What skills do cities need to deliver more sustainable transport, and how can universities, businesses and public authorities work together to develop them?
These questions will be explored at the Urban Futures Symposium 2026, taking place on 26–27 November at ARTos House in Nicosia. Participation is free, with registration open until 18 November.
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Organised by Cyprus-based non-profit SocialTech Lab with the support of EIT Urban Mobility, the two-day event will bring together experts and practitioners from Cyprus, Greece, Turkey and the Western Balkans.
Under the theme Rethinking Urban Mobility Education: From Knowledge to Practice, participants will exchange experiences and help develop a Regional Education Strategy for Innovation and Urban Mobility.
The strategy aims to identify shared educational needs, emerging skills and opportunities for collaboration between universities, municipalities, businesses and civil society organisations.
What To Expect
The symposium will combine presentations from regional organisations with interactive discussions and workshops. The two days will have different objectives, moving from sharing experiences to identifying priorities for future cooperation.
Day 1 | Thursday, 26 November | 09:00–17:00
The first day will feature four thematic sessions:
- Sustainable urban mobility: Projects and approaches to addressing urban transport challenges.
- Inclusive and participatory planning: How communities and stakeholders can contribute to urban planning.
- Education and skills development: The knowledge and professional capabilities needed to address emerging urban challenges.
- Innovation and entrepreneurship: Opportunities for businesses, researchers and innovators working on urban mobility solutions.
Participating organisations will include the Cyprus Energy Agency, Municipality of Limassol, Cyprus Ministry of Transport, SURF Lab and Velograph, alongside regional participants such as FarkLabs and Ankara Aks from Turkey, Commonspace and HIT-CERTH from Greece, ERKON from Croatia, and World Vision and FabLab from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Through short Practice Spotlights and expert discussions, representatives will share projects, methodologies, implementation challenges and lessons learned from their work.
Day 2 | Friday, 27 November | 09:00–13:30
The second day will focus on developing recommendations for the Regional Education Strategy for Innovation and Urban Mobility.
During an interactive Co-Design Thinking Lab, participants will work in multidisciplinary groups to identify gaps in education and innovation, discuss priorities for collaboration and propose recommendations that will directly inform the strategy.
The symposium also aims to establish a long-term regional network connecting organisations working in urban mobility education and innovation. This network is intended to support knowledge exchange, future educational programmes, research initiatives and joint projects.
Who Can Participate?
The organisers are inviting people interested in urban mobility, education and innovation, particularly:
- Entrepreneurs and businesses
- Researchers, educators and students
- Municipalities, urban practitioners and policymakers
- Civil society organisations and community representatives
Participation is not restricted to invited speakers or established experts. The symposium is open to anyone interested in the subject, with attendees encouraged to contribute their perspectives to the strategy development process.
How To Participate
- Dates: 26–27 November 2026
- Venue: ARTos House, Nicosia
- Day 1: 09:00–17:00
- Day 2: 09:00–13:30
- Participation: Free
- Registration deadline: 18 November 2026
Participants are encouraged to attend both days to contribute to the discussions and connect with potential partners from across the region.
Interested participants can register through the official Urban Futures Symposium website.
The symposium is organised by SocialTech Lab with the support of EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, a body of the European Union.
