What exactly is a digital twin? Is it necessary for every city? How can such a complex tool be integrated into strategic planning and decision-making?

If you are asking yourself these or similar questions, then the Eurocities Academy training on Urban Digital Twins (UDTs) might be for you!

The Eurocities Academy is launching the second edition of its UDT training, co-developed with (and hosted by) the Barcelona Supercomputing Center. It aims to support city professionals of a broad range of backgrounds in:

• Understanding the practical uses of digital twins.
• Assessing when and how to invest in them.
• Overcoming internal barriers like fragmented data or limited political buy-in.
• Designing digital twin projects that are technically feasible and policy-relevant.

Whether your city is just beginning its UDT journey or looking to scale up a pilot, this hands-on training will help you shape a UDT approach that aligns with your institutional capacities, data maturity, and urban priorities. It also gives you the opportunity to exchange experiences and best practices with colleagues from across Europe.

The training will take place in initial online sessions, and in an in-person session on 6-7 November in Barcelona, alongside the Smart City Expo World Congress. You can find more information here and have a look at the training’s brochure.

The Eurocities Academy is holding an online public information webinar to provide guidance and answer any questions about the Urban Digital Twins training, on Friday 16 May 2025, at 12:00. Register for the information webinar here. 

Interested in reading about the first edition of the training in 2024? This article provides you with insights and learnings from participants.

What is the Eurocities Academy?

The Eurocities Academy is the network’s dedicated training programme, providing capacity-building to city leaders and experts. To date, it has trained over 200 officials from more than 110 cities. The Academy is offering in-person and blended training courses, which are open to both Eurocities members and other cities.

For questions about the training or the registration process, please contact Guillem Ramírez Chico, Eurocities Academy Coordinator, at guillem.ramirez-chico@eurocities.eu