The Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation (the Guangzhou Award) is co-hosted by the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the World Association of the Major Metropolises (Metropolis) and the City of Guangzhou. The aim of the Guangzhou Award is to recognize innovation in improving social, economic and environmental sustainability in cities and regions and, in so doing, to advance the prosperity and quality of life of their citizens. Presented biennially, the award encourages innovation in public policy, projects, business models and practices.

The Guangzhou Institute for Urban Innovation ("GIUI") was established in 2012 under the framework of the Guangzhou Award. The Institute is conceived as an international network of experts and institutions dedicated to furthering urban innovation concepts, tools and methodologies. Its members include research and academic institutions, professional associations, community-based organizations, industry leaders and individual experts.   

Mission

1. Promoting the evaluation and research compiled by the Guangzhou Award.

2. Exploring and constructing a complete theoretical framework for international urban innovation.

3. Promoting the innovative development and common progress of cities around the world.

4. Offering intellectual support for global urban innovation.

Information sharing and knowledge management

The urban innovation database serves as a knowledge bank of peer reviewed initiatives in urban innovation and analytical case studies and reports. It is regularly updated with each cycle of the Guangzhou Award for Urban Innovation and currently includes more than 400 initiatives from 60 countries. The database is interactive allowing users to carry out searches using several criteria. Users are also invited to submit their stories, articles, views and reviews of examples of urban innovation.

In addition to this knowledge base, the Guangzhou Institute disseminates recurrent and periodic publications and newsletters dedicated to furthering lessons learned and knowledge gained from innovative urban initiatives. Recurrent publications include write ups of 15 shortlisted initiatives from each Award cycle and reports on lessons learned from field visits and study tours to the same initiatives as well as others. Ad hoc publications are also produced by the partners of the Institute and by independent experts. 

Office of the Guangzhou Institute for Urban Innovation

Address: Room 3511, International Financial Center, 5 Zhujiang Xilu, Guangzhou, China

Tel: +86-20-8735-0999

Fax: +86-20-8735-3488