Starting in the Academic Year 2026-27, USI will organise the minor programme Cities & Urbanisation: Interdisciplinary Perspectives as part of the YUFE programme Urban Sustainability Studies. The minor programme combines existing courses from across faculties with a new collaborative course by USI members.
Learn to tackle "wicked" urban challenges
Cities and urbanisation are increasingly identified as both the cause and remedy of today’s major problems such as climate change, social inequality, and political conflict. The field of urban studies is gaining importance in the academic world and beyond as its interdisciplinary approach is key in both understanding and tackling current “wicked” urban challenges. The minor programme is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of key concepts, approaches, and debates in this field. Through a range of courses, students will explore various disciplines and perspectives to gain insight into the multidimensionality of cities and urbanisation processes.
Overall, this minor programme encourages students to critically reflect upon and discuss urban problems and potential solutions. By adopting an interdisciplinary perspective and considering various viewpoints, students develop a well-rounded understanding of cities and are better equipped to address the complex challenges of urbanisation.
Urban Studies - Debates & Perspectives
At the core of the minor lies the course Urban Studies – Debates & Perspectives. In this course, 17 USI members collaborate to offer a truly interdisciplinary exploration of key themes and debates in urban studies, such as gentrification, sustainability, and creativity. The course primarily consists of weekly seminars in which two lecturers, each representing a different disciplinary background, introduce their perspectives on a specific urban issue. Students are then triggered to critically evaluate the interaction of disciplines, and to apply these directly through hands-on workshops and an urban exploration assignment.