Sustainable Urban Development

Introduction

Urban areas are projected to triple in surface by 2030, and with an estimated 70% of the global population residing in cities by 2050, addressing the complex social, physical, economic, and environmental challenges of urbanisation in a sustainable way has become imperative. Designed for contemporary urban professionals, this four-week short course anchored in the SDG 11 "Sustainable Cities and Communities", will provide you with the knowledge and skills to understand, analyse and develop strategies to achieve the SDG 11 targets, "Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable", and produce localised solutions.

Who is this for?

The Sustainable Urban Development (SUD) short course integrates state-of-the-art theories on urban management with practical application through a multi-disciplinary advisory project, this course enables professionals to address the diverse challenges of urban environments effectively. In line with the SDG11 targets, participants will delve into various aspects of sustainable urban development, including safe and affordable land and housing, inclusive urbanization, disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, nature-based solutions, inclusive and gender-responsive approaches, and urban heritage strategies.

The course is organised into four modules: 

1. Understanding Urban Complexities: This module establishes a solid foundation by exploring key principles, theories, and practices of urban management, providing participants with a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of urban environments.
2. Analyzing Urban Policies and Practices: Participants will learn how to critically analyze if a certain SDG11 strategy and/or policy leads to a city that is just, resilient and sustainable. Policy analytical tools will be introduced covering the topics on climate mitigation and adaptation, disaster risk reduction, nature-based solutions, green city principles, circular economy and sustainable energy transition.
3. Developing Sustainable Urban Strategies and Approaches: Building on the knowledge and skills acquired in the previous modules, this week will challenge the participants to think out of the box and innovative strategies and approaches in achieving the SDG11 targets and indicators. Participants will dive deeper into the themes of nature-based urban development, environmental justice, circular economy and urban heritage development.
4. Immerse and advise based on the SUD Principles: In this practical course segment, participants will engage in study visits, urban walks and city tours in Rotterdam and Amsterdam wherein the participants will enhance their understanding of real-life examples and gain valuable insights from practice.

This final week will wrap up with a multi-disciplinary advisory project with a real-life client wherein the participants are expected to apply the knowledge and skills acquired from the three modules. This course is offered in collaboration with our partners - the Dutch Cultural Heritage Agency (RCE), Municipality of Rotterdam, University of the Philippines College of Human Ecology (UP-CHE), and several Dutch social housing associations, thereby providing participants with valuable networking opportunities and real-world perspectives.