A research group rounded off peer review tours in three European countries to learn about innovative urban management practices and promote exchanges from Aug 30 to Sept 8.

Led by Mr. Liu Borao, Deputy Director of the Policy Research office of Guangzhou municipal Party committee, the delegation carried out field studies on three initiatives of the third Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation (Guangzhou Award) in Tampere, Finland, Berlin, Germany and Milan, Italy.

In Tampere, one of the 15 shortlisted cities in the third cycle of Guangzhou Award in 2016 for its Model of the Best Regional Circular Economy Concept for Cities, delegates held an interview with the city's Vice Mayor Mr. Aleksi Jantti and officials from environmental protection authorities. They also visited local waste management plants and clean-tech enterprises to gain an insight of the regional circular economy project.

Officials from Tampere, Finland, share experience from their awarded initiative – the Smart City Department for Participatory Planning and Good Governance initiative, with the Guangzhou research group on Aug 31.

In the following two cites of Berlin and Milan, aiming to draw on the excellent urban management experience, the research group carried out exchanges and mini workshops with government officials and project leaders, in addition to several field trips.

Berlin and Milan were listed among the thirty Deserving Cities in the third Guangzhou Award for their initiatives of M4guide - Mobile Multi-Modal Mobility Guide and All You Can Share – Sharing Mobility in Milan, respectively.

The Guangzhou Award research group carry out a field trip in Milan, Italy, on Sept 6.