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This paper presents and discusses the APEC Center for Technology Foresight’s experiences with its first five international foresight projects. The projects are described in some detail to illuminate the kinds of topics addressed, the rationale for their selection and the kinds of conclusions which emerged. The impact of the projects on policy is considered, and important additional benefits are demonstrated, especially their contribution to the creation of a “forward‐thinking” culture among scientists and policy‐makers. Thus, the projects are seen to address critical issues of regional and global concern and, at the same time, to build foresight capacity within the Asia‐Pacific region.

The Asia‐Pacific Co‐operation (APEC) region, which comprises 21 developed and developing economies, is expected to become predominantly urban by 2020 with at least 15 cities exceeding 10 million inhabitants. Whether such megacities will be “healthy” in the sense of physical, mental and social wellbeing is critical to the future of the region. A modified scenario creation technique has been used in this study of APEC megacities to 2020. Fifteen key issues have been identified and these can be grouped using the concept of cities as living organisms. A healthy megacity is one which reduces its resource inputs and waste outputs, whilst simultaneously improving the quality of life for its inhabitants. The study concludes that healthy megacities are possible if appropriate policy actions are taken.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss findings from the formative evaluation of a national public library development initiative in England, with a focus on the practice and impact of collaborative leadership.

A realistic evaluation approach was used in the study, enabling a nuanced assessment of the initiative’s contexts, mechanisms and outcomes in relation to its core objectives. These included testing innovative, partnership approaches to library service delivery, encouraging greater synergy between libraries and the arts and other public and commercial sectors. Evaluation findings are subsequently contextualised using a conceptual framework drawn from critical management studies on collaborative advantage.

Data show that the initiative was an effective catalyst for enhanced collaborative leadership in the public library sector, including the development of a cross-sector community of practice, with evidence of collective ownership and decision making. The relative collaborative advantages of the initiative are underpinned by evidence on the unique value of public library services to collaborating organisations and sectors.

Outcomes are of relevance to a range of public services and governing bodies with reference to shared strategic objectives with other sectors and services and collaborative leadership learning and practice.

There are implications relating to the public value of library services and how this can potentially be enhanced via collaborative leadership approaches to service design and delivery. This is especially pertinent given current cross-government policy drivers towards integrated public services.

The research makes an original contribution to contemporary debates on cultural value in considering the cross-sector role and impact of collaborative leadership.