The rules of the metropolitan game. A Discipline for an integrated approach to the metropolitan complexity

The transformative power of urbanization has been widely acknowledged. When urbanization is well planned and managed, it can positively impact economic, social and spatial development . Within metropolitan areas there are socio-spatial and socio-economic inequalities, not only between the core city and the periphery, but also between the municipalities that form the metropolitan area. In order to reduce these inequalities and enable public authorities to provide adequate services, innovative strategies are needed applying an integrative approach to metropolitan planning, governance and finance and promoting collaboration among key metropolitan players.

This training event will raise awaress, that developing a metropolitan vision (moving away from pure efficiency towards the wellbeing of all the citizens living in metropolitan areas) is a first step. In the training event, we will investigate how achieving the SDGs and the implementing f the NUA can be advanced through multi-scale and multi-disciplinary approaches, re-conceptualizing the urban models of how to build, participate and live in the metropolitan dimension.

Partners contributing to this training sessions have developed different strategies, tools and approaches to enhance the capacities of metropolitan players. Understanding how to deal with challenges at metropolitan scale is a pressing issue for a more sustainable development of future metropolitan areas. Key players from the different government levels and sectors, stakeholders from civil society organizations, private sector and academia have to understand and manage the complexity of metropolitan decision making.

The training promotes an integrated learning approach, enabling the participants to understand various perspectives and needs for metropolitan management including planning, governance, finance and socio-environmental aspects. The training will delineate a capacity building process, through a practical exercise (a board game); helping the participants to understand the complexity of metropolitan decision making and the interlinkages between different scales, sectors and stakeholders.