[If you are interested in the course in Italian, please click here. Se sei interessat* al corso in lingua italiana, clicca qui.]

Would you like to work with European Projects but don’t know where to start? Or are you looking to strengthen your skills in the field?

Join the new Project Cycle Management Course by ALDA+ Academy – registrations are now open!

This autumn, benefit from more than 30 years of ALDA Academy’s experience in European project design and management through a comprehensive training programme available in both English and Italian.

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What to expect

Following the success of previous editions, the course has been further refined based on participants’ feedback to provide an even more practical and effective learning experience.

The course will take place online, twice a week:

• 6–27 October (English)
• 3–24 November (Italian)

Across 7 interactive sessions (21 hours), participants will explore the entire Project Cycle Management process: from identifying funding opportunities and designing a strong proposal to budgeting, communication, implementation, and project management.

Using the Logical Framework Approach, the methodology widely adopted for European and international projects, participants will gain practical tools to transform ideas into well-structured, impactful projects.

Combining theory with hands-on exercises, individual assignments and group work, the course is led by experienced professionals in EU funding and project management/design, ensuring participants develop practical skills that can be immediately applied in their professional context.

Whether you are a student, professional, NGO representative, public servant, social or cultural worker, or simply interested in developing expertise in European projects, no previous experience is required.

Take the next step in your professional journey and gain the knowledge, confidence and practical skills to successfully design and manage European projects.

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Calendar of the lessons (ENG)

Date	Time	Lesson
October 6	10:00 CET	Module 1 – The European Union and its Funding System: An Introduction
October 8	10:00 CET	Module 2 – Project Cycle Management and the Logical Framework Approach (Part 1)
October 13	10:00 CET	Module 3 – Project Cycle Management and the Logical Framework Approach (Part 2)
October 15	10:00 CET	Module 4 – How to Prepare a High-Quality Project Proposal (Part 1)
October 20	10:00 CET	Module 5 – How to Prepare a High-Quality Project Proposal (Part 2)
October 22	10:00 CET	Module 6 – Project Management and Communication and Dissemination
October 27	10:00 CET	Module 7 – Budgeting during the Project Design and Implementation phases

If you are interested in the course held in Italian, please click here.

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What you’ll receive

• At the end of the course, participants who attend at least 80% of the sessions will receive an attendance certificate.
• You’ll also become part of the ALDA+ Alumni Network, where you can stay connected with fellow participants and receive updates on training opportunities, EU funding calls, events, and more.
• Can’t attend every session? No problem! All participants can request access to the recordings and presentation slides, allowing you to catch up at your own pace.

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Price

The course fee is €480 (VAT included).

Take advantage of our available discounts:

• 🐦 Early Bird: Register by 1 September 2026 and receive a 10% discount.
• 🤝 ALDA Members: All ALDA members are entitled to a 10% discount.
• 🎓 Students (under 26): Students aged under 26 benefit from a 10% discount.

Please note that discounts cannot be combined.

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Application deadlines

Don’t miss your chance to join!

🇮🇹 Italian course: Apply by 23 October 2026

🇬🇧 English course: Apply by 25 September 2026

Ready to apply? Write to us at training@aldaplus.it

On 5 February 2026, the GreenScape CE Final Conference will take place in Brussels, marking the conclusion of 30 months of transnational cooperation under the Interreg Central Europe Programme. The event will bring together representatives of European institutions, city administrations, regional agencies, research organisations and civil society to reflect on how Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and Green Infrastructure (GI) can support more resilient, inclusive and climate-ready cities across Central Europe.

Hosted at the Belgian-Italian Chamber of Commerce, the conference represents a key moment to capitalise on the results of the GreenScape CE project and to connect local innovation with wider European policy discussions.

Supporting climate-proof urban transformation

Throughout its implementation, GreenScape CE has supported cities and regions in integrating NbS and green infrastructure into urban governance, planning and investment frameworks. The project focused on bridging the gap between climate adaptation strategies and practical implementation, promoting nature-based approaches as effective responses to challenges such as urban heat stress, climate risks, public space regeneration and complex governance environments.

As part of this effort, pilot actions were implemented in five Central European cities, testing innovative solutions and participatory approaches tailored to local contexts. These pilots demonstrated how NbS can deliver multiple benefits — environmental, social and economic — when embedded into decision-making processes and supported by appropriate governance tools.

Practical tools for cities and public authorities

Beyond local experimentation, GreenScape CE has developed a comprehensive set of strategic and technical tools to support replication and long-term uptake. These include:

• a Visual Mapping Platform presenting the pilot actions and their impacts; 
• technical and tendering guidelines for implementing NbS and green infrastructure; 
• a financing handbook designed for public project developers; 
• citizen-oriented awareness and co-creation tools to strengthen participation and ownership. 

The Final Conference will showcase these outputs, offering participants an overview of the project’s concrete results and the lessons learned from transnational cooperation.

A programme focused on impact and scalability

The conference programme will open with a high-level plenary session, featuring contributions from the project’s Lead Partner REGEA, the Interreg Central Europe Joint Secretariat, representatives of EU institutions and pilot cities.

Participants will then be invited to explore the project’s achievements through a virtual tour of the pilot cities, using the Visual Mapping Platform as an interactive storytelling and learning tool.

Thematic exchanges will follow, focusing on how Nature-based Solutions contribute to:

• public health and wellbeing,
• green skills and capacity building,
• effective and inclusive governance,
• innovative financing approaches,
• citizen engagement and co-creation. 

A central moment of the event will be the Forward Dialogue Roundtable, entitled “From Pilots to Policy: Scaling Nature-Based Urban Transformation in Central Europe”. This discussion will bring together cities, European networks and EU-level stakeholders to explore future policy pathways, replication opportunities and the role of NbS in shaping Europe’s urban transition.

Looking beyond the project lifecycle

The conference will conclude with the presentation of the GreenScape CE legacy, outlining next steps for sustaining and scaling the project’s results beyond its formal end. In line with the Interreg Central Europe Programme’s core principle that “Cooperation is Central”, the event will emphasise the importance of continued collaboration to address shared urban and climate challenges.

Event details

• Date: Wednesday, 5 February 2026
• Time: 09:00–14:00 (including a networking lunch)
• Venue: Belgian-Italian Chamber of Commerce, Rue de la Loi 26, Brussels
• Format: Hybrid (In-person & Online)

Participants are invited to register. The agenda is here and registration details are available on the project website here.

On 7–8 May 2025, the city of Cesena, Italy, hosted the fifth GINEVRA Partner Meeting, bringing together project partners at a crucial moment in the lead-up to the project’s final implementation phase. The meeting provided an important space to review progress on autonomous vehicle (AV) pilots, refine governance and engagement strategies, and strengthen coordination ahead of upcoming demonstration activities.

From the perspective of ALDA+, the Cesena meeting highlighted once again the importance of connecting technological innovation with inclusive governance, effective communication, and local institutional capacity.

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Advancing AV governance and preparing demonstrations

The first day of the meeting took place at the Comune di Cesena and focused on technical and strategic updates across GINEVRA’s core activities. Partners shared progress on demo site preparations in Cesena, Varaždin, and Bad Schönborn, with a dedicated coordination session moderated by TU Wien to align timelines and expectations for the upcoming implementation phase.

Discussions also covered advancements under Work Package 2, with partners exchanging insights from ongoing stakeholder and citizen engagement activities. These exchanges reinforced the project’s shared understanding that governance frameworks and public dialogue must evolve alongside technical development.

In this context, ALDA+ led a dedicated session on risk and emergency communication, underlining the role of clear, timely, and responsive messaging as autonomous mobility pilots move closer to real-world testing. The session emphasised that public trust, transparency, and preparedness are essential components of responsible innovation in urban mobility.

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Transnational perspectives on autonomous mobility

The second day moved to the historic Biblioteca Malatestiana, a UNESCO-recognised cultural landmark that provided a symbolic backdrop for discussions on the relationship between heritage and innovation. The Transnational Seminar, titled “State of the Art and Perspectives for AV in Europe”, brought together contributions from TU Wien, inBlenda, and EMFIE, offering both European and global perspectives on regulatory frameworks, case studies, and future pathways for autonomous vehicle deployment.

The setting itself invited reflection on how cities can balance respect for historical identity with forward-looking urban transformation. A guided visit of the Biblioteca followed, reinforcing the meeting’s central theme: innovation is most sustainable when it is embedded within local context and shared values.

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Moving towards final implementation

The Cesena Partner Meeting marked an important milestone as GINEVRA moves decisively into its final implementation phase. With demonstration activities approaching, the exchanges helped clarify roles, strengthen collaboration among partners, and align expectations on governance tools and capitalisation strategies.

For ALDA+, this phase is particularly significant in ensuring that project results translate into practical, accessible, and transferable governance solutions for local authorities across Central Europe. By integrating technical expertise with participatory approaches and strategic communication, GINEVRA continues to demonstrate how cities can responsibly manage the challenges and opportunities of autonomous mobility.

A warm thank you goes to the Comune di Cesena for hosting the meeting and providing an inspiring setting for dialogue, as well as to all project partners for their continued commitment and collaboration.

On 10–11 December 2025, partners of the GINEVRA project gathered in Karlsruhe, Germany, for the sixth in-person Partner Meeting, marking a key milestone in the project’s final implementation phase. The meeting took place at a crucial moment, as GINEVRA moves from pilot implementation towards consolidation, uptake, and long-term impact.

From the perspective of ALDA+, the Karlsruhe meeting represented an important opportunity to align governance, technical innovation, and communication efforts around one central question: how can cities manage the societal and institutional implications of autonomous mobility in a responsible, inclusive, and future-proof way?

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From local pilots to demonstration results

A central focus of the meeting was the exchange on citizen and stakeholder engagement pilots. Pilot cities, including Ptuj, Nyíregyháza, and Słupsk, shared concrete experiences on how participatory approaches can support more transparent and legitimate governance processes around emerging mobility solutions.

These discussions reaffirmed a key message that has guided GINEVRA since its inception: technological innovation alone is not sufficient. Effective governance of autonomous vehicles requires early dialogue with citizens, local stakeholders, and public authorities, ensuring that innovation responds to real societal needs and concerns.

In parallel, partners reviewed technology demonstration activities, with in-depth discussions on demos implemented in Varaždin and Cesena, as well as progress updates from Bad Schönborn. These exchanges highlighted the interdependence between technical deployment, governance frameworks, and communication strategies, particularly when it comes to public trust and policy relevance.

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Strengthening tools, communication, and uptake

Beyond pilots and demos, the Karlsruhe meeting served as a strategic coordination moment for the project’s final phase. Partners jointly reviewed the state of play and next steps for the GINEVRA Toolkit, discussed pathways for uptake and mainstreaming beyond the project’s lifetime, and aligned on final implementation steps.

In this context, ALDA+ contributed particularly to discussions on communication, dissemination, and capitalisation. Updates presented during the meeting showcased the project’s growing visibility, including increased social media engagement, the publication of success stories, and targeted coverage of Demo Days. These efforts underline the importance of evidence-based storytelling in translating project results into actionable knowledge for policymakers and local authorities.

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From results to long-term impact

The Karlsruhe Partner Meeting confirmed GINEVRA’s role as a transnational learning platform for cities navigating the governance challenges of autonomous mobility. By bringing together local authorities, researchers, and governance experts, the project demonstrates how collaborative, place-based approaches can help cities anticipate and manage transformative innovations responsibly.

As GINEVRA enters its final months, the focus now shifts towards consolidating results, strengthening capitalisation, and ensuring long-term accessibility of project outcomes. For ALDA+, this phase is particularly important in supporting public authorities across Central Europe to translate lessons learned into sustainable governance practices that extend well beyond the project’s formal duration.