The Sustainable Cities Collaboratory is a practically oriented research body. It brings together the knowledge and skills of mayors, municipal officers, urban practitioners and academic researchers to develop principles and policies for good urban practice. Its role is to develop practical roadmaps for sustainable urban development in the participating cities and beyond.

The Cities Collaboratory comprises a group of Metropolis cities, together with a small number of global advisors and a selection of important research centres from around the world. It is supported by a general secretariat in Berlin, and a working group in the Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University.