The Eurocities Next Generation Academy is a pioneering initiative designed to inspire and empower Europe’s next generation of urban leaders, and to provide European cities with fresh perspectives on their current challenges.
The Next Generation Academy focuses on equipping young professionals, students and city officials who are under 30-years-old with the skills and knowledge to address pressing urban challenges, such as how cities can respond to the impacts of climate change, and how to build a city economy that works for young people.
Through innovative city events, the Academy brings together young professionals from across Europe, supporting them to develop new solutions to urban development, that can help to build more a sustainable, prosperous future for everyone.
In autumn 2024, the Next Generation Academy organised its first two events, one in Vilnius and the other in San Sebastian.
These unique meetings, organised in partnership with the host cities, involved in-depth discussions on the urban challenges of sustainable mobility, innovation and attracting and retaining young talent. At the events, participants also had the opportunity to design potential new solutions for the host cities.
We spoke to some of the young people to find out why they got involved, what they learned, and how their proposals can potentially be included in city administration strategies.
A greener future in Vilnius
The Vilnius edition of the Academy, held on 17-18 October 2024, focused on sustainable mobility and youth-led urban innovation.
Participants took part in workshops centred around making Vilnius a greener city. Ahead of becoming European Green Capital next year, the city wants to encourage solutions for reducing car dependency and promoting public transport and active mobility.
The event featured interactive sessions, including a bicycle tour, expert-led deep talks, and an application sprint focused on urban mobility solutions, which were presented to the city administration. Sessions were facilitated by Eurocities and Next Generation Academy teams, with experts from the Dutch Cycling Embassy, the Lithuanian government, and other urban mobility specialists. The initiative not only showcased the potential of youth-driven ideas but also aligned with Vilnius’ broader sustainability goals.
Solutions presented by participants included the school challenge VILMOOVES, which would give an award to the school group that does most travel by public transport, bike, or walking. Other proposals included libraries inside buses, and the creation of public screens comparing the time and money differences on a route between cars, buses and bikes.
One of the participants was 25-year-old Marlene Breymann, who works at the Registry Office in the City of Leipzig’s Department for Family Status Clarification. With a keen interest in climate action, Marlene wanted to broaden her perspectives and gain valuable insights for the sustainable development of urban mobility.
“Initially, I had some doubts because my role isn’t directly related to mobility or urban planning,” said Marlene. “However, I participated as an active user of Leipzig’s public transport system and as a cyclist. This allowed me to bring a different perspective, the user’s viewpoint, on various topics.
“From the start, with a cycling tour through Vilnius to explore the city and its mobility initiatives, to the ‘Application Sprint,’ where we developed concrete proposals for Vilnius’ mobility challenges, I was absolutely thrilled with the Next Generation Academy.”
She added: “After returning to Leipzig, I had many conversations about my experiences in Vilnius, and further exchange sessions are planned to share what I learned. I am still in touch with many participants from the Academy, primarily via LinkedIn.”
Another participant was Vainius Gagilas, 25, a Master graduate in biomedical science from Vilnius, who took part because he wanted to explore how he could help to make a positive change in his city.
“During the event, we developed solutions to some of the challenges Vilnius faces regarding sustainable travel,” said Vainius. “These ideas were shared with relevant officials from the municipality, and I’m hopeful they will consider implementing them in the future.
“I strongly encourage other young people to take part in events like this. It’s a great way to gain an understanding of the issues our cities face and learn how individuals can start driving change.”
Ewaud De Neve, 28, is a traffic design draftsman in the Mobility Department of the City of Ghent, who got involved in the Vilnius event to collaborate with international peers and professionals on the future of sustainable mobility.
Drawing on Ghent’s advancements in mobility, he wanted to contribute his expertise, while also gaining insights directly applicable to improving sustainable mobility in my own city.
“It was inspiring to witness the passion and drive of so many young people committed to leading positive and sustainable urban innovation,” said Ewaud. “This enthusiasm gives me hope for the future of sustainable urban development, particularly in the field of sustainable mobility.”
Ewaud continued: “It is important for young professionals to contribute to EU urban policies because we are part of the next generation that will shape and sustain the future of our urban environments. While students and young professionals may not yet have all the answers or experience, they bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to address the challenges cities face.”
Building an economy for young people in San Sebastian
Ten days later, on 28 October, the Academy took its mission to the Spanish city of San Sebastián, focusing on young talent attraction and retention to support the city’s knowledge-based economy.
This event considered how cities can better position themselves in the global competition for young talent, while still ensuring living conditions that work for young people.
The agenda included a morning session with peer exchanges, an introduction to the city’s specific challenges, and expert-led talks on city innovation and youth engagement. In the afternoon, participants took part in a three-phase application sprint to develop concrete proposals, including ideation and prototyping sessions.
The event underscored the importance of collaboration between young innovators, local governments, and industry stakeholders in driving urban innovation.
Several proposals from the event were very relevant for the city of San Sebastian, particularly the idea of creating a unique youth brand. This concept includes initiatives like mentoring programmes with local professionals, youth networking events and job fairs, which the city intends to develop in the near future.
These initiatives can help position the city as a hub for talent, promote the engagement of local youth, and bring the city administration closer to young residents and their needs.
Julia Lazarus, 26, works for EIT Urban Mobility, as a Programme Assistant for Horizon Lab in Barcelona. She was particularly interested in learning how cities involve younger people in their decision-making processes.
“I think that the many discussions and ideas that we developed between young people from different backgrounds gave a lot of food for thought to the San Sebastian city team,” said Julia.
“I wasn’t very familiar with San Sebastian’s expertise in work and study fields, so I was pleasantly surprised to learn about their strong focus and offerings in computer science. It’s definitely food for thought for the future, especially when it comes to attracting new talent in STEM fields.”
Twenty-five-year-old Marina Muñoz Viana, from Barcelona, is a European Projects Technician at Sant Boi de Llobregat City Council. She attended the San Sebastian event to learn about to innovative initiatives being developed in other cities that could be utilised in her own municipality.
“It is important that young people are involved in discussions like these because EU urban policies have a direct impact on our lives,” said Marina. “Therefore, I think it is essential to have young people’s point of view and their concerns in order to make policies as realistic as possible and to have a real impact.
“At the Municipality of Sant Boi de Llobregat, we are currently in the design phase of our Local Integrated Development Strategy. The insights from this event have already been shared with the team to further enrich our approach and strategy.”
Building a network of changemakers
Following the success of the events in Vilnius and San Sebastian, Eurocities Next Generation Academy plans to launch a call for cities to host further events at the beginning of next year. The aim is to continue to grow the network of young urbanists committed to shaping the future of European cities.
By connecting participants with mentors, city officials and peers, the Next Generation Academy will ensure that innovative ideas generated during these events have the potential to translate into real-world impact.
Through hands-on activities, mentorship and collaboration, the Academy will continue to pave the way for cities that are greener, smarter and more inclusive.
