In a session chaired by Nancy Holman; Imma Mwanja, Mark Napier and Manon Viou will discuss the importance of data and resources availability in urban planning.

Cities and regions across the world are experiencing pressures on the housing, governance and sustainability fronts. Challenges such as creating sustainable transport links, enhancing local democracy or tackling housing shortage push urbanists to think creatively. Founded in 1966, LSE's MSc Regional and Urban Planning Studies (RUPS) programme has established its reputation as a key player in urban innovation with alumni working in public policy, architecture, think tanks and government across the world. Our new series Progressing Planning is designed to showcase LSE's impact on urban issues by bringing together academics and RUPS alumni. In so doing, we aim to show how research at LSE links to practice across the world.

This interactive session will bring together professionals, academics and the public around presentations and a general discussion.

Immaculata Mwanja works as Global Projects Associate for Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT). Graduate at Ardhi University where she completed her Bachelor's Degree in Urban and Regional Planning, she was Operations Manager for OpenMap Development Tanzania (OMDTZ). She now works with community members through participatory mapping to create capacity building through local people, local devices and with open tools.

Mark Napier has been Principal Researcher in the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) based in South Africa since 2013. He is an architect by profession, with a Masters and PhD in housing and development from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Mark has also spent two years seconded as Chief Director of Research for the national Department of Human Settlements, and seven years as Programme Director of the Urban Land Markets Programme Southern Africa (Urban LandMark). He co-wrote the book Trading Places: Accessing Land in African Cities to address the inherent inequalities in land ownership systems, and what can be done about transforming the unequal structure of cities.

Manon Viou has been Missing Maps Project Coordinator for CartONG since May 2018. In her current position, she is in charge of coordinating the work of two civic service volunteers, implementing the Missing Maps projects, liaising with CartONG’s volunteers and developing new partnerships – under the guidance of the Project Manager. Manon is an urban planner by training, with much international experience. Prior to CartONG, she worked for several Japanese organizations and was living in Central America. She also conducted projects investigating the relationship between urban planning and data challenges. In particular, she worked on strengthening scientific impact evaluations through mapping with a case study in Tunisia; on strategies to help marginalized populations to defend their rights through participatory mapping workshops in French Guiana; and collaborative mapping via Openstreetmap to support urban improvement projects in precarious neighborhoods.

Nancy Holman is Associate Professor of Urban Planning and Director of RUPS. Her work deals primarily with issues of governance and local planning including sustainable development and community participation. She has often used social network analysis to explore the complex relationships in the multi-level, multi-actor partnerships present in modern governing arrangements.

RUPS (Regional and Urban Planning Studies) is a strongly focused and internationally based planning programme with a long tradition in training both people seeking careers in urban and regional planning policy and mid-career professionals.

LSE London is a research centre at LSE that focuses on the economic and social issues of the London region, as well as the problems and possibilities of other urban and metropolitan regions. The centre has a strong international reputation particularly in the fields of labour markets, social and demographic change, housing, finance, and governance, and it is the leading academic centre for analyses of city-wide developments in London.

Twitter Hashtag for this event: #LSEProgressingPlanning