on how best to engage the stakeholder groups with different approaches in mind with a view to tapping into the innate motivation of different groups. Several strategic and behavioural models were presented and interactive tools for engagement were suggested such as the OPERA model and the INTERLACE Stakeholder Engagement Strategy, as well as the URBACT portfolio on engagement.  

The project partners from the Pablo de Olavide University (UPO) will design and carry out the Baseline study which is intended to analyse the starting point of each of the project regions and their policy instruments, as well as local challenges and learning needs. In collaboration with all partners, the necessary information will be gathered based on the design and structure of the study which with also pave the way for the dentification and collection of good practices among the project partners. 

During the workshop the UPO team described the policy tools and governance framework that the baseline study will be built on. Next, the team descripted how it will identify the indicators to use for the study to characterise each partners’ region or city. Lastly, the UPO team explained how it will support partners to select, appraise and categorise the Good Practices (GP) that will be shared by each Partner. Specifically, a tool kit for the GP selection and categorisation that the UPO has developed was presented and which will guide partners in this important interactive learning exchange exercise.   

The first workshop was a successful and informative event with many engaging questions asked on technical aspects of stakeholder interaction, as well as the required data for the baseline study. The next workshop will be held on the 24 June 2025 (online) and will guide partners to use the Interreg Portal and introduce the Project Communication Plan. 

 

More Information on the Sup4Sud Project