Development Planning Unit

The Development Planning Unit conducts world-leading research and postgraduate teaching that helps to build the capacity of national governments, local authorities, NGOs, aid agencies and businesses working towards socially just and sustainable development in the global south. We are part of The Bartlett: UCL's global faculty of the built environment.

Overseas Student Research

One of the unique elements of studying an MSc at the DPU is the opportunity to engage in overseas research with our partners in the Global South. View photo galleries from student projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Engagement with Habitat III

In October 2016 UN-Habitat will bring together global actors to adopt a “New Urban Agenda.” We are participating in different initiatives aimed at stimulating the debate as well as the process through which it is taking shape.

Read about our work towards Habitat III

cLIMA sin Riesgo Research

One of our latest action-research project is cLIMA sin Riesgo, which explores how vulnerable communities can break out of cycles of urban risk. It does this using innovative mapping, media and public engagement techniques.

DPU Blog

The DPU community extends far beyond the walls of our home in London.

Read the DPU blog; written by our alumni working on fascinating projects in cities around the world.

DPU summerLab series

As well as our MSc and MPhil/PhD courses, we also run a series of immersive week-long workshops in different cities around the world each year. The latest editions are taking place in Beirut, Santiago de Chile, Mostar and London.

Cosmopolitan Development Research

What does ‘Cosmopolitan Development’ mean for the future of our cities? Here at the DPU we’re re-imagining what our cities could look like by re-imagining our own theory and practice.