Enhancing Institutional Capacities for Managing Functional Urban Areas in the Danube Region

Functional Urban Areas are territories located around a city or urban centre and linked to this central area through economic, social and cultural links. These areas form a functional unit, as people living there share infrastructure, services and economic activities, while commuting to the city centre and sharing labour markets. FUAs, as networks of cities or towns with functional relationships extending beyond individual cities, present significant management opportunities in urban planning and development. Effective management strategies for FUAs entail networked cooperation, joint strategic planning, collaborative projects, utilization of funding opportunities, and communication and partnership building among participating cities and regions.