• Explain how specific institutional and finance tools and methods can address and solve multiple urban problems, such as improve inclusive economic growth and sustainability.
• Discuss new collaboration models and tools for public, private and civic actors to engage in and leverage on for urban development, including housing and infrastructure that are people-centered and community-driven.
• Identify and discuss approaches to the exchange, flow and co-creation of knowledge by working with the identification and cross-city adaptation of city solutions.
• Critically assess new methods for strengthening the dialogue and close collaboration with key business stakeholders and thereby foster the relationship between cities, policy makers, citizens, citizen groups, and local businesses.

This course is for students interested in cities, city solutions, urban sustainability, inclusive growth, governance and finance to name but a few of the aspects covered by this course.

Course Context

Urban governance and financing are typically missing pieces of the urban development jigsaw puzzle that stand between grand visions and plans, however necessary and laudable these are, and actual realization on the ground. Making the right decisions is only halfway toward achieving success with the other half being implementation. In this context in Western countries, it is imperative to unravel the varying, sometimes complementary and sometimes conflicting, roles and relationships of the public, private and civil sectors in city development. The question is how the interests of the different actors are best aligned and marshalled to achieved successful results, which is ultimately down to governance and finance. On the one hand, collaboration  brings many benefits, not least in terms of additional finance and other assets, as well as through the consideration of a wider set of competences, ideas and experience, whilst, on the other hand, many city actors can slow decision-making, increase bureaucracy and organizational inertia, and thereby degrade efficiency. 

Course Description

In the complex world we live in, we are faced with multiple challenges including population growth, urbanisation, climate change, and shifts of economic epicentres towards Asia and the global south. Yet, we have solutions to solve most of the challenges we face in our cities today. We know how to reduce air pollution, mitigate flooding and heat islands, tackle traffic congestion, build renewable energy infrastructures, educate children and provide shelter for those in need, to name but a few. But we are stuck on negative trajectories stemming from fixed patterns of production and consumption, costly transportation and energy provision infrastructures, vested political interests, regulatory environments and deeply held values.

The course draws on the vast body of real-life cases of city solutions available in literature and practice. Students will study the following cases:

• Urban Governance: Cities’ ability to conduct radical transformations depend on their governance cultures and traditions, and how these impact each cities’ approach to delivering public value. Based on case studies, the students will explore how cities deliver large-scale transformative projects in sustainable urbanisation, including identify similarities and differences across case cities.
• Affordable Housing: Many cities strive to create inclusive economic growth. Yet, if poor people struggle to find save and good homes, they do not have the resources to work, learn and care for their families. We will study the Danish model of affordable and social housing that is entirely privately run and financed.
• Infrastructure Financing: Copenhagen City & Port Development Corporation was established to revitalize Copenhagen and its dwindling economy that was on the brink of bankruptcy in the late 1980s. Thus, the predecessor of City & Port was established in 1980 to leverage publicly owned land through infrastructure investments.
• Urban Regeneration: The Cincinnati City Center Development Corporation exemplifies how the nonprofit institution drives urban regeneration in Cincinnati’s impoverished area Over-The-Rhine district.
• Inclusive Growth: HafenCity Hamburg GmbH development corporation leverages Hamburg’s urban quality vision to increase the value and standards of public and private land in urban redevelopment areas. This model shows how adding value in cities help propel inclusive economic growth.
• Devolved Power: Based on a case study, research into how Denmark devolved power to municipalities in a successful and replicable manner, bolstered by the institutional innovation enshrined in KL - Local Government Denmark, which represents all Danish municipalities in labour market negotiations and finance negotiations with the national government

Literature will be available on Canvas