AUDI Concludes Municipal Innovation Program with 85 Specialists from 29 Arab Cities

The Arab Urban Development Institute (AUDI) has concluded a training program on municipal innovation for municipal leaders, delivered in partnership with the Bloomberg Center for Public Sector Innovation - Johns Hopkins University, in the United States. The seven-week program brought together 85 leaders from 29 Arab cities, providing them with exposure to leading practices in managing the global innovation ecosystem.

Throughout the program, participants worked through a structured innovation process that included analyzing challenges, collecting data, redefining problems, generating ideas, and testing solutions. The program culminated in presentations where participants showcased innovative solutions and ideas developed to address challenges facing their cities and municipalities, highlighting key lessons learned and their potential application in municipal work.

During the closing session, AUDI Director General H.E. Dr. Anas Mofarreh Almughairy, underscored the program’s importance as a foundation for strengthening urban and institutional innovation across Arab municipalities. AUDI also announced plans to establish a Municipal Innovation Group bringing together participating Arab cities to exchange tools, methodologies, and best practices while fostering collaboration and peer learning. 

Representing Bloomberg Center, Aparna Ramanan commended the participants for their active engagement and their acquisition of innovation methodologies and tools. She highlighted the importance of translating these practices into practical applications, addressing real-world urban challenges, and leveraging the relationships and expertise developed through the program.

Dr. Lisa Twes, Training and Learning Specialist at the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation, emphasized the importance of sustaining collaboration and building on the program’s achievements. She praised the participants’ commitment to advancing their cities and highlighted their collaboration with AUDI in developing tools and content tailored to the needs of Arab cities.

Of note, the program reflects AUDI’s continued efforts to strengthen the capacities of leaders and practitioners in Arab cities, facilitate knowledge and experience exchange, and support municipalities in applying innovation methodologies to develop practical solutions to urban challenges.