Iordana​ ​Eleftheriadou,​ ​Policy​ ​coordinator​ ​for​ ​Digital​ ​Transformation,​ ​alongside​ ​the​ ​First​ ​VP​ ​of​ ​the Committee​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Regions,​ ​Markku​ ​Markkula,​ ​at​ ​the​ ​launch​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Digital​ ​Cities​ ​Challenge

Launched​ ​at​ ​the​ ​European​ ​Week​ ​of​ ​Regions​ ​and​ ​Cities,​ ​the​ ​Commission​ ​Digital​ ​Cities Challenge​ ​is​ ​throwing​ ​down​ ​the​ ​gauntlet​ ​to​ ​city​ ​leaders​ ​and​ ​key​ ​stakeholders​ ​to​ ​make​ ​their​ ​cities more​ ​productive,​ ​more​ ​innovative,​ ​better​ ​places​ ​to​ ​live.​ ​They​ ​can​ ​do​ ​so​ ​by​ ​putting​ ​advanced technologies​ ​at​ ​the​ ​service​ ​of​ ​the​ ​citizens.

The​ ​challenge​ ​aims​ ​to​ ​select​ ​15​ ​cities​ ​with​ ​the​ ​will​ ​to​ ​change​ ​and​ ​unlock​ ​unreleased​ ​potential,​ ​to receive​ ​free-of-charge​ ​high​ ​quality​ ​policy​ ​advice,​ ​coaching​ ​and​ ​facilitation,​ ​from​ ​high-level experts​ ​with​ ​local​ ​and​ ​international​ ​experience.​ ​This​ ​tailored​ ​support​ ​will​ ​help​ ​them​ ​to​ ​develop and​ ​implement​ ​strategic​ ​plans​ ​addressing​ ​economic​ ​growth​ ​and​ ​social​ ​welfare,​ ​all​ ​in​ ​their​ ​local language.

Participating​ ​cities​ ​will​ ​also​ ​have​ ​access​ ​to​ ​intuitive​ ​assessment​ ​tools​ ​for​ ​digitalisation, innovative​ ​training,​ ​and​ ​a​ ​vast​ ​networking​ ​pool,​ ​including​ ​fellow​ ​cities,​ ​strategic​ ​stakeholders and​ ​Commission​ ​networks​ ​and​ ​platforms.​ ​This​ ​will​ ​help​ ​cities​ ​stimulate​ ​investments​ ​through​ ​joint cross-regional​ ​actions​ ​for​ ​digital​ ​transformation.

In​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​the​ ​selected​ ​15​ ​cities,​ ​the​ ​challenge​ ​will​ ​support​ ​a​ ​broader​ ​community​ ​of​ ​cities who​ ​wish​ ​to​ ​participate​ ​using​ ​their​ ​own​ ​resources​ ​and​ ​benefit​ ​from​ ​the​ ​knowledge​ ​and networking​ ​opportunities​ ​provided.

The​ ​result​ ​will​ ​be​ ​to​ ​give​ ​cities​ ​a​ ​well-developed​ ​strategy​ ​and​ ​action​ ​plan​ ​to​ ​move​ ​towards​ ​digital transformation​ ​and​ ​put​ ​them​ ​on​ ​the​ ​map​ ​as​ ​a​ ​beacon​ ​for​ ​future​ ​economic​ ​growth​ ​and​ ​improved quality​ ​of​ ​life.

 The​ ​call​ ​is​ ​now​ ​open​ ​for​ ​applications.
To​ ​find​ ​out​ ​more​ ​about​ ​the​ ​Digital​ ​Cities​ ​Challenge​ ​and​ ​the​ ​call​ ​visit www.digitallytransformyourregion.eu

The​ ​Digital​ ​Cities​ ​Challenge​ ​is​ ​funded​ ​by​ ​COSME​ ​programme​ ​of​ ​the​ ​European​ ​Union.​ ​COSME is​ ​the​ ​EU​ ​programme​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Competitiveness​ ​of​ ​Enterprises​ ​and​ ​Small​ ​and​ ​Medium-sized Enterprises​ ​(SMEs)