Symposium Concept & Themes

The last seven SUPS have focused on a number of major topics, raging from rapid urban development in the Middle East, to vision planning and globalization, urban growth techniques, innovative urban development, and planning coordination and strategic urban management. Theories informing these and other topics and practices that followed were examined and their relevance for the case of the UAE assessed. Throughout the conferences, the international and local scholars also offered observations on problems of strategic planning coordination in the UAE at a time of rapid urban change. It was often argued that the Emirates needed to refocus attention on the issue of inter-emirate strategic planning coordination so that a more balanced urban development is guaranteed.

SUPS 8 will revisit the previous SUPS with a view to the changing debate on urban development planning following the changing state of the world's political economy. SUPS 8 will also offer papers that will assess the state of planning and inter-emirate coordination in the UAE. What is more, SUPS 8 will put forth a major argument for the need to urgently consider the problem of strategic planning and coordination in the UAE. The papers are particularly hoped to consider new theories regarding federalism and how these theories can inform a better practice in the UAE. For a better fitting of these theories into practice in the UAE, planning coordination problem in the UAE will be examined. Full and relevant recommendation will be also offered so that the impact on the practice in UAE can be fully appreciated.

Sharjah Directorate of Town Planning and London South Bank University are pleased to invite scholars and practitioners to join this debate by presenting cutting edge papers on:

Federalism and planning in the UAE
Federalism and urban planning: international experiences
Organization for coordinated planning
Co-ordination in plan-making process
Institutions and strategic planning
The state of urban planning theories
Territory and function in planning
Urban management for balanced growth
Urban planning in the UAE
Urban planning in Sharjah

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