The survival of cities in the 21st century will no longer be based on their advantages including concentration of large firms, location near ports, cheap labour, or raw materials that helped propel their growth in the last century. During the past decade it has become increasingly clear that success often depends on the cities' abilities to adapt to global economic pressures based on regional and global urban hierarchies by offering both niche specialisation and complementary urban functions. In addition, however, we are faced with uncertain recessionary and deflationary global economic prospects that have now been compounded by the political events post September 11, 2001. The new global context will have challenging implications for policy makers, investors and urban entrepreneurs to maintain and improve on their urban economies and living environment.

The Fifth Sharjah Urban Plan Symposium (SUPS5) invites scholars, policy makers and practitioners to join in this debate at the Symposium by presenting leading edge concepts on aspects of research, theoretical and empirical, on issues relating to globalisation, city functions, public policy approaches and innovative urban development in selected countries.