Universities are rarely in the position to change legal practice on participation of citizens in urban and regional planning, but they have a strong capacity in educating future professionals to improve their involvement in democratization of planning. They also have relevant capacity building opportunities to influence the involvement of citizens in their community life. Innovativeness is based on unity of theory and diversified practice, followed by education inputs based on the capacity building for long term partnership with local communities, where universities act as mediators of collaboration. The approach provides teaching aimed at flexibility and sensibility to contextual framework of future professionals designing, managing and planning built environment.

Establishment of the consortium is justified by the common past of the region, involving socio-economic determinants influencing organization of various aspects of social life, followed by the transition in recent decades. These contextual frameworks influenced institutional mechanisms of development of the environment, diversely involving citizens in planning and decision making processes. Considering that local milieus affect participatory action, the exchange of know-how and best practices in participatory processes through bottom-up approaches is an appropriate regional initiative. Laying foundation to the unity of theory and diversified practice through collaboration among Higher education institutions, civil society sector and local communities, is relevant to the project objectives.

Project aims to establish collaboration and dissemination of good practice of the participatory processes in urban and regional planning. Project advocates public participation as a bottom-up process where citizens can create new urban qualities contributing to sustainability and creativity. Project idea is based on the recognition of the university’s role in mediating collaboration of communities, civil society, local government etc.

Contact person: Professor Milica Kostreš, PhD
Period of realization: 29.01.2018. – 12.07.2019.
ID: 21730433
Web: http://v4participation.tumblr.com/