With the rapid global urban transition, cities are fast becoming the locus of public decision-making over a broad array of issues about human welfare and livelihoods, environmental sustainability and social and cultural life. Cities in Asia as well as in Europe are also becoming increasingly multicultural and socially diverse, magnifying issues of inclusion and human flourishing in an age of rising inequalities and high levels of economic and political turbulence. In this context, cities exhibit striking differences in capacities to form progressive political coalitions that are able to enhance participatory governance, social justice, and the right to the city for citizen and non- citizen alike. The workshops proposed here are intended to develop and explore conceptual frameworks for identifying and explaining the rise of progressive cities in Asia and Europe. Two themes are identified for the first year of collaboration. One is on migration and social diversity as they relate to issues of inclusion and the right to the city. The second focuses on the vernacular city and creative communities in the local production of urban space as foundations for urban vitality. The longer term intention is to germinate continuing collaboration with faculty and students at NUS and Université Paris-Sorbonne Nouvelle on these and other thematic ideas of mutual interest that arise from experiences in Europe and Asia. Both in terms of contrasts and similarities, the rich experiences of Asia and Europe can provide a relatively new and rewarding platform for research and mutual learning.