The appropriateness, usefulness and impact of the current urban planning curriculum in South African Higher Education

联合国等国际机构强调了规划作为一门学科在促进更可持续的环境和应对非洲面临的核心经济、社会和环境挑战方面的重要性。因此，在南非高等教育中提供成功的城市规划培训将为解决南非国家政府围绕公平，社会正义和民主的优先事项做出关键贡献。多年来，后殖民和后种族隔离南非已经模仿了西方系统的城市规划实践，这已经反映在高等教育课程中。人们对这些西方理论和方法在规划非洲城市时的相关性和适用性表示关切（沃森，2003年，2009年）。迄今为止，很少或根本没有持续的工作，汇集后殖民和南方的辩论理论与转移到南非的北方规划理论的审查。在过去10年中，关于高等教育和规划课程的适当性、有用性和影响及其相关的教学方法仍然存在重大的不确定性。拟议的研究还旨在更广泛地反映SA研究对英国规划教育的影响;考虑到最近来自全球南方的学生在英国注册规划相关课程的增加，这一点尤为重要。调查SA规划教育的社会和经济价值，特别是高等教育目的地选择、毕业率和就业结果的公平性和多样性问题。O2：解构城市规划本科和研究生课程的开发和交付如何解决SA.O3中不断变化的后殖民背景所提出的问题：借鉴O2，以评估在何种程度上考虑和解决英国本科和研究生规划课程中不断变化的殖民背景所提出的问题。通过这样做并反思O 1的经验教训，该研究将探讨与来自非洲和更广泛的全球南部的学生合作时，对英国城市规划讲师的影响。为了建立一个SA学者，专业人士和世界各地的学生之间的想法分享平台，以连接和通知课程塑造，规划教育的教学方法和更广泛的高等教育战略（特别是通过SACKS）O 5：找到一组证据-为高等教育规划战略提供基础资源，以应对南非和整个大陆的全球南方挑战。拟议研究的好处是多种多样的。将立即对现有的教学方案和南部非洲发展共同体/RTPI战略作出贡献。此外，还将通过在SA中处理城市问题的方式做出中长期贡献，这对培训和再培训（CPD）的规划人员以及规划课程的内容、教学方法和规划政策意味着什么。传播项目调查结果的主要对象不仅限于传统的学术界，还包括规划工作者、决策者和更广泛的社区团体。这包括编写报告、简报、良好做法指南、以实证为基础的学与教材料以及学术论文和一本书。在线论坛的开发将最大限度地扩大该项目的国际传播，并通过为南非（和非洲）规划者之间的辩论创造一个动态平台来产生长期影响。

International institutions such as the United Nations have highlighted the significance of planning as a discipline in promoting more sustainable environments and dealing with the core economic, social and environmental challenges faced by Africa. Delivering successful urban planning training in SA Higher Education will thus make a key contribution to addressing SA national Government priorities around equity, social justice and democracy.For many years post-colonial and post-apartheid SA has modelled its urban planning practices on Western systems which has been reflected in HE curricula. Concerns have been raised about the relevance and applicability of these Western theories and methods when planning African cities (Watson, 2003, 2009). To date, there has been little or no sustained work that brings together post-colonial and Southern debate theories with an examination of transferring northern planning theories to South Africa. Major uncertainties remain about HE and the appropriateness, usefulness and impact of planning curricula in the last 10 years and their associated teaching methods. The proposed research also aims to reflect more widely on the implications of the SA study for UK planning education; this is especially important given the recent increase in students from the Global South registering for planning-related courses in the UK.O1: To investigate the social and economic value of planning education in SA particularly questions of equity and diversity in HE destination choices, graduation rates and employability outcomes.O2: To deconstruct how the development and delivery of the urban planning undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum addresses issues raised by a changing post-colonial context in SA.O3: Drawing on O2, to assess to what extent issues raised by a changing colonial context is considered and addressed in the UK undergraduate and postgraduate planning curriculum. By doing so and reflecting on lessons from O1, the research will explore the implications for urban planning lecturers in the UK when working with students from Africa and the wider Global South.O4: To create a platform for ideas-sharing between SA academics, professionals and students across the world in order to connect and inform curriculum shaping, teaching methods and wider HE strategies for planning education (especially via SACPLAN)O5: To develop a set of evidence-based resources for HE planning strategies that can address the Global South challenge in SA and across the wider continent.The potential applications and benefits of the proposed research are diverse. There will be an immediate contribution to existing teaching programmes and to SACPLAN/RTPI strategies. There will also be a medium to long-term contribution through the way urban issues are dealt with in SA, what this means for planners when trained and re-trained (CPD) and for the content of planning curricula, teaching methods and thus planning policy. The main targets for dissemination of the project findings go beyond traditional academic audiences to planning practitioners, policy-makers and wider community groups. It will include the production of reports, briefing notes, good practice guides, evidence-based learning and teaching materials as well as academic papers and a book. The development of an online forum will maximise international dissemination of the project and provides long-term impact by creating a dynamic platform for debates among South African (and African) planners.