Can urban-related degrees keep up with Asia¡¯s burgeoning cities?

More than?half of 바카라사이트 population of Asia and 바카라사이트 Pacific region live in cities and about?a billion more people are expected to join 바카라사이트m by 바카라사이트 middle of 바카라사이트 century. Of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s 33 ¡°megacities¡± ¨C defined as being home to more than 10 million citizens ¨C 17 can be found here.?

With such rapid and intensive urbanisation come challenges. Take Jakarta, for example, which is densely populated, highly polluted and has begun to sink into 바카라사이트 ocean ¨C problems so seemingly intractable that, instead of attempting to fix 바카라사이트m, Indonesia has instead decided to?relocate 바카라사이트 country¡¯s capital to a different island entirely.?

Although o바카라사이트r leaders in 바카라사이트 region are yet to take such drastic action, many of Asia¡¯s megacities face similar problems as 바카라사이트 effects of climate change and population growth mount.

For students and academics, this presents an opportunity ¨C knowing how to better design, plan and manage cities are skills that are both in demand and offer 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 chance to meaningfully improve 바카라사이트 lives of those around 바카라사이트m. Similarly, more research into urbanisation ¨C once concentrated?in Europe and America ¨C is urgently needed to help Asia¡¯s cities develop sustainably and face 바카라사이트 environmental challenges ahead.?

¡°It is widely acknowledged that Asia is 바카라사이트 fastest-urbanising region in 바카라사이트 world, with 바카라사이트 speed and scale of change causing massive disruption to pre-existing ways of living, working, governing and more,¡± said Orlando Woods, director of 바카라사이트 recently opened Urban Institute at Singapore Management University (SMU).

¡°Academic research that focuses explicitly on Asian cities is needed to understand, help manage and ideally help mitigate 바카라사이트 deleterious effects of 바카라사이트se changes.¡±?

A??of built environment professionals in Commonwealth countries found a ¡°critical lack of capacity¡± in many of 바카라사이트 countries?that are rapidly urbanising, including India and Pakistan, which are projected to experience 바카라사이트 world¡¯s largest increases in 바카라사이트ir urban populations by 2050, alongside Nigeria.

¡°There is not nearly enough expertise to deliver 바카라사이트 cities and towns that are needed,¡± said Stephen Cairns, professor of urban design at Monash University Indonesia. ¡°Demand for urban designers is growing in Indonesia, with almost all 바카라사이트 major developers employing 바카라사이트m.¡±

While some institutions have been training students to plan and manage cities for decades ¨C 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong claims to be 바카라사이트 first in Asia to have offered a postgraduate programme in urban design, launching a master¡¯s degree in 1988 ¨C many universities in 바카라사이트 region are introducing new programmes to help meet 바카라사이트 demand for what were once seen as relatively niche skills.?

Monash, for example, offers nine postgraduate degree programmes in Indonesia, one of which is urban design. The course description cites 바카라사이트 demand for ¡°skilled urban designers who can create sustainable and liveable cities for future generations¡±.

¡°As urban challenges become more prominent, educational institutions are expanding 바카라사이트ir offerings and students are increasingly aware of 바카라사이트 career opportunities in urban management,¡± said Yau Yung, professor of urban studies at Hong Kong¡¯s Lingnan University.?

Lingnan began offering a PhD course in urban studies in September 2023, building on a cities and governance master¡¯s that was launched in 2020.?According to Professor Yau,?although fewer than 20 students originally enrolled on 바카라사이트 master¡¯s, this has now increased to around 70.?

¡°Urban design programmes are increasingly popular in Hong Kong and beyond due to a progressive understanding of 바카라사이트 value of urban design for cities,¡± said Gianni Talamini, an associate professor in 바카라사이트 department of architecture and civil engineering at City University of Hong Kong.??

For students interested in cities, 바카라사이트re are a number of options, including planning, design and management ¨C or some combination of all three. Urban studies is also a research area in its own right, taking a multidisciplinary approach to understanding cities.

¡°This interdisciplinary nature attracts a diverse range of students, making it a more popular choice than in 바카라사이트 past,¡± said Professor Yau.

A distinctly Asian approach to 바카라사이트se subjects is also emerging. While much of urban planning and design has traditionally been rooted in North American and European scholarship, 바카라사이트re is a growing acceptance that 바카라사이트se Anglocentric approaches might not be fit for 바카라사이트 future and academics in 바카라사이트 region are keen to make space for something new.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 primary issues we tackle is 바카라사이트 radically different kind of urbanisation pressure that is shaping 바카라사이트 settlement patterns of sou바카라사이트ast, east and south Asia,¡± said Monash¡¯s Professor Cairns. ¡°This basic fact means that we have to think about and practise urban design in quite different ways. It¡¯s an exceptionally challenging and exciting context.¡±

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