Workshop: Transition and pace

Who steers the transition and how do latecomers learn from frontrunners?

By 2035, a well-functioning European learning network of cities shares knowledge, code and experiences. Frontrunners have a formal role as learning environments for latecomers. The EU funds knowledge transfer as part of the transition. No city needs to reinvent the wheel.

Questions per time step

• 2035: What is in place and working? Who holds the reins?
• 2031: What agreements, standards or structures are already operational?
• 2027: What has been started, tested or decided?
• Before end of 2026: What must begin now - and who takes the initiative

Contribution to the declaration

What do European cities collectively ask of the EU to make the transition fair and fast?

What do we work on in this workshop?

• A European urban AI learning network with a formal mentoring role for frontrunner cities.
• Mandatory knowledge transfer as a condition for EU funding of urban AI projects.
• A European monitor tracking transition progress per city and making it publicly visible.

Timetable
13:00 Introduction
The facilitator introduces the workshop theme and core question. Participants introduce themselves briefly: name, city, and one sentence on why this topic is urgent for them. The four scenarios for 2036 are presented as a shared starting point.
13:30 Gathering input
Opportunity for participants to give presentations on the theme.
14:00 Establishing the final image
What is the desired end vision for 2036 on this theme? The group establishes this collectively - ambitious and concrete. This is the destination from which we backcast. The facilitator ensures a shared image is reached before moving on.
14:30 Break
14:45 Translating into a film
Based on the desired end vision from the previous step, we write a screenplay for a film about our own future. This can be dystopian like Black Mirror, or optimistic like Her. As long as it takes place in 2036. And then we actually make that film, using generative AI tooling. Together, the screenplays provide a picture of the city ten years from now.
15:15 Backcasting
Working back from 2036 to today. What needs to be in place by 2031? By 2027? What must therefore begin before the end of 2026? For each time step: who does what, and what is blocking it? The facilitator maintains three time horizons: 2036, 2031, 2027.
15:30 Position determination
What is the collective position of this group? Three concrete recommendations arising from the backcasting - addressed to the EU, national governments or cities themselves.
16:00 Editing
With the support of Dembrane we write up the contribution: end vision, timeline and three recommendations. Maximum one A4. This text is brought to the plenary session at 17.00.
16:30 Wrap-up
We share the results with each other.