The Africa Urban Lab (AUL) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) have announced a significant partnership to deliver continent-leading education, conduct real-world training with urban professionals and policymakers, and carry out frontier research on rapid urbanization across the continent.
AUL is a new research center under the African School of Economics campus in Zanzibar (ASE-Z), set up in collaboration with the Charter Cities Institute (CCI). The Lab is dedicated to training the African city builders, planners, and urban leaders of tomorrow to harness rapid urbanization for human prosperity. It is closely aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 11, which focuses on creating inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities. AUL will also examine more innovative approaches to grappling with Africa’s massive urban expansion over the coming decades, including the role charter cities and new city developments can play.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between AUL and UN-Habitat signifies a formal and substantive partnership to support the ASE-Z campus’s growth through the establishment of the research lab. The work of the Africa Urban Lab will help ensure that the ballooning growth of African cities brings about the benefits of density (economic opportunity and growth) rather than the downsides (crime, congestion, and contagious disease, among others).
Key aspects of this partnership include:
Launching the Africa Urban Lab at the ASE Zanzibar campus
Providing educational support through experienced teachers, guest lecturers, and knowledge exchange
Offering apprenticeship placements for AUL students and program participants to enhance practical learning experiences
Channeling city officials and urban leaders from across East Africa to take part in the AUL’s educational programs
Initiating research collaborations, conferences, and events aimed at urban development and creating opportunities for policy discussions and workshops in order to share lessons learned
Speaking on the partnership, AUL’s Founder and Director, Kurtis Lockhart said, “This partnership with UN-Habitat will go a long way to ensuring the high-quality education that will be available through the Africa Urban Lab here in Zanzibar reaches the urban policymakers, urban planners, and urban leaders who would benefit most from the program. UN-Habitat is one of the foremost institutions involved in helping the continent grapple with the astoundingly fast urban growth across Africa. We’re very excited to have them as a partner.”
This partnership represents a commitment from AUL, UN-Habitat, ASE-Z, and CCI to foster frontier urban education, effective urban planning, and growth-enhancing urban development in Zanzibar, East Africa, and beyond. By bringing together resources, expertise, and a shared vision, the AUL is poised to become a leading center for urban development research and education in Africa.
About the Africa Urban Lab at the African School of Economics:
The Africa Urban Lab at the African School of Economics aims to train the African city builders, planners, and city leaders of tomorrow to harness rapid urbanization for human prosperity. The AUL will support cutting-edge research on urban issues, provide world-class education in urban studies, and promote applied knowledge through practical learning experiences in real-world settings.
https://www.asezanzibar.com/africa-urban-lab
About the Africa School of Economics (ASE):
Since its inception in 2014, ASE has grown into a Pan-African institute of higher learning, renowned for quality research and education, aiming to produce the next generation of scholars, policymakers, and entrepreneurs in Africa.
https://www.africanschoolofeconomics.com/
About UN-Habitat:
UN-Habitat, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, is the United Nations program working towards a better urban future. As the lead agency for human settlement activities, it is focused on implementing the SDGs, particularly in urban areas, and promoting sustainable urban development globally.
For more information about this collaboration, the AUL, or other inquiries, please contact Heba Elhanafy.