Port-City relations

The European Policies Research Centre (EPRC) is offering four fully-funded PhD scholarships to investigate sustainable urban development (SUD) strategies, involving international comparative research with a strong policy focus. Several European countries have introduced mechanisms to integrate support for sustainable development in urban areas. These efforts take a variety of forms: integrated governance, aligned strategic planning, harmonised regulatory frameworks, coordinated implementation of instruments, delineation of functional spaces and dynamics (such as urban-rural linkages) etc. The goal is to integrate interventions for economic development, employment, innovation, transport, housing, environment and other fields in order to address complex territorial challenges.

The PhD framework takes a multi-dimensional approach to investigating how SUD can be effectively supported by policymakers, addressing sectoral, ‘place based’ and governance aspects. The four scholarships will cover different aspects of the SUD agenda. This studentship pays particular attention to:

Port-City relations. Exploring policy challenges that arise from the co-existence of port and urban functions. Analysis of the rules governing strategic and spatial planning and resource allocation processes across the port-city interface, and if these rules allow reconciling the quest for economic and environmental performance with the wellbeing and aspiration of the population.