Iscte - University Institute of Lisbon will lead the InCITIES project focused on the cities of the future: resilient, sustainable and inclusive. The European consortium led by Iscte won the European Excellence Initiative competition, of the Horizon Europe Framework Program, launched by the European Commission.

The InCITIES project - Trailblazing Inclusive, Sustainable and Resilient Cities - aims to strengthen the path to excellence with the creation of integrated knowledge hubs based on Research, Development and Innovation of the participating institutions and the ecosystems in which they are inserted.

The project reflects the global European challenges for the cities of the future by addressing four objectives:

• mapping institutional transformation strategies for research-based universities, progressively more sustainable, increasing open science and career opportunities
• strengthen a long-term network of participating higher education institutions and the surrounding ecosystems based on integrated knowledge hubs,
• increase scientific, technological and personnel capacity by sharing best pedagogical, research, management and administrative practices in the consortium,
• promote digital skills by creating an open and innovative education platform in synergy with the project's research, development and innovation agenda, with a focus on inclusive, sustainable and resilient cities.

The consortium partners represent universities from five countries (Portugal, Slovakia, Finland, France and Germany), which ensure the relevant skills and knowledge for the implementation of the project. In addition to Iscte, the consortium integrates the following university partners: Zilina University (Slovakia), Cologne University of Applied Sciences (Germany), Gustave Eiffel University (France) and Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland).

The associated partners of the project are: Metropolitan Area of Lisbon, Union of Slovak Towns and Cities, Slovak Intelligent Mobility, Portuguese Confederation of Volunteering, Portuguese Confederation of Culture, Recreation and Sports Collectivities, Inovar Autismo - Association of Citizenship and Inclusion, Helsinki Regional Council - Uusimaa, Wegenblock Lda. -genesis.studio, University of Sherbrooke, CP - Comboios de Portugal EPE and the city of Porvoon Kaupunki.