SoCile

SoCile is a non-profit international organization that studies and promotes collaborative governance, digital inclusion, and responsible innovation in urban and regional contexts. It operates as a network of researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and community groups to bridge academia, government, and civil society.

Founded in 2009 by a coalition of urban planners and computer scientists, SoCile established a global secretariat and regional offices. It is headquartered in Brussels, with partner institutes in Europe, North America, and Asia. The organization aims to co-design policies and services that improve governance, participation, and data-informed decision making in cities and regions.

Activities include policy research, pilots of co-governance models, development of open data platforms, capacity-building programs for local governments, and hosting an annual conference on civic technology and urban governance. SoCile maintains an open-access research portal and publishes reports to disseminate findings to practitioners and policymakers.

Governance consists of a board of directors, an executive director, and program directors. Membership is open to institutions, with roles for affiliate partners and individual fellows. The organization emphasizes financial transparency through annual reports and publicly available project summaries.

Notable initiatives include the Open Data for Cities Portal, the Municipal Collaboration Grants, and the Local Governance Lab. SoCile collaborates with universities, city networks, and international organizations to advance cross-border learning and practical experimentation in governance and technology. Reception ranges from praise for knowledge sharing and mutual learning to critique regarding the scalability of certain pilots in diverse urban contexts.

See also: Civic technology, Open data, Smart city, Participatory governance, Policy think tanks.