ABOUT US
Our approach
Our Role in Urban Development
With over five decades of accumulated knowledge and expertise manifested in the members and within the parent institution – the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) – we initiated the Institute as a platform and research branch for generating and disseminating knowledge for better cities.
During the past fifty years, ISOCARP has successfully organised annual international congresses receiving numerous papers, articles and contributions thus accruing a wealth of knowledge. Furthermore, ISOCARP has initiated many international workshops, regional seminars as well as training sessions with and for young and senior planning professionals and has published numerous reports and articles in the annual Review. With this legacy, ISOCARP has accumulated the resources, skills and deep-rooted know-how central to support and exchange knowledge with the ISOCARP Institute, the Centre for Urban Excellence. We are committed to knowledge generation, documentation and dissemination of research and projects advancing the future of sustainable urban regions.
Read more in our Annual Report 2018-2019.
Read more in our Annual Report 2019-2020.
Read more in our Annual Report 2020-2021.
Read more in our Annual Report 2021-2022.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is enriching the knowledge base and developing the capacity of individuals, organisations and institutions partaking in shaping and developing human settlements. We strive to bridge the gap between planning theory and practice while contributing to knowledge generation and dissemination, fostering sustainability and effective functioning of human settlements.
OUR VISION
The Institute is initiated as a world class knowledge bank and think tank for planning excellence which empowers individuals, organisations and institutions to achieve better human settlements. We aim to bring together global planning experts and institutions to facilitate broader research communication and dissemination, as well as conducting professional educational programmes.
OUR OBJECTIVES
The Institute’s prime objectives are strengthening cross-border collaboration globally, upholding professional excellence in planning, advancing sustainable planning, increasing awareness of major development trends and promoting best practices, all while serving as a “Urban Think Tank” facilitating the generation and dissemination of knowledge for better cities.
GOVERNANCE
Board of Directors

Daniele Vettorato
Director

Didier Vancutsem
Director

PIETRO ELISEI
Director
RESEARCH & DESIGN
The Team

Taliah Dommerholt
Project manager

Tannya Pico
Project manager

Alice Jelmini
Project assistant

Methi Laithavewat
Communication manager

Samir Amin
Project manager

Yoann Clouet
Project manager

Maja Paskalova-Utkovska
Financial administrator
PAST STAFF
David Struik | Tjark Gall | Anna Myllymäki | Sindi Haxhija | Federico Aili | Marie-Sophie Barreau | Gisela Garrido Veron | Johnathan Subendran | Yirang Lim | Willem-Paul Herber
As an Institute, we are committed to gender parity. Read about our gender equality plan here.
OUR EXPERTISE
Effective communication and dissemination of global sustainable urban research and facilitating professional workshops.
Our focus lies on generating new insights from urban research through effective communication and facilitating and fostering the knowledge which exists in ISOCARP's member base.
OUR NETWORK
The International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP)
The most substantial element of our work is ISOCARP and its over 850 global members. We are aiming at generating as many co-benefits as possible and advancing the objectives of the Society further, while establishing a stronger research and proactive organisation branch through the Institute.