The UT-led project URRRRRban secured 3.1 million in funding under the NWA-Key Enabling Methodologies programme. This research project aims to transform urban policymaking, with a focus on making cities like Enschede healthier, safer, and more resilient.
The URRRRRban project (Urban Resilience through Responsive, Relational, Representative, and Responsible Policymaking – Enabling Methods for Change) is going to develop and apply Key Enabling Methodologies (KEMs) that can address some of the most pressing challenges cities face. Climate change, digitalisation, and social inequality all ask for resilient cities. KEMs are powerful tools designed to help policymakers and urban professionals structure change processes, build consensus, and craft effective policy frameworks.
By improving methodologies, providing reflection tools and developing a learning environment, the URRRRRban project provides policy professionals with tools and ways of working to engage societal partners and citizens in shaping resilient urban policies. This ensures that cities, their inhabitants and their environment are better prepared for the future.
Meaningful collaboration
This project is a collaboration with 4 municipalities, 18 scientific experts from 5 universities and 4 universities of applied science, 16 societal partners and 23 complementary experts. The team will redesign KEMs across five policy cases:
- Energy transition in Amsterdam Zuid Oost
- Healthy, safe and attractive living environments in Enschede
- Smart data use to shape urbanisation in Amersfoort
- Redevelopment and sustainability in vulnerable neighbourhoods in Rotterdam
- Building inclusive and resilient communities for AI and digital transition in Amsterdam.
The URRRRRban project is led by Mascha van der Voort and Cristina Zaga from the Human Centred Design group of the Faculty of Engineering Technology. Mascha: “I am extremely proud of our societal representative consortium. With the granting of this proposal, we not only receive funding to execute our timely and societally very relevant research, but it is also an important recognition of research based on true transdisciplinary collaboration.”
UT colleagues Robert-Jan den Haan (ET) and Carissa Camplin (ITC) are also part of the core project team. The transdisciplinary collaboration within the project will be supported by DesignLab, UT’s transdisciplinary ecosystem.
Project Partners and Co-Applicants
The URRRRRban project is a collaborative effort involving a diverse range of academic institutions, research organisations, municipalities, and societal partners. Co-applicants include leading universities and institutions such as Eindhoven University of Technology, Amsterdam University of the Arts, University of Amsterdam, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Avans, Utrecht University, and Wageningen University & Research.
In addition, the project benefits from the support of a wide network of cooperation partners, including the municipalities of Amersfoort, Rotterdam, Enschede, and Amsterdam. Other partners include Futures Compass, AeroVision BV, Future Insight, Stadswerkplaats053, Kennispunt Twente, Code to Change, Home of Participation, European Centre for Not-for-Profit Law, Stichting Zwarte Vrouwen voor Technologie, REC Impact Hub, Energielab Zuidoost, Library of Rotterdam, Noorderwind, Design & Publics, New Future Lab, and Afrikaanderwijk Cooperation. Together, this extensive network brings expertise from various disciplines and fields to shape resilient, inclusive, and sustainable urban policies.
