New Urban Planning summer subject:
Comparative Urbanisation and Governance
Melbourne School of Design and other University of Melbourne students have the unique opportunity to engage with leaders in the area of urban planning and policy by enrolling in the intensive summer subject Comparative Urbanisation and Governance.
This dynamic subject, running from February 15-20, will feature seminars with Sheela Patel, Founder-Director of the Mumbai-based NGO ‘Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centres’ (SPARC); Philip van Ryneveld,international consultant on intergovernmental relations, fiscal transfers and municipal finance; Professor Richard Tomlinson and Professor Sun Sheng Han of Urban Planning in our faculty.
February represents Sheela Patel’s much anticipated return to Melbourne and our faculty – in March 2009 she gave a presentation on slum upgrading, as part of our Dean’s Lecture Series. Over 300 people attended her lecture.
Comparative Urbanisation and Governance will describe and assess regional and country differences in migration and urbanization processes, review international ‘best practice’ and pro-poor conceptions of urban policy, and the constitutional responsibilities of government for urban policy, intergovernmental relationships and fiscal transfers. The subject will also examine the capacity of cities, together with the private sectors and civil society, to respond to the pressures of urbanisation. Case studies in India/Mumbai, South Africa/Johannesburg and China/Shanghai will be explored. The case studies will include a review of the influence of the World Bank and other international organizations in shaping the urban policy agenda.
Following Comparative Urbanisation and Governance, a second intensive on ‘best practice’ and ‘pro-poor’ comparative housing and services (slum upgrading) will be offered in July 2010. This subject will also be taught in collaboration with SPARC.
For further details contact Professor Richard Tomlinson, Chair in Urban Planning - rht@unimelb.edu.au. A quota of 40 applies to this subject and students will need to apply via the Student Centre.