Course content

This course aims to develop the knowledge of the candidates on participatory planning processes in urban planning and design. The course will provide an introduction to the principles of participatory planning. Other topics that will be covered in the course include current practices and theories, methods and techniques of participatory planning and co-design, ethical considerations, and knowledge management. The course enables student to adopt methods in their research and practice that can enhance the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals at local level.

It includes practice-based research methods and discusses various methodological approaches to researching urban environments. The course also gives the students tools to critically analyse collaborative situations and teamwork and promote responsible learning and practice in complex settings building a critical awareness of urban practice and research ethics.

Methods for participatory assessment of challenges and resources in informal urban neighborhoods will form the core of the course. In addition, methods for socio economic and spatial study of marginalised communities will be taught.

Learning outcome

Knowledge: The candidate has gained knowledge on methodological tools and their theoretical origins, ethical considerations on participatory planning, co-design and localising SDGs. The candidate is able to apply participatory methods responsibly in specific contexts and derive learnings from the process in developmental programs in the urban sector in his/her professional role as an urban practitioner. Candidates have knowledge on ethical dilemmas in working with the Sustainable Development Goals at local level through their own practice.

Skills: Through practical assignments at different stages of the course the candidate gains experience of how to apply these methods to different urban projects in an academic setting. The candidate has learned to use elementary methods of participation and can apply and adapt them in different urban projects/contexts. The candidate obtained experience using and designing online and offline methods of participation with written, research-based justification of the concept. In addition, the candidate will develop their skills to work in interdisciplinary and multistakeholder contexts.

General competence: The candidate will develop an ability to interact with urban communities across societal groups and institutions and to engage these in multistakeholder and multicultural environments.

Learning methods and activities

The course will include online pre-recorded lectures, obligatory assignment, documented case studies and live interactive session on themes divided into 6 modules in the course of the semester. The students will either in groups/individually be asked to test some of the methods being taught in the course in a selected context and deliver the obligatory assignments related to each module. The students will also be encouraged to interact with fellow students in the course through online interactive tools such as blogs, chats, journals etc.

Compulsory assignments

• ive exercises must be submitted and approved

Specific conditions

Required previous knowledge

Completed three years basic bachelor courses in a relevant field. The course must be taken together with courses AAR4525 Urban Ecological Planning - Project course and AAR5210 Theories in Urban Ecological Planning.

Course materials

All relevant literature will be provided in Blackboard.