49^th International Cities Forum 2026

Evidence-based action in politics and administration means incorporating sound scientific findings into decisions and processes, thereby increasing effectiveness, transparency and efficiency and taking new approaches to solutions into account. Essentially, it is about organising public action in such a way that social goals are achieved in the best possible way. The impact assessment of measures also plays a role in minimising undesirable side effects.

Evidence-based action in politics and administration therefore requires methodological expertise, fpr example for upstream impact assessments or downstream scientific evaluations of decisions. Above all, local politics and administration need cooperation that addresses concrete challenges and is presented in a practical and understandable way, while scientific work is usually structured for longer periods of time and often deals with overarching, more abstract issues in larger contexts. In order to unite these interests, functioning structures for exchange are needed to discuss current knowledge and research questions and to realise joint projects.

The state capital of Kiel, for example, has scientifically evaluated and confirmed the use of additional special education staff in childcare centres and classroom support in primary schools. By participating in the ‘Inter-municipal comparison of medium-sized cities in the area of educational support, integration support and protective measures’ (IKOV), Kiel can compare performance data, cost structures and case numbers with other municipalities and implement better management by analysing impact factors. The fundamental aim is to improve economic efficiency and ensure that tasks are fulfilled. In the area of municipal infrastructure, the city of Kiel is cooperating with numerous scientific institutions to realise a semi-autonomous ferry for crossing the Schwentine – a river that flows into the Kiel Fjord. The technical development, design and concept come from Kiel universities.

Workshop I is based on the following key questions: 

• How can scientific expertise support administrators in developing viable concepts and making well-founded decisions?
• How can scientific methods be successfully transferred into the day-to-day work of local government?
• How can municipal topics be systematically translated into research questions and integrated into administrative processes in a structured way?
• How can the city be made more resilient and safer with scientific support, especially with regard to crisis situations?
• How can evidence-based working methods be used to promote concrete progress in urban planning, mobility, climate, sustainability, social development, participation and the culture of remembrance?
• Where and how should exchange, discourse and communication between science, administration and urban society take place in order to be effective?

Scientific institutions play a key role for cities and regions, not least for their innovative strength and for attracting, retaining and training skilled workers. Even though universities in Germany are primarily financed by the state and third-party funding, cities and regions contribute to the success of academic institutions through housing, infrastructure and mobility connections, among other things. However, strengthening the centre of science goes beyond this; well-functioning networks between science, business and the city, and common goals and strategies play an important role in order to be able to optimally utilise the knowledge of scientific institutions for the development of the location.

Kiel is a diverse centre of science with four universities, where around 34,000 students are educated and 7,000 employees work. There are also other research institutes such as GEOMAR (ocean research), the Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education (IPN), the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW) and the Max Rubener Institute, which specialises in nutrition and food. The science officers of the state capital of Kiel form the interface between the city and the scientific institutions and develop concepts and instruments to strengthen Kiel as a centre of science together with the universities, scientific institutions and other partners. The main areas of activity are the promotion, organisation and in particular the supervision of cooperation between the state capital Kiel and the scientific institutions, the implementation of joint projects and the support of the scientific institutions in their cooperation with the city administration.

Workshop II is based on the following key questions:

• How can science tie in with the reality of life in cities and effectively address local and regional challenges?
• How can scientific findings be communicated to specific target groups so that they become effective in urban society, administration and politics?
• How do city-science partnerships strengthen the science centre, secure skilled personnel and promote innovation?
• How can science centres be financed in the long term?
• How can the visibility of science be used to attract skilled personnel and strengthen innovation at the location? 

The active involvement of citizens in research processes opens up new perspectives and increases the social relevance and acceptance of scientific projects as well as trust in science. When research is organised in a participatory way, questions and experiences that are close to everyday life can be taken into account – a benefit both for the quality of the research and for its social impact. Participation in research therefore encompasses many different forms of involvement. This can already be realised in research planning, in the implementation of research projects (citizen science) or through science communication. At the same time, it is necessary to specifically strengthen the acceptance of scientific findings, as these are increasingly being questioned and relativised or scientific methods are not understood.

But how can broad involvement be achieved so that citizens feel addressed even without existing points of contact with science, and what role do formats, approaches and locations play in this? The ‘Science Comes to Town’ project also emphasises this issue and brings together citizen science projects, competitions, existing and new events. Examples of citizen-orientated activities include the Kiel Science Communication Network (KSCN) and the ‘Workshop 20th century’, where a new venue is being created for local history and remembrance, in which participation is encouraged.

Workshop III is based on the following key questions:

• Which formats and locations are suitable for anchoring science in urban society in an easy-access, interactive and tangible way and how can cities support this?
• How can science be communicated so that scientific findings become visible, understandable and relevant for urban society?
• How can scientific topics be presented in a practical way to facilitate an exchange of knowledge between science and urban society?
• How can municipal facilities, schools and third places be used to enable access and participation?