Become a Strategic Partner

The challenge we face together

The challenges cities face today are interconnected — spanning communities, ecosystems, and histories. No single organisation can address this alone. We operate in a VUCA world — volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous — and increasingly a BANI reality: brittle, anxious, non-linear, and often incomprehensible.

The response to this level of complexity must be coordinated, multi-dimensional, and deeply collaborative.

Where we fit

Global Mayors Academy does not replicate the specialised work of our partners — we amplify it. We develop leadership capacities and connect city leaders to the specialised knowledge, networks, and solutions that already exist. Strategic partners are the ecosystem through which that connection becomes real.

What strategic partnership means

Partners are collaborators, not just promoters. Strategic partnership may include:

Ways to collaborate

• Co-host conversations and roundtables for city leaders
• Introduce aligned leaders into our programs
• Contribute thought leadership, frameworks, or expertise
• Collaborate on research, events, or publications
• Align your organisational mission with our platform

Types of organisations we seek

• Governance institutes and mayoral associations
• ESG and sustainability networks
• Leadership development organisations
• Civic innovation labs and urban think tanks
• Philanthropic organisations and educational delivery partners
• Professional associations in public leadership

Our commitments to partners

• Openness and intellectual humility in every engagement
• Honouring your invested expertise and institutional trust
• Seeking complementarities over competition
• Building clarity before scaling any collaboration
• Negotiating outcomes that serve both missions

How it begins

Partnership begins with a generative conversation — focused on relationship-building before structural negotiation. We listen deeply, seek to understand your work and your context, and explore where genuine alignment exists.