UCL Cities partnerships Programme: Announcing Stockholm 2020-23

Catalina, who is Associate Professor in Sustainable Development and Planning, joins Dr Florian Mussgnug (SELCS) who currently steers the Rome programme (2018-2021), and Prof. Claire Colomb (The Bartlett School of Planning) who oversees the Paris programme (2019-22).

Created in 2018, the CpP sets out to strengthen UCL’s commitment to European and international collaborations the UK prepares to leave the EU. It supports, funds and promotes academic collaborations in research and teaching with partners in global cities across the world.

By focusing on a city, rather than a specific organisation, the programme gives UCL academics the possibility to work with the individuals and institutions that they feel are the best in their particular field.

Engaging creativ

ely

Catalina’s work and research sit at the intersection between urban and sustainability studies, with long-standing expertise on housing, energy and indicators, and emerging expertise on urban health.

Her proposed theme for some of the work in Stockholm will be ‘Climate Change and Health in the City’, a timely topic which will stimulate many colleagues to engage creatively with the work CpP will curate from 2020-23.

Catalina said: “Our planet’s climate is changing with major and unequally distributed impacts on human health and natural ecosystems. Cities are at the centre of advancing research and action on this. I am delighted to be taking on the role of Academic Director for Stockholm in the UCL Cities partnerships Programme and look forward to innovative scientific collaborations and partnerships beyond academia focusing on ‘Climate Change and Health in the City’, our theme for 2020-23.”

The three-year programme in each city entails:

-Seed funding to nurture and support interdisciplinary academic work with partners in the city

-Engaging audiences in and beyond academia through a curated set of events with partners institutions

-Complementary activity with existing events and networks to support mobility and engage alumni and the public.

Academic-led

The outcomes of the CpP have included academic-led activities with partners; new research collaborations leading to joint applications for external funding; new partnerships leading to dual degrees, short courses, research hub(s) and opportunities for students, and bilateral opportunities for staff mobility.

The CpP’s Academic Directors were appointed following an open recruitment process in which UCL scholars were invited to propose a city with which they have significant links.

Catalina, Florian and Claire will work closely together in developing UCL’s novel and complementary approach to international scholarship.

• Find out more about the Cities partnerships Programme
• CpP funding opens for applications in Spring 2020 – see current Global Engagement Funding opportunities here