Training Workshop Empowers Ukrainian Educators in Integrated Urban Development Planning

From 22-27 April, BTU Cottbus – Senftenberg, in partnership with RPTU Kaiserslautern, TH Lübeck and TU Berlin, hosted a dynamic training workshop aimed at empowering the next generation of Ukrainian university lecturers. Focusing on the integration of urban planning into academic curricula, the workshop proved to be an enriching experience for all involved.

The workshop was aimed at professors, lecturers and researchers in the early stages of their careers specialising in urban planning, urban design and urban management. Participants came from Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, Chernivtsi and Odessa. With a focus on practical application, participants were encouraged to develop innovative courses tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities of Ukrainian cities.

The workshop included a variety of activities, including lectures, discussions, site visits and collaborative sessions. Participants explored topics such as the Leipzig Charter, urban resilience, participation and cooperation, New European Bauhaus and the integration of digital platforms in urban development. Site visits to the inner city of Cottbus as well as Europacity and Kreuzberg in Berlin provided invaluable insights on urban development, urban renewal and urban redevelopment that complemented the theoretical knowledge imparted during the lectures.

Throughout the workshop, participants actively collaborated to design and refine course modules for implementation at their universities in the coming academic year. They explored key issues and delved into the specific nuances and requirements of the Ukrainian context. They also tackled the challenge of linking theoretical insights with practical application methods. Drawing on their collective expertise and with guidance from the workshop facilitators, participants proposed modules covering a wide range of urban planning topics, from economics to spatial planning to urban resilience and nature-based solutions.

After a week of intensive engagement, participants left the workshop inspired to make positive changes in their academic institutions. With its focus on active learning and participant-driven curriculum development, the workshop anticipates tangible results in the coming academic terms and various exchange formats between the Ukrainian and German teachers were agreed.

This training represents a pivotal moment in the ongoing partnership between Ukrainian and German universities. It was planned within Erasmus+ Key Action 1 – Learning Mobility for Higher Education Students and Staff and co-funded by project Digital Learning Platform – ReConstructionModules and Integrated Urban Development Ukraine.

By Dr.-Ing. Sepideh Zarrin Ghalam, BTU Cottbus – Senftenberg