Governance of Metropolitan Areas – Learning from Europe and the US

This half-day workshop and panel discussion will focus on the strategic management and governance of large metropolitan areas, including the economic, environmental, social and demographic challenges they face. The role of local government in responding to these challenges and promoting and leading the economic and community development within their "administrative area" will be a central theme of the discussion. With panel experts from Switzerland and the United States — academics from urban planning, management, non-profit urban planning organizations, and a regional planning agency the discussion will allow a comparison to be made between the approaches taken towards metropolitan governance from a North American and a European perspective, with a focus on the San Francisco and Zürich regional areas. The workshop will run from 2.15pm to 4pm, followed by a networking event until 5pm.