Transnational Meeting in Enschede, 15-16 May 2025

Following the public Multiplier Event on May 14th, the ULALABS consortium gathered for a two-day Transnational Project Meeting on 15 and 16 May 2025, hosted at the University of Twente and at the Connect-U innovation hub. The meeting counted with the participation of the project partners and regional stakeholders from the four regions.

The first day  focused on Work Package 3 (WP3), with sessions dedicated to in particular:

• Mapping regional innovation ecosystems (WP3.A2)

• Identifying and prioritising shared strategic urban challenges (WP3.A3)

• Co-creating a shared R+D+I agenda (WP3.A4)

It also included a futuring workshop which explored how to build and activate learning communities within diverse European contexts. Using a participatory approach, the session engaged partners in:

• Co-defining the key steps needed to identify and articulate learning communities

• Clarifying the roles of different stakeholders—from municipalities to universities—in initiating or supporting these efforts

• Discussing how to scale learning ecosystems from the regional to the European level

Furthermore, participants had a guided visits of the DesignLab at the University of Twente, as well as of the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), sustainable and award-winning building.

On the second day, the focus shifted to Work Package 4 (WP4) and Work Package 5 (WP5):

• WP4 sessions advanced the development of learning toolkits designed to support local and regional innovation ecosystems.

• WP5 discussions outlined the objectives and structure of the upcoming Pilot Phase, including both Cross-case Learning and Distributed Learning components.

Partners discussed next steps in preparation for the pilot launch, including coordination needs, stakeholder engagement strategies, and evaluation frameworks.