The Eurocities Academy and the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies are offering an exciting new training programme on Applied Strategic Foresight for Cities. The training takes place on 2–3 October 2025, in Ca l’Alier, Barcelona.
This hands-on course will give city officials and other urban professionals the tools to look ahead and prepare their cities for long-term challenges. Through applied foresight, participants will learn how to anticipate emerging risks and opportunities, understand global megatrends, and build alternative scenarios to shape better strategic decisions today.
With only 25 places available, the course offers an interactive and high-quality learning environment.
Why strategic foresight?
City officials operate in an increasingly uncertain world, where complex social, environmental and technological changes challenge traditional planning approaches. How can cities prepare for long-term shifts, anticipate risks and seize emerging opportunities? Strategic foresight offers the tools and mindset to navigate uncertainties and design resilient, future-ready urban policies. Applied strategic foresight:
- Helps city officials cut through the urgency of daily demands and take a long-term perspective on urban challenges.
- Enables a systems-thinking approach that connects policy areas such as mobility, climate adaptation, digital transformation, and governance.
- Expands planning horizons beyond traditional short-term cycles and introduces tools to explore alternative urban futures.
- Challenges the bias toward “business as usual” and equips officials with strategies to prepare for uncertainty.
- Supports evidence-based decision-making by incorporating megatrends, weak signals, and scenario planning.
- Ensures strategic continuity in cities, even as political leadership and priorities change over time.
What will participants gain?
Over two days, participants will explore key foresight methods through expert-led sessions, practical exercises, and real-life case studies. The training will cover how to analyse megatrends and strategic uncertainties, build alternative future scenarios, and integrate foresight into city governance and long-term planning.
By participating in this training, city officials will:
- Gain a robust introduction to applied strategic foresight, including practical tools for anticipating change and developing adaptive strategies.
- Understand key megatrends shaping cities today and in the future, and how to leverage them in strategic planning.
- Learn to identify critical uncertainties and build alternative future scenarios to test policy decisions.
- Develop skills to challenge cognitive biases and avoid common foresight pitfalls in decision-making.
- Connect foresight to strategic purpose by linking future insights to actionable policies and initiatives.
- Establish a common foresight language within city administrations to facilitate cross-departmental collaboration and governance innovation.
- Participants will benefit from expert guidance by CIFS and peer learning opportunities with other forward-thinking city leaders and professionals.
Who is the training for?
The training is designed for:
- City officials from both Eurocities member and non-member cities.
- Professionals working in strategic planning, governance, mobility, climate adaptation, digital transformation, international relations, and policy development.
- City managers and advisors responsible for cross-departmental collaboration.
- Experts from public institutions, academia, think tanks, and the private sector interested in urban foresight and long-term planning.
Fees (excluding VAT) and how to register
- Eurocities members: €1,164
- Non-member cities: €1,630
- Other professionals: €2,038
The fee includes full access to the training programme, materials, coffee breaks, and lunch on both days. Travel and accommodation costs are not included. Please note that Spanish VAT (21%) will be added to the final invoice.
- Registration opens on 1 April 2025
- Deadline to register is 15 May 2025, or earlier if all places are filled
- To register, complete the registration form.
- Selected applicants will be notified and must complete payment within 10 days of confirmation
If the minimum number of participants is not reached, the training will be cancelled and no payments will be processed.
About the organisers
The Eurocities Academy is the network’s dedicated training programme, providing capacity-building to city leaders and experts. To date, it has trained over 200 officials from more than 110 cities.
The Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies (CIFS) is an independent, non-profit think tank founded in 1969. CIFS is a global leader in applying strategic foresight and futures thinking to real-world governance, business, and societal challenges.
For more information, please contact: Guillem Ramírez Chico, Eurocities Academy Coordinator, at guillem.ramirez-chico@eurocities.eu
