Hertie School partners with Bloomberg Philanthropies and LSE to launch Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative

Berlin, 14 October 2025. As national governments across Europe turn to mayors to lead on countrywide priorities, the Hertie School has joined forces with Bloomberg Philanthropies and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) to launch the first-ever professional leadership and management program designed specifically for the region’s municipal chiefs.

Established with a $50 million investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative will provide mayors and top local government officials from cities across Europe with pioneering expertise to tackle urban challenges, modernise services, and lead – advancing progress on the issues residents care most about. 

Helping mayors to lead the way

“Mayors are democracy’s frontline, grappling with today’s most pressing challenges – from climate change to migration, from housing to mobility. The Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative comes at exactly the right moment to strengthen the skills, networks, and capacity of city leaders across Europe,” said Cornelia Woll, President of the Hertie School. 

“We continue to expand our municipal leadership programs globally, because we’ve seen how well they work – and we want more cities to benefit,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies and 108th mayor of New York City. “As Europe increasingly looks to local governments to lead, we’re glad to join forces with the London School of Economics and Political Science and the Hertie School on this new initiative. Together, we can bring mayors and senior officials the tools, training, and peer networks they need to take on their biggest challenges – and succeed.”

“Cities are where our most complex, urgent challenges show up first, and so where real solutions often start,” said Professor Larry Kramer, President and Vice Chancellor of LSE. “Mayors across Europe are looking to lead—but to address the unique problems they face and deliver on new opportunities that emerge, they need sharp management, strong teams, and the skills to innovate.”

This is precisely what the Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative will help provide. I am deeply grateful to Mike Bloomberg and Bloomberg Philanthropies for their steadfast commitment to strengthening local governments here in the UK and across the globe. This Initiative is a testament to their visionary thinking and to the enduring partnership between our two organisations to help the continent’s mayors push further and do more.”

30 European mayors representing more than 21 million residents 

The Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative will equip urban leaders with the strategies, skills, and networks to meet the moment. Through a nine-month intensive classroom, field-based, and capacity-building training, they will learn evidence-backed strategies from world-class faculty, researchers, and policy leaders on how to drive performance, work across departments, mobilise collaborations, and marshal solutions that deliver tangible results for citizens.

The programme is delivered by LSE Cities in collaboration with the Hertie School. It builds on more than 10 years of work led by Bloomberg Philanthropies to advance mayoral leadership and local government innovation across the globe.  The inaugural cohort brings together 30 mayors and 62 senior officials from 17 European countries, representing more than 21 million residents.

Training from London to Berlin

To kick off their participation in the Initiative, last week the 30 mayors convened in London and received keynote instruction and engaged with global experts from Bloomberg Philanthropies, LSE, the Hertie School, UCL IIPP, and fellow peers including: Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor Sadiq Khan of London, UK; Professor Ricky Burdett, Director of LSE Cities and the Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative; Professor Dr Andrea Römmele, Dean of Executive Education and Professor of Communication in Politics and Civil Society at the Hertie School; and more.

Two top officials selected by each mayor will begin their participation in the Initiative in December with an immersive classroom experience in Berlin at the Hertie School.

Through the program, these officials will also support their mayor in overseeing a ten-member city team that will develop an innovative approach to solve a pressing, resident-facing challenge.

“The Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative will provide mayors and their teams with the knowledge and support they need to innovate ambitiously, govern effectively, and deliver for their citizens. We are proud to contribute to this transformative Initiative with our academic excellence and project management capacities in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies and LSE,” said Andrea Römmele.

The Initiative marks a significant expansion of the Hertie School’s mission to advance good governance and strengthen public sector leadership across Europe. Through its partnership in the Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative, the Hertie School will help empower a new generation of mayors and local government officials to build more responsive, resilient, and results-driven cities.