Creating more sustainable urban mobility is one of the keys to helping cities reduce their climate impact. However it is only one part of a system wide transformation that needs to take place. How can different sectors come together to work on changing entire systems?  

Bringing together different knowledge communities to shape systematic change 

Following a workshop at Lafutura, Copenhagen in 2020 it was identified that we need to find more ways to work across sectors to solve city challenges. This inspired three of the eight EIT Knowledge Innovation Communities, 1) Food, 2) Urban Mobility and 3) Climate to collaborate at the H22 City Expo. 

On 31 May, the three communities hosted a co-creation workshop on the future of sustainable urban food logistics. Urban food logistics is a complex system which requires the perspectives of many actors, should we want to change it to be more sustainable. From urban food producers to city planners, to specialised transport companies, to packaging experts – the list goes on.  

The workshop brought together the different communities to brainstorm ideas on what the future of sustainable urban food logistics will look like, and to provide insights on how we can plan for, and determine where to invest to realise our ambitions.  

The Participants – Food, Urban Logistics and Climate  

Across the three communities there was a great diversity of people and perspectives at the workshop, including industry representatives, academia, NGO’s, public administrators and start-ups.  

The Workshop – Using the futures literacy method for cocreation 

The half-day workshop in Mindpark, Helsingborg was facilitated using the futures literacy method by Lena Tünkers and Solla Zophoniasdottir from Climate KIC.

• The participants started by coming together to paint a shared picture of the probable future of urban food logistics (see it in action in the video below). 
• Following this, in smaller groups everyone got creative with some clay and many post it’s to imagine their desirable futures for urban food logistics in 2040. A graphic artist translated peoples desirable futures from clay and post its into succinct posters, seen in images above. 
• The participants then built a map of assumptions which supported the desirable futures that had been painted in the previous part of the workshop. 
• Finally, and the more challenging part of the workshop, and of the futures literacy method was to imagine an alternative future, something you would not naturally imagine through an unfamiliar lens. 

The participants ended the day by writing themselves a postcard to be received in the future as a reminder as to what action/s they can take away from the workshop. EIT Urban Mobility, EIT Food and EIT Climate KIC are looking forward to continuing the discussion at a follow up event in after the summer. 

Helsinki, like many European cities, is facing the interconnected challenges of offering smarter, more convenient mobility services, reducing its emissions, and catering to a growing population. To face these challenges and to meet its aspirations to become the most functional city in the world, Helsinki has developed an extensive Mobility as a Service (MaaS) package – a central platform to access different modes of transport to get comfortably from location A to B without relying on a private car. With a current population of 650.000, Helsinki closely mirrors the city of Copenhagen in size and therefore is an extremely relevant destination to learn from best practices to help it overcome the same challenges.

To enable a fruitful exchange, and to work together on ideas, a small group of transport and climate planners from the greater Copenhagen area participated in a short two-day study trip to the capital region of Finland. Skåne Innovation and our partner Gate 21 planned the trip and EIT Urban Mobility was delighted to be one of the parties among officials from public transport, organisations, research, as well as private companies that joined the trip.

The program included:

• The opportunity to hear from our partners at Forum Virum – the City of Helsinki innovation organisation that creates data driven solutions for the smart city
• MaaS Global, who have created the award-winning Whim-App that enables Helsinki’s (and a number of other cities) inhabitants to use the wide array of mobility services available.
• A visit and tour of the Jätkäsaari Mobility Lab – Helsinki’s testbed for smart mobility.

We created a short film where some of the participants from Gate 21, ITS Hamburg and Tartu University discuss their key takeaways from the two day program. Take a look!

The study trip was supported by Interreg ØKS and it is planned that the trip will catalyze the planned project “100 green mobility labs in greater Copenhagen”.

Job posting expired!

We stand for high level of professionalism and efficiency and are looking for staff members that contribute to making EIT Urban Mobility an inspiring and rewarding organisation to work, with a strong team spirit.

We are looking for motivated and talented people with innovative and forward-thinking attitudes who want to play a part in shaping the future of EIT Urban Mobility. Are you one of them?

Check out our current career opportunities below:

1. Executive Assistant / Office Manager
2. Financial Officer
3. IT Officer
4. Programme Assistant
5. Programme Officer
6. Senior Legal Officer

Deadline for applications: 15 January 2020

Location: Barcelona, Spain (Headquarters of EIT Urban Mobility)

Our new Master School is now open for students to apply!

Aalto University, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) and Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) will welcome our first students in September 2020.

The programmes integrate leading technological knowledge with training in innovation and entrepreneurship. These are double degree programmes to be EIT labelled*.

A unique Summer School is included addressing critical real-life challenges while visiting two European cities, as well as internships at companies and cities across Europe.

We start offering two different Master Programmes.

MSc Sustainable Urban Mobility Transitions

The world’s cities are changing, but not enough. New technology, business models, and global priorities are transforming the way we get around. Regional planners and urban engineers are under pressure to prepare for and exploit these transformations to help bring about an urban environment that consumes fewer scarce resources, contributes less to climate change, and provides more liveable neighbourhoods and workplaces. To accomplish this, competences beyond the traditional urban planning and civil engineering disciplines are required, along with entrepreneurial skills to drive change that puts innovations into practice.

MSc Future Mobility Markets and Services

The Future Mobility Markets and Services programme prepares graduates to create and improve new mobility models, logistics strategies and business and digital transformation, with close interaction with relevant stakeholders. Mobility as a Service, Vehicle Sharing, Internet of Things, Micro-mobility and other new emerging developments are disrupting the mobility ecosystem and new markets and services are envisioned. The programme takes a holistic approach to the study, design, development and evaluation of Urban Mobility Markets and Services and integrates innovation techniques with entrepreneurial skills, to provide young graduates with the tools they need to implement new ideas. The programme is aimed to educate world-wide leaders in the urban mobility sector.

For more information about the programmes click here.

* Subject to EIT assessment and approval.

Successful launch of EIT Urban Mobility in Barcelona to transform Europe’s cities into liveable spaces

On 19 November EIT Urban Mobility celebrated its Inauguration Event at the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona. The event represented the official start of this EIT Innovation Community, which aims to facilitate and fund the collaboration of cities, companies, knowledge and research institutes to create mobility solutions that will accelerate the transition towards more liveable urban spaces.

Maria Tsavachidis, CEO of EIT Urban Mobility, said: “EIT Urban Mobility will improve the quality of life in cities, and have a positive impact on climate and economies. After a year of setting up our operations,  we are now ready to kick off and turn plans into reality. We are ready to make a difference and to work towards making our cities more liveable for all citizens”.

Prior to the official inauguration event, a high-level dialogue of EIT Urban Mobility was held, offering the stage to the Mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, the Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala and the President of SEAT, Luca de Meo.

Subsequently, the celebration of the official inauguration took place, with approximately 150 participants. Inspiring opening speeches were given by the CEO of EIT Urban Mobility, Maria Tsavachidis, the coordinator of EIT Urban Mobility, Luís Gómez, the Rector of UPC, Francesc Torres, the Head of the European Commission representation in Barcelona, Ferran Tarradellas and the EIT Head of Communications and Stakeholder Relations, Alice Fišer.  This was followed by an interactive panel discussion with high level speakers representing the EIT Urban Mobility community, from universities, knowledge institutes, cities and industry. You can find all details of the event here.

The Inauguration Event marked a significant milestone for our partnership, representing the start of our acitvities to educate and inspire mobility solutions for 21^st century cities.

Publication Date: 15/06/2019

InnovaCity is a project of EIT Urban Mobility, which took place between April and June 2019, offering a challenge-based learning opportunity for professionals from cities, start-ups and corporates.

During EIT Urban Mobility’s InnovaCity programme, 90 employees from municipalities, start-ups and corporates came together in three local hubs in Tel Aviv-Yafo, Munich and Barcelona to learn how to solve urban mobility challenges in a user-centered way while getting to know the main stakeholders in this area.

The InnovaCity trainings were undertaken by three leading engineering schools in Europe in close collaboration with the three cities, namely with the Technion, the Technical University of Munich and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.

In the local hubs, participants worked in cross-sector teams to tackle prevailing challenges, prototyping viable solutions and finally pitching their results in front of a panel of experts.

In collaboration with EcoMotion, the winning teams from each location were offered a travel stipend to visit the global event in Tel Aviv-Yafo, the EcoMotion Fair, a global start-up fair for Urban Mobility.

There, the three local winning teams had to pitch their ideas to a professional jury. The winner of the competition was the team from Tel-Aviv (see photo). Congratulations!

For more information, please visit the InnovaCity website https://eit.cdtm.de/urban-mobility/

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) today officially presented its two newest Innovation Communities: EIT Manufacturing and EIT Urban Mobility.

Publication Date: 24/01/2019

Together with some of their  leading  partners: TomTom, COMAU, Siemens, CEA, Czech Technical University Prague, Technical University of Vienna, and the City of Barcelona, they offered a glimpse of what society could look like in 15 years. A society with a sustainable, resource‐efficient, digital and above all competitive  manufacturing industry. One that contributes to a circular economy and allows for growth, with different  types of job opportunities for a diverse, highly qualified workforce. Where logistics and traffic are smart-managed. Where people use highly efficient modes of electric, shared or individualised and on‐demand  (public) transport. Where cities provide more space for living, walking and playing. Where no one worries  about air quality, traffic jams or finding a parking spot.

Is this what Europe will look like in 15 years? One thing is for sure; impact like this is precisely what the EIT aims for.

Gioia Ghezzi, Member of the EIT Governing Board, said: ‘I’m thrilled to be presenting our two new Innovation  Communities  that  will find  solutions  to  these  crucial  global  challenges  and  will  effectively  contribute  to  the  industrial revolution needed to build a sustainable world. They are great examples of what the EIT strives for:  stimulating  tangible innovations by bringing  together business, education and  research with concrete impact  that ultimately create better, sustainable lives for citizens across Europe.’ 

70 % of Europeans live in urban areas, and urban mobility accounts for 40 % of all CO2 emissions of road transport. Congestion across the EU is often located in and around urban areas and costs nearly EUR 100 billion, or 1 % of the EU’s GDP, annually.

Maria  Tsavachidis,  CEO  of  EIT  Urban  Mobility,  commented:  ‘The  current  mobility  model  is  simply  not  sustainable. To change it, we need solutions to a number of key challenges – decongestion, sustainable urban  growth and eco‐efficient  transport. We need  to do it now, by deploying and scaling  technologies, by pushing  change  in  regulations  and  infrastructure.  Citizens  must  also  be  given  a  voice  and  an  active  role  in  the  transformation of the urban mobility ecosystem to explore innovative solutions together. We want to reclaim  the public space for what the ancient Greeks used to call the “agora” functions: living, working and meeting.
 This is exactly what we will achieve with EIT Urban Mobility: making our cities more liveable for citizens.’

In the EU, the manufacturing sector employs close to 30 million people in 2.1 million enterprises and accounts  for  close  to  20%  of  the  GDP  on  average.  However,  the  manufacturing  industry  is  under  pressure  from  a  number of factors, varying from rapid technological advancements to the need for a more circular economy.  

‘If  we  want  to  create  sustainable  growth  in  the  European  manufacturing  sector,  we  need  to  innovate  and  embrace industry 4.0. Such a shift requires investment and education’, says Prof. George Chryssolouris from the  University of Patras, EIT Manufacturing’s key coordinating partner. ‘The EIT’s innovation model is perfect for  this:  by  bringing  together  business, industry,  research  and education  as well  as  the  public  sector, it  not  only  acts as a catalyst for change, but also creates new investments and opportunities. There’s no other initiative  like the EIT in the world.’

Publication Date: 06/12/2018

Two dynamic new partnerships join Europe’s largest innovation network. They will bring Europe’s innovators together to create a better and more sustainable future for citizens.

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has announced the winning teams that will set up Innovation Communities: EIT Manufacturing and EIT Urban Mobility. These two pan-European partnerships bring together leading organisations from business, education, research and the public sector to tackle challenges through innovation and contribute to sustainable growth and job creation across Europe.

Following the decision of the EIT Governing Board, its Chairman, Dirk Jan van den Berg, said: ‘On behalf of the entire EIT Community, congratulations to the two winning teams! The EIT now has eight Innovation Communities, increasing our reach and ability to empower innovators in Europe. I am thrilled with this exciting milestone for the EIT – fittingly happening 10 years after Europe’s one-stop shop for innovation was set up.’  

Tibor Navracsics, EU Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, responsible for the EIT, welcomed the announcement: ‘I am very pleased to see two new EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities selected. The EIT’s unique, education-focused approach to boosting innovation, will now create even more opportunities for talented entrepreneurs and students across the EU. This is essential for us to find innovative solutions to the pressing challenges of added value manufacturing and urban mobility – and help us build a resilient, competitive Europe.’

During EIT Urban Mobility’s InnovaCity 90 employees from Municipalities, Start-ups and Corporates will come together in three local hubs to learn how to solve urban mobility challenges in a user-centered way while getting to know the main stakeholders in this area.

In the local hubs, participants will be working in cross-sector teams to tackle prevailing challenges, prototyping viable solutions and finally pitching their results in front of a panel of experts. The winning teams from each location will then be offered a travel stipend to visit the global event in Tel Aviv-Yafo in collaboration with EcoMotion a global start-up fair for Urban Mobility.

The local hubs will take place in Tel Aviv-Yafo in collaboration with the Technion, in Munich in collaboration with the Technical University of Munich and in Barcelona in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.

Do you want to learn the tools you need in order to make urban mobility better for all, while tackling a real world challenge and get to know all stakeholders?