City of the Future: Healthy, Sustainable Metropolises

The funding program “City of the Future: Healthy, Sustainable Metropolises” by the Fritz and Hildegard Berg Foundation focuses on inter- and transdisciplinary research at the intersection of health, urban, and environmental sciences. Within the initiative, innovative perspectives and forward-looking measures for ecologically sustainable and health-promoting urban development are developed. The UN Sustainable Development Goals are central: from reducing social inequalities to designing green living spaces and strengthening local governance structures, the program aims to create more resilient urban areas. In previous funding rounds, interdisciplinary junior research groups at universities and university hospitals have implemented pioneering projects on mobility, residential green spaces, and urban public health.

Eligible for funding are universities, universities of applied sciences, and research institutions in close cooperation with municipal partners. A prerequisite for application is a clear focus on health and environment in the urban context as well as the active involvement of municipal stakeholders in the project. Evaluation particularly considers inter- and transdisciplinarity, the incorporation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the participation of local stakeholders. Each project can receive funding of up to €300,000. The award and recognition format provides space for experimental fields and discourse arenas in which new strategies for sustainable urban living are developed and tested. Municipal institutions and research organizations seeking holistic solutions for a livable city of the future will find tailored support in this program.