The Institute for Urban Excellence (iUE) participated in the kick-off meeting of the Horizon Europe project SpurUP, held in Athens on 21–22 January 2026. The meeting brought together all project partners to align on the project’s objectives, work plan, and collaborative approach for the coming months. During the partner introduction session, iUE presented its motivation for joining SpurUP, its role within the consortium, and its expected contribution to the project’s impact on participating cities.

iUE highlighted its strong commitment to addressing fragmented governance in peri-urban areas by fostering inclusive, just, and participatory processes that connect sectors, stakeholders, and communities. Throughout the work package presentations and technical discussions, iUE actively contributed to exchanges on stakeholder engagement, co-creation methodologies, and the integration of social, institutional, and human dimensions across the project.

In particular, iUE’s involvement focused on governance and participation aspects, including stakeholder mapping and site analysis, the development of participatory governance frameworks, and support for the co-creation, validation, and uptake of digital tools. By engaging in the strategic and technical discussions shaping the first implementation phase, iUE helped lay the foundation for effective collaboration, capacity building, knowledge transfer, and long-term impact within the SpurUP project.