Conference Theme

Just over 680 million of China’s population now lives within an urban area and the fast pace of urbanisation continues unabated. Achieving a win-win solution of sustainable development through managing the challenges of rapid urbanisation has become an issue of international attention. This is not only because China’s urbanisation fuels a dynamic economy that contributes to the prosperity and stability of the global economy, but also because it consumes resources and emits wastes on such a gigantic scale that it can pose threat to the earth’s sustainable future. In academia and the policy realm, keen observers from different countries and disciplines have put China’s urbanisation under their analytical lens, highlighting a multitude of challenges for sustainable development, such as urban-rural disparity, social inequality, high car-dependency, environmental pollution and degradation. Consequently, China’s moves to tackle these challenges are of great interest to an international audience.

In recent years, the Chinese government has spearheaded its New Urban Agenda with the introduction of policy ideas such as new normal state, new-type of urbanisation and ecological civilisation. The aim is to steer China’s urban development towards a more sustainable pathway embracing an innovation-driven economy, people-centred urbanisation, and environment-conscious decision-making. At the same time, with the rise of online shopping, sharing economies, and green lifestyles, bottom-up dynamics are continuously creating new urban possibilities. These urban transitions are hatching great opportunities for a sustainable urban future; however, uncertainties and negative side-effects are also looming if good intentions are not matched with appropriate actions from different sections of society.

This conference aims to provide a forum to facilitate an international dialogue on China’s New Urban Agenda by bridging ideas, discussions, and perspectives between scholars from inside and outside of China, between academics and practitioners, between early career researchers and established experts, as well as across different academic disciplines that share a common interest of striving for a more sustainable urban future.



Conference website: https://manchesterurbanchina.com





Conference Topics

Papers are invited which address the following topics:

Sustainable urban development
Climate change and ecosystem services
Urbanisation and spatial planning
Urban clusters and regional integration
Migration, urban-rural relations and integration
Neighbourhood/community changes and residential patterns
Transportation and infrastructure
Public participation and Public-Private Partnerships
Housing and real estate development
Equity, inclusion and social integration
Urban villages and redevelopment
Smart cities and technology in the city

There will also be special sessions for early career researchers to share their experiences in studying and researching Chinese cities.


Speakers

· Professor Jiahua PAN, Director of Institute for Urban & Environmental Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China

· Professor Bin LU, College of Urban and Environmental Studies, Peking University, China

· Mr. Richard ELLIOTT, Head of Policy, Partnerships and Research, Manchester City Council, UK

· Professor Fulong WU, Bartlett Professor of Planning, The Bartlett School of Planning, University College London, UK

· Professor Yaping WANG, Chair in Global City Futures (Urban Studies), School of Social and Political Science, University of Glasgow, UK

· Professor Cecilia WONG, Director of Spatial Policy & Analysis Lab, Manchester Urban Institute, The University of Manchester, UK



Conference Language: English


Organiser: Manchester Urban Institute (Spatial Policy and Analysis Laboratory)


Co-Organisers: Chinese Academy of Sciences (Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research)


Conference Schedule and Important Dates

10th May 2018: Abstract Submission Deadline
30th June 2018: Registration Deadline
1st to 2nd November 2018: Conference registration and presentations



Venue: Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester, UK


Registration fee: £280


Student registration fee: £140


Conference Contact Email address: china.urban.agenda@outlook.com