"I would recommend this programme to anyone interested in the interaction of policy, planning and urban development especially with a view to creating liveable cities."
Making our cities more liveable.
As a Member of Parliament in Australia it’s critical to have a clear vision for how a modern city can and should be built. The Cities: Governance, Planning and Design programme at LSE gave me the opportunity to step out of the day-to-day of my role in parliament, build my skills and knowledge, and gain some exposure to how the challenges of urbanisation are being managed.
I came to the programme aiming to get a better understanding of how great global, liveable cities are built, and looking forward to getting real insight into the academic debates on urbanisation and urban development as well as some exposure to practical applications. It delivered.
The participant cohort was one of the major highlights for me. This programme brings together a diverse range of leaders from business, government and not-for-profit, all united by a passion for liveable cities. I learned so much from my colleagues about what is happening in their backyards and the strides they have made towards making their cities more liveable. LSE faculty were also thoroughly engaging, interactive and provided fantastic up to date evidence.
Coming away from the programme, I feel have developed a real understanding of how planning happens in different jurisdictions, as well as specific learnings around conceptualisation of public space, housing affordability measures and the critical role of public transport. It was very much worth the trip from the antipodes!