Bartlett School of Planning strengthens partnerships in China with UCL200 events and collaborations

The visit brought together three strands of activity: UCL’s bicentenary celebrations in Shanghai; academic exchange on urban governance, planning, regeneration and artificial intelligence; and the expansion of the School’s engagement with major urban regeneration initiatives in China.

Professor Lauren Andres, Professor Mike Raco and Dr Sonia Freire Trigo contributed to a wide-ranging programme involving universities, public institutions, alumni, industry partners and urban regeneration experts. The visit underscored the importance of international collaboration in addressing shared urban challenges, including inequality, governance, sustainability, AI and large-scale urban transformation.

Celebrating UCL200 in Shanghai

As part of UCL’s 200th anniversary, UCL hosted a three-day UCL200 Pop-up Space in Shanghai, bringing together alumni, academic partners and industry leaders.

Professor Andres co-hosted the opening reception on 24 April 2026 with His Majesty’s Consul-General in Shanghai, Matt Burney CMG, and the Shanghai Overseas Returned Scholars Association (SORSA). Attendees included alumni from Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu, alongside partners from the British Consulate-General in Shanghai, Fudan University, Tongji University, the RIBA China Chapter and the wider UCL community.

A dedicated Bartlett event, hosted by Professor Andres and Professor Raco, Head of The Bartlett School of Planning, featured a recorded welcome from Professor Jacqui Glass, Dean of The Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment. The gathering celebrated UCL’s bicentenary and long-standing links between The Bartlett and communities in China.

Bartlett alumni Yuxi Xiong and Dr Shengxi Xin reflected on their post-UCL careers and the role of Bartlett graduates in shaping cities and institutions.

In Beijing, Professor Andres also met Peking University Vice President Professor Fang Fang to explore collaboration on urban inequality, governance and the role of AI in supporting more equitable cities.

Advancing research on AI and urban governance

A central focus of the visit was how cities are governed in a period of rapid technological, social and environmental change.

Professor Andres and Professor Raco delivered the Annual Hongru Lecture at Tsinghua University’s Smart Planning and Governance Center. Their talk, Codifying Complexity: The Rolling-out of Artificial Intelligence and the Governance of Discretionary Planning, examined how AI is reshaping planning systems and decision-making processes.

During the visit, Professor Raco also joined the Center’s International Advisory Committee.

The pair delivered a further lecture at the China Executive Leadership Academy Pudong on 28 April 2026, focusing on urban governance and development in the UK, with particular reference to London.

Dr Sonia Freire Trigo contributed to academic exchange in Shanghai, presenting joint UCL–University College Dublin research on London’s Opportunity Areas with colleagues at Tongji University. She also shared work at the Shanghai Institute of Urban Regeneration and Sustainability (SIURS), building on an existing Memorandum of Understanding with the School.

Expanding collaboration on urban regeneration

The visit also marked a significant step in expanding the School’s engagement with urban regeneration in China.

Professor Andres, Professor Raco and Dr Freire Trigo met with Dr Hongtao Bo, Director and Chief Architect of CCTN Design, Chair of the RIBA China Chapter and a leading figure in sustainable regeneration. Discussions focused on the Greater Wusong Area in north Shanghai and the growing national emphasis on urban regeneration.

Professor Andres and Professor Raco have joined the Academic Committee for the Greater Wusong Area regeneration project. Since February 2026, proposals have been developed with Baoshan District Government to establish an international expert team to support renewal and long-term urban development.

The visit highlights the Bartlett School of Planning’s continued commitment to working with partners in China to support more sustainable, inclusive and resilient urban futures.