SUMPs-Up learning activities starting in September and October
Five different SUMP Learning Programmes (SLPs) will take place between September 2017 and September 2019 as part of the CIVITAS SUMPs-Up project: They will focus on initiating or implementing a SUMP.
The SUMP Learning Programme (SLP) comprises a series of activities to equip planning authorities in European cities with the skills and knowledge they need to develop and implement Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs). Its activities are grounded in the concepts of peer-to-peer exchange, collaboration, and knowledge transfer.
The cities taking part in the SLPs were chosen following a call issued in the spring of this year. Those selected will form an Expert and Leadership Group. Approximately 40 cities will be in the Expert Group; its members will take part in one or both of the two SLPs starting this year. Consisting of around 10 members, the Leadership Group will be involved in each of the five SLPs planned. The members for both group will be revealed very soon.
All participating cities receive funding and engage in learning activities that afford them the opportunity to test and apply SUMP approaches, tools, and methodologies under 'real conditions'.
SLP 1 and 2 focus on tools and services for initiating a SUMP, with SLP2 tailored to small- and medium-sized cities. Participants will learn about the first half of the SUMP planning cycle. This will involve:
- A diagnosis of the local mobility situation and planning practices;
- An exploration of data collection and analysis;
- collaboratively developing a vision;
- setting priorities and targets;
- defining implementation strategies.
Following their participation, cities will be better placed to initiate their own SUMP process.
SLP 1 begins in Thessaloniki in October and continues until next February, whilst SLP 2 runs from December 2017 - May 2018.
The next IPP funding call will be opened in Spring 2018 and focus on SUMP measure selection, elaboration, and implementation.
After the completion of an SLP, the webinars and e-courses from it will be accessible online at the Mobility Academy.
Alongside the SLPs, a series of workshops for mobility practitioners are also being offered. The first of these is taking place on 28 September at the CIVITAS Forum 2017 in Torres Vedras, Portugal. A workshop for SUMP implementation at the national level is being held just before the Forum on 26 September.
For more information on the project and learning activities, visit the SUMPs-Up website.
Author: Ana-Maria Baston
