ABOUT THE
INSTITUTE
About the Institute
Our Role in Urban and Regional Development
At the Institute for Urban Excellence, we recognise that effective, inclusive and sustainable development is reliant on collaborative inputs from across society. This means that innovations and ideas must be shared between sectors, governance levels, and communities. Our work is positioned at the interface of academia, policymaking, and civil society, where we promote real-world applications to the big questions of the modern era. As a think tank and knowledge broker, we operate in applied research projects, facilitate the dissemination of important societal insights, organise capacity building activities and implement technical assistance programmes.
Collaboration is all about narrative. Combining the expertise of our team and of our extensive network of partners, we find the right ways to communicate vital messages to those who need to hear them. This means we stay up to date with emerging ideas in our applied research projects, finding ways to open conversations between stakeholders. In our capacity building activities and technical assistance programmes, we take these ideas and turn them into actionable advice and learnings for decision makers, practitioners and communities. Our resources and partners stretch across the globe, allowing us to draw on knowledge and establish connections from a vast array of regions and contexts.
Our Objectives
The Institute’s prime objectives are to:
- Conduct applied research related to our core themes
- Promote knowledge transfer and best practices across sectors, governance levels and communities
- Provide capacity-building and technical assistance to uphold professional excellence in planning
- Broaden debate around transitional needs for better human settlements
- Generate and develop connections between individuals and entities through our vast network of partners
Our Story
Originally established in 2016 as a spin-off (ISOCARP Institute) of the International Society of City and Regional Planners and as a Dutch foundation, the Institute for Urban Excellence has developed in recent years into a globally recognised knowledge broker, active in a range of research, practice and capacity building in the expanded field of urban planning.
Starting its activities in March 2018, the Institute has grown over the years and was renamed as Institute for Urban Excellence in April 2025, continuing to grow and diversify.
Involved in a variety of projects and connected to a myriad of global organisations, the Institute has taken a self-directed path, shifting its affiliations to prioritise a wide range of connections with many organisations.
Board of Directors

Didier Vancutsem
DIRECTOR

Daniele Vettorato
DIRECTOR
Our Team

Yoann Clouet
EXECUTIVE PROJECT MANAGER

Tannya Pico
PROJECT MANAGER

Mariana Binder
PROJECT ASSISTANT

Taliah Dommerholt
PROJECT MANAGER

Maja Paskalova-Utkovska
FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATOR

Rebecca Baugh
PROJECT ASSISTANT

Samir Amin
PROJECT MANAGER

Alice Jelmini
PROJECT ASSISTANT
Our Network of Partners
Through our on-going projects and activities, we work with a network of partners and contacts across the world. We are always open to developing new partnerships and initiatives, get in touch to find out who we work with in your region and propose new collaborations!