Alessandra Mossa

Dr. Linda Shi (Cornell University, USA) reflects on the opportunities and difficulties for urban programme curriculum change, within higher education models such as those in the USA. She highlights the importance of inter-disciplinary urban curricula and research, which critically explores the crucial links between global challenges such as climate change and social injustice in order to create novel, integrated solutions. The discussion questions how radical education innovation should be, what can feasibly be achieved with the tools available, and what kind of knowledge, skills, values and dispositions graduates should be equipped with in order to transform ideals for a better society into institutional realities.

Dr. Claudia Ortiz Chao (National Autonomous University of Mexico) discusses with Sabina Cioboata (University of Westminster, UK) on how universities in general, and urban programmes in particular, can become leaders for change and innovation in dealing with sustainability issues in an integrated, context-sensitive manner. Dr. Ortiz Chao draws from UNAM’s experience in setting up cutting-edge programmes which treat issues such as climate change inter-disciplinarily, and outlines the university’s own efforts to become more environmentally sustainable. Throughout this exploration, she reflects on challenges and opportunities in reviewing curricula, integrating climate knowledge within urban programmes, and working across sectors in Mexico.

Indigenous knowledge and climate change, and why we should decolonize spatial planning and architectural education

Prof. Mziwoxolo Sirayi, UNESCO Chair in Cultural Policy & Sustainable Development at the Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria, discusses with Giulio Verdini, from the University of Westminster, on how South African curricula are still informed by Euro-American paradigms, due to the fact that Global North knowledge is premise of merit in South African Academia. Prof. Mziwoxolo Sirayi’s interview argues that education in the field of spatial planning and architecture needs to introduce African cultural values. This process of decolonialisation of knowledge should entail the critical examination of the historic legacy of colonial planning, for example the Garden City Movement, which has laid the foundation for informal settlements, ungovernable and degenerated cities, towns and villages. On the other hand, it should lead to advocacy for more collaborative approaches and engagement of the custodians of indigenous knowledge. This would facilitate, for example, the application of climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies, which are often top down and have normally excluded indigenous people in the climate change decision making process. In an attempt to find a reconciliatory tone, Prof. Sirayi concludes that the experimentation of new forms of inclusionary governance for climate change and urban transformation should not wash away paradigms, but should ‘allow them to coexist’.

Dr. Alphonse Kyessi (Ardhi University, Tanzania) discusses with Sabina Cioboata (University of Westminster, UK) on the importance of breaking the barriers between industry and academia for transformative education and change. Dr. Kyessi reflects on his experience with context-specific, research-based curriculum development for city climate knowledge, both for the purposes of academic teaching as well as capacity building for authorities and the private sector. He emphasizes the importance of practice-oriented teaching, and highlights that mutual learning and knowledge exchange between academia and stakeholders such as communities are the keys to developing localized knowledge and solutions to climate-related urban challenges.