Oxford is one of nine major cities named as the finalists for the European Capital of Innovation Award 2016. 

A prize of €950,000 will go to the city that is judged to be creating the best "innovation ecosystem" in terms of connecting citizens, public organisations, academia, and businesses.

Oxford's bid was developed by Oxford City Council with a team of partners from the County Council, University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University, the Low Carbon Hub, the Student Hub, the Hospital Trust and other community organisations.

Councillor Bob Price, Leader of Oxford City Council, said: "We are delighted to have reached the shortlist in this very competitive field. 

"The fact that Oxford is up against major cities like Paris and Berlin demonstrates the strength of the bid, our local economy and our local partnerships. 

"We are aiming to be Europe’s ‘Learning City’, for a year, and to fund over 100 young people from Oxford to work with colleagues from other countries on innovative projects that will benefit our community and our economy. 

"We share many of the same challenges as other mid-sized cities in Europe, in transport, the environment, community integration and healthcare, and aim to foster a two-way sharing of knowledge across Europe for everyone’s benefit.”

The city is up against a shortlist of large cities, many of which are also capital cities, including Amsterdam, Berlin, Glasgow, Milan and Maris. 

The shortlist was selected from nearly 40 bids, by a panel of independent experts, for outstanding track records in innovation.

Some of the policies Oxford City Council has said it will implement if it wins the bind include: inspiring a new generation of science and technology from all backgrounds, helping more people to become civic and social entrepreneurs and mainstreaming ultra-low carbon technology across the entire community. 

Professor Ian Walmsley, Hooke Professor of Experimental Physics and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the University of Oxford, said: "Oxford has a complex and thriving innovation ecosystem where technologies and people converge to develop new, innovative solutions to global challenges. 

"The University of Oxford plays an important part in this, alongside other local institutions, researchers, entrepreneurs, investors and citizens. 

"The European Capital of Innovation 2016 competition will strengthen these partnerships across the city. 

"This will enable the region to share with and learn from other innovative cities around Europe that deliver real impact for people in the region and across the continent, by providing new opportunities and better quality of life."

The results will be announced in April.