Marmara Municipalities Union (MMU) is the first and the largest regional Local Government Association in Türkiye with 192 members from the Marmara Region which is the center of scientific, cultural and high-value-added activities as well as of commerce, finance and industry. MMU’s center is located in Istanbul. The Marmara Region inhabits around 26 million residents, making up one third of the population of Türkiye. At the center of the region is the Sea of Marmara, which is an inland sea connecting Türkiye’s Asian and European parts.

Since its foundation in 1975, MMU has played an important role in the formation of a culture of agreement and collaboration among mayors and council members elected from different political parties, the development of coordination and cooperation between municipalities, increasing the authority and resources of municipalities, and representing municipalities at the international arena.

MMU carries on activities in areas such as environment, urbanization, migration and social cohesion, local diplomacy, local economic development, resilience, urban technology and innovation. On these areas, MMU’s activities include training, consulting, corporate capacity building, raising awareness, supporting scientific researches, advocating local democracy, and organizing events and meetings which gather relevant stakeholders.

MMU is working with NeurotechEU through the local beneficiary, Boğaziçi University, to develop a Smart Specialization Strategy targeted towards providing solutions to neurotechnological challenges in the region. Through local cooperation, this partnership will facilitate regional growth and deeper collaboration between students, researchers, local government, society and industry partners.