The City/University Link beyond Proximity: a Learning Experience between Climate Adaptation Strategies and Civic Activism

In recent years, in Italy, the increasing role of Universities’ third mission fostered public engagement activities carried out by universities in the field of urban planning and policy. This followed a broad scientific debate on university/city relationships. Within this framework, this contribution focuses on the role that the university plays as an urban actor in (multi)local activation processes in the field of bottom-up urban regeneration and climate change adaptation. It draws on the Academy initiative experience, developed within the CLIM-ACT! program promoted in Verona by a network of actors including Iuav University of Venice. This project aimed at building knowledge at the intersection between environmental sustainability and civic activism.