Educating planners for an uncertain future

How we educate urban and regional planners is changing fast. Climate challenges are becoming more urgent, and new technologies are reshaping how planning is carried out.

This March, the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) hosted the 20th AESOP Heads of Schools Meeting. The event gathered around 80 representatives from planning education and research across Norway and Europe.

AESOP is the Association of European Schools of Planning. It connects more than 150 European planning schools and plays a key role in shaping the education of planners as well as how knowledge feeds into planning practice.

Learning planning through real-life practice

A central theme throughout the event was the need to connect education more closely to real-world planning practice. Teaching methods that place students in real-life contexts were highlighted as particularly valuable.

This is at the core of the work of NMBU’s SITRAP Centre for Integrated and Transdisciplinary Teaching in Planning. SITRAP member and urban and regional planning expert Anja Standal emphasises:

“Students need to learn how to deal with real, complex situations. That means working across disciplines, with practitioners, and on concrete problems - not only within the classroom.”

Practice-based learning reflects a broader shift: from teaching about planning to teaching through planning.

Studio- and site-based learning - often conducted in collaboration with partners in the Global South where climate impacts are sometimes more severe - gives students direct experience of complex planning challenges.

Research-based teaching follows the same logic. Climate change adaptation expert Siri Eriksen shared experiences from NMBU’s Centre for Climate-Resilient Development (CRED). Collaboration with local actors in the Oslo Fjord and Follo region has provided both students and researchers with deeper insight into how climate change and technology shape planning in practice.

Mina Di Marino, professor of urban and regional planning at NMBU, was one of the main organisers of the event, together with Standal. She explains:

“In the four workshops, we explored several climate issues and technological changes that affect planning at various levels, as well as pedagogical approaches and innovative teaching methods that can be used to train future generations.”

“For instance, game and role-play simulations were introduced for use in the classroom, enabling students to actively experience stakeholder involvement in participatory planning processes. We actually tested this approach during the workshop.”

She adds:

“As educators, we recognised the benefits of incorporating similar methods into our own courses to enhance students’ understanding and engagement with real-world planning challenges.”

Importance of internships

The importance of internships was also strongly emphasised. Internships provide practical experience and direct exposure to professional environments, further bridging the gap between theory and practice.

Workshop participants also explored how technology can support learning related to environmental issues in clear and practical ways.

“At Istanbul Technical University, for instance, students use large datasets and digital maps in studio courses to better understand real-world issues,” says Di Marino. “Other courses use familiar platforms such as Instagram and podcasts to make learning more engaging.”

“Digital mapping, remote sensing, digital city models, and artificial intelligence are changing how city and regional planning is taught. In another workshop, we discussed ethical questions and examined how these tools can be used responsibly and effectively across different courses and study programmes.”

The role of the master’s thesis

A workshop organised by SITRAP focused on the role of the master’s thesis in preparing students for the future.

Participants discussed whether master’s theses should primarily test academic skills or place greater emphasis on preparing students for working life.

Standal explains: “Two approaches were shared. The SITRAP master’s project model at NMBU, where students develop their thesis through real-world cases and collaboration across institutes and faculties, and the national FUS Masterclass, where planning students present their work, learn from professionals, and discuss current planning challenges. Together, these initiatives help students develop skills for addressing complex societal issues.”

The 20th AESOP Heads of Schools Meeting  was hosted by the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) and co‑organized with SITRAP - Centre for integrated and transdisciplinary teaching in planning, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the University of Stavanger (UiS).