Course Introduction:
With the majority of the world population living in urban environments today, cities have become the engines of (economic) development and innovation. At the same time, cities have been forced to confront many of the world’s most pressing challenges: poverty and inequality, migration, pollution, natural disasters, and other consequences of climate change. In the face of these complex challenges, urban resilience and smart city solutions have become important concepts in the urban governance agenda, providing a way forward for urban local authorities, city planners, urban policy makers and practitioners.
This course on urban governance focuses on strategies, frameworks and tools to strengthen cities’ resilience: their ability to absorb and recover from internal and external shock or stress, maintain their essential functions and adapt and thrive in the face of continual change. The course will also cover smart city solutions by examining the role data and innovative technologies play in promoting resilience.
The course combines theoretical debates with practical experiences, real-life scenarios, as well as group work. The discussions are designed to help you answer the following questions:
- What must cities be resilient to?
- How can cities, as complex systems, adapt and be resilient?
- How can cities finance resilience?
- How can cities use data and technology to enhance resilience?
The course balances classroom discussions with study visits to the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water, the Province of South Holland, The Hague Municipality, Amsterdam Urban Ecosystem, Smart City Amsterdam and the Rotterdam Global Center on Adaptation. This focus on practice-oriented learning ensures that participants learn from the best practices of Dutch smart and resilient cities.
Course format:
Due to the travel restrictions associated with the Coronavirus outbreak, the format of the course has been adjusted. We are now offering a practice-oriented blended course, consisting of two parts:
Online module: This module will consist of several assignments spread throughout the timeframe provided. This is an opportunity to learn about the topic (while enhancing your online skills in an innovative e-learning environment) and prepare you for the next part of the course.
Dates: 1 March to 9 April, 2021.
Face-to-Face course: Participants will spend eight days in The Netherlands, focusing on study visits, expert presentations, and the exchange of experiences with other participants. We intend to offer this part of the training during the dates stated below, but if this proves not to be possible, it will be postponed to the earliest possibility.
Dates: 21 – 28 June, 2021.
Key Information
- This blended training will take place both, online and in The Hague.
- The deadline for applications is 5 February 2021.
- Group discounts available if you participate with three or more colleagues.
- For general inquiries, please contact info@thehagueacademy.com or call +(31) 70 37 38 695.
Learning Objectives
You will gain practical knowledge on how to:
- Assess the vulnerability of cities using resilience strategies and frameworks;
- Develop strategies and roadmaps for urban resilience in an inclusive and participatory manner;
- Make effective and ethical use of data and innovative technologies to design smart solutions to support resilience;
- Mobilize key stakeholders to establish sustainable partnerships to build resilient and smart cities.
Intended Audience
This course is intended for professionals working for:
- Municipal, provincial or national authorities involved in urban governance and development such as city planners and urban policy makers.
Donor organisations or NGOs involved in building cities’ capacity for resilience and designing future proof cities.**Experts**
The following experts will contribute to this course:Bob Hendriks is a senior expert in inclusive and sustainable integrated urban development. He has 25 years of international experience in the fields of resilient cities and communities, urban and regional planning, informal settlements improvement and sustainable land tenure systems. He has worked together with governments, civil society, the private sector and knowledge institutes, namely in sub-Saharan African countries. Bob holds a PhD in Human Geography, Planning and International Development Studies. He has developed various innovative tools and methodologies in the fields of citizen-led co-design of cities and community-driven, inclusive, sustainable and collaborative land governance.
Sara Hoeflich de Duque is in charge of the portfolio on decentralised cooperation and city-to-city learning at United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG). She started working at UCLG in 2006, after almost 10 years working for GIZ in Indonesia and Colombia, in the field of urban planning and management. She holds a diploma in engineering from the University of Aachen and is an architect and urban planner. Sara has over 20 years of experience in international cooperation, urban development and strategic planning.
Dorien Zandbergen is an anthropologist of digital culture and politics, with a focus on the role of data in the everyday life of cities. She has a PhD from Leiden University and has studied the complex politics of urban digitisation. Dorien is currently an independent scholar, researcher and facilitator. She is also the founder of Gr1p, a non-profit that aims to facilitate better public understanding of and more active involvement in contemporary digital infrastructures. In the course, Dorien will use the game “Unfrequently Asked Questions” to open up a lively discussion on open data in an urban context.
How to register:
Register here: For questions about this course and procedures, or to inquire about our tailor-made courses on inclusive service delivery, please contact us by email at info@thehagueacademy.com, or dial +31-70-3738695.