Abstract:

Timisoara and Arad cities face big opportunities as well as significant challenges with respect to joining their development initiatives and creating a metropolis side by side. The motivation and ingredients exist, but the context, knowhow and approach defer their steps in this direction. There are different networks of cities in the world which have demonstrated their effectiveness and viability. Present paper synthesizes their associated key success factors. Efforts made over time for a closer collaboration between Timisoara and Arad cities are revealed, together with the realities they deal with. Focus is on 2015 – 2016 episode, when main author coordinated the related joint proceedings of public administration and civil society representatives, by obtaining concrete interim results with echo at national level, which may be replicated by other cities. The solutions aim at leadership, dedicated staff, competence, involvement of stakeholders and legal framework. Multidisciplinary shortcomings and blockages encountered during and after this period are also underlined. The conclusions and proposals for next steps are useful for entire Romania, but also at international level, drawing attention to the general framework that is needed to facilitate the development of attractive European-scale metropolises and networks of cities in this country and elsewhere.