Since June 2018, NIUA initiated an engagement with key relevant stakeholders through series of consultations. Objective to define the strategy for digital interventions under MoHUAurban programs. One of the key recommendations of these consultations is a new institutional ecosystem to curate an ecosystem of innovators globally who are interested in India’s urbanization and who already have or are devising solutions appropriate for India’s cities. Such institution would facilitate the ecosystem through Physical and Virtual interventions. The virtual hub shall be powered by a technology solution 'National Urban Innovation Stack' (NUIS).

National Urban Innovation Hub (NUIH) is proposed as the Foundational Institution to Catalyse the Ecosystem for Urban Transformation. Detailed business plan for restructuring NIUA into NIUH has been prepared and is under review with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India.  As the current urban programs are towards the end of mission period, there is established need to initiate activities related to capacity building, collaboration, knowledge sharing and exchange to prepare cities for the next way of urban interventions. Hence the work related to Virtual Hub is being perused on priority. 

This scope of the project funded by Department for International Development (DFID) is to develop and manage the learning platform of the Virtual Hub under National Urban Innovation Hub (NUIH). The 'National Urban Learning Platform' is identified as a priority during consultations with Ministry and other key stakeholders.