Responding to complex urban challenges with integrated research in education: case study of a Master in Urban Design programme

It is widely recognized that the complexity of urban challenges today demands new strategies and skills for urban designers. In many cases these skills do not yet exist, and may even be specific to new kinds of projects. Thus, an important new skill must be the ability of practitioners to perform rigorous, effective project-based research -- to “learn to learn” in a complex, challenging environment. In response to this need, we present and analyze a methodology for teaching urban design that gives students project-based research skills, while at the same time contributing to an ongoing professional research agenda. This integrated research methodology is currently in development at the University of Strathclyde Urban Design Studies Unit (Glasgow, UK).