Bloomberg Philanthropies and LSE launch pioneering European City Leadership Initiative
A new $50 million partnership between Bloomberg Philanthropies and LSE Cities will equip Europe’s mayors and city leaders with the tools and training needed to deliver lasting progress in their communities.
Bloomberg Philanthropies and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) have launched the Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative (ECLI), the region’s first professional leadership and management programme designed specifically for mayors and senior municipal officials.
Developed and delivered by LSE Cities in collaboration with the Hertie School in Berlin, the programme will support local governments across Europe to tackle major urban challenges, modernise services, and strengthen operations to improve the lives of millions of residents.
The launch marks a $50 million investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies, bringing together expertise from LSE, the Hertie School, and more than a decade of Bloomberg’s global work to strengthen city hall capacity.
The inaugural class of 30 mayors and 60 senior officials represents 17 countries and a combined population of more than 21 million residents. Participating leaders include mayors from cities such as Madrid, Helsinki, Zagreb, Turin, and West Yorkshire, who will take part in a nine-month programme combining classroom learning, fieldwork, and practical application.
Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies and the 108th mayor of New York City, said:
“We continue to expand our municipal leadership programmes globally because we've seen how well they work, and we want more cities to benefit. As Europe increasingly looks to local governments to lead, we’re glad to join forces with LSE and the Hertie School on this new initiative. Together, we can bring mayors and senior officials the tools, training, and peer networks they need to take on their biggest challenges and succeed.”
LSE President and Vice Chancellor Professor Larry Kramer said the initiative reflects LSE’s commitment to public leadership and global impact.
“Cities are where our most complex, urgent challenges show up first, and so where real solutions often start. Mayors across Europe are looking to lead, but to address the unique problems they face and deliver on new opportunities that emerge, they need sharp management, strong teams, and the skills to innovate. This is precisely what the Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative will help provide. I am deeply grateful to Mike Bloomberg and Bloomberg Philanthropies for their steadfast commitment to strengthening local governments here in the UK and across the globe.”
Europe’s mayors are increasingly being called upon to deliver national and continental priorities, from tackling climate change and housing shortages to improving transport, resilience, and youth outcomes. Yet, according to Eurocities data, 86 per cent of mayors say their city will need to innovate to overcome a lack of resources, while two-thirds identify leadership and collaboration as key to success. The ECLI aims to meet that need by equipping urban leaders with the skills and networks to govern effectively. Participants will learn evidence-based strategies from world-class faculty and practitioners to improve performance, collaborate across departments, and design solutions that deliver tangible results for residents.
The inaugural cohort of mayors will begin the programme with a four-day convening in London, featuring sessions with global experts and practitioners including Michael R. Bloomberg, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Professor Ricky Burdett, Director of LSE Cities and ECLI, and Professor Dr. Andrea Römmele, Dean of Executive Education at the Hertie School. Two senior officials from each participating city will continue the programme in Berlin in December, leading local teams to develop innovative, resident-focused projects.
Professor Dr. Cornelia Woll, President of the Hertie School, said:
“Mayors are democracy’s frontline, grappling with today’s most pressing challenges from climate change to migration, from housing to mobility. The Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative comes at exactly the right moment to strengthen the skills, networks, and capacity of city leaders across Europe.”
The new initiative builds on more than ten years of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ investment in mayoral leadership and innovation, including the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, which has trained nearly 400 mayors and 2,400 senior officials worldwide. By extending this model to Europe, Bloomberg Philanthropies and LSE aim to create a lasting community of practice that connects city halls across the region and around the world, helping local governments deliver the progress their citizens deserve.