TCP8920 : Global Urban Challenges Project
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr William Otchere-Darko
- Lecturer: Dr Gabriel Silvestre, Dr Natalia Villamizar Duarte
- Owning School: Architecture, Planning & Landscape
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
To consider both the practical and theoretical roles of spatial planning in addressing social, economical and environmental global urban challenges.
To develop the capacity to critically analyse urban development challenges in situations which the student is not familiar with.
To challenge students to rethink their perceptions and understanding of some of the global development challenges to be found in cities.
The module offers an opportunity to explore the relationship between urban planning and development challenges in the context of a specific issue through individual project work. It involves a combination of lectures, discussions, workshops, presentations and project work. It offers the opportunity to test the transferability of theories and practices learned in the first semester to the context of a particular city. The module is particularly suitable for students wishing to engage with international planning and global urban development.
Outline Of Syllabus
1. Introduction to the module. Reflection and links to semester 1.
2. Report writing / Case study 1: transport accessibility
3. Collecting information / Case study 2: sustainable urban development - eco-cities
4. Developing a case study / Case study 3: energy and climate justice
5. Policy review / Case study 4: urban informality
6. Critical thinking I / Case study discussion
7. Critical thinking II
8. Generating strategies
9. Formative presentations
10. Revised presentations
11. Conclusion and assignment discussion
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 6 | 2:00 | 12:00 | Introduction to the module, developing report skills and case study review, conclusion and assignment discussion. |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 100:00 | 100:00 | Assessment is central to this module and will be built up through the weeks. |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 2 | 8:00 | 16:00 | Formative presentations |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 3 | 2:00 | 6:00 | Discussions of topics and projects. Linking of students internationally. PIP |
| Guided Independent Study | Project work | 1 | 66:00 | 66:00 | Develop ideas, find and analyse data |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The rationale is to build up the project on topics introduced in semester 1 and work towards the report during the module. Scheduled sessions will link discussions developed in semester 1, introduce students to a range of case studies and develop their skills in critical analysis and report writing. Workshops will enable students to discuss the progress of their work and identify areas of development. Formative presentations will enable presentation of findings and receive feedback.
Based on one of the case studies presented, the project work allows students to explore planning issues in different institutional and cultural contexts. Linking with students in India for discussion will engender a deeper understanding of working in another context. This will also enable discussion for peer-to-peer learning.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | 2 | M | 80 | Investigation into a planning issue or intervention in a context outside of the UK. 2,500 words. |
| Oral Presentation | 2 | M | 20 | Presentation (5-10 slides) of key data, information and policies on a planning issue or intervention in a context outside of the UK. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Students will prepare and present a visual output (e.g., PowerPoint) on specific case studies. The output will include contextual information, policies, textual and visual data. This will contribute towards the development of their presentation and communication skills on a planning issue or intervention in a context outside of the UK.
The final report demonstrates the student’s ability to focus on one specific aspect of planning or a specific planning intervention in another country. This will show how they identify, acquire, analyse and utilise data gained during lectures, discussions and through a desk-study.
The plan is to build up the research and write it up as the module progresses. This could allow sections to be written and submitted to build up the final piece as a portfolio, but will usually be a report.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- TCP8920's Timetable