Photo Credit: Alexander Macfarlane

About the booklet

The DPU celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, and it is with great pleasure that we have added another decade to the Short History of the Development Planning Unit. This booklet (hard copy and online) documents DPU experiences, interactions, and contributions to development practice, research, and teaching since 1954 in the context of diverse international ideas and practices in the development field and the education, research, and practice associated with it. 

The journey from the AA Tropical Architecture Studies in 1954 to a fully-fledged UCL Department in the Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment in 2024 has been impacted by extensive challenges and changes in the fields of international development and higher education. To capture the way the DPU has been actively engaged in this unfolding history, we have formatted the document in three-columns  The first column documents the key activities of the DPU; the second focuses on our engagement with prevailing development Concepts & Ideas; and the third summarises our involvement in and the impact of key International Events.

Read the booklet

Discover more from DPU70

An interview with city planners is filmed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as part of a DPU participatory video engagement.
A celebration and discussion of films made by the DPU and international partners in the context of teaching, research, public engagement, and policy and planning impact. Find out more about the programme of films. 

DPU70 Film Festival

DPU hosted public lecture with Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme on the topic of 'Planning for Equitable Urban Futures', seated on a panel alongside DPU’s Prof Caren Levy and Prof Christoph Lindner.
A series of Dialogues run by the DPU Research clusters to discuss the most prominent contemporary challenges facing cities, planning, and international development, with guest speakers across contexts and disciplines.

DPU Dialogue in Development Series

An informal settlement by a market in Cebu, Philippines.
During 2024, two issues of DPUNews reflect on the issues and priorities identified in our 70th year and preview and review the range of events put in place to celebrate DPU70.

DPUNews70 Special Issues