Cities and regions are increasingly seeing the benefit of international collaboration on innovation. But what are the advantages? How can it best be done in practice? And how might it assist in COVID-19 recovery? Nesta’s report, Network Effects, answers these questions.

In this webinar, we heard from authors Ellie Cosgrave and Tim Moonen of UCL Urban Laboratory and UCL Business of Cities. They outlined key findings and case studies from Network Effects. Responding to offer a practitioner perspective were Amy Hochadel, Director of Global Business at Connected Places Catapult in London, England, and Caroline Twigg, Head of International Affairs at Bristol City Council, England. This was followed by questions from the audience.

Due to time restrictions, Ellie and Tim were unable to answer all the questions posed in the Q&A. In this follow up video, they answered some of the most frequently posed questions:

• What is the role of international institutions in supporting these collaborations and partnerships?
• Is there a relationship between the level of devolution in a given country and the ability of subnational governments to make the most of international collaborations?
• What is the meaning of a 'whole of place' approach, a term used widely in the report?
• How is it possible for innovation ecosystems to take the lead here?