Intermediary cities can be powerful drivers of smart, inclusive, and sustainable regional development. Located outside major metropolitan areas, these small and medium-sized hubs play an “intermediary” role by structuring the flows of people, goods, capital, and knowledge across surrounding urban and rural areas. This study, conducted as part of the OECD-EU project “Unlocking the Potential of Intermediary Cities for Regional Development", focuses on Alba Iulia, the historical capital of the Transylvania region and the administrative centre of Alba County in the northwest of Romania. Applying the project’s analytical framework, the study examines Alba Iulia’s functions as an intermediary city. It explores the city’s role within a predominantly mountainous and rural context and the broader national urban system, highlighting both challenges and opportunities. The study provides policy guidance to maximise the potential of urban-rural linkages, enhance transport and digital connectivity, integrate local economic activity across the urban-rural spectrum, improve skills alignment, and strengthen collaborative governance arrangements.
