King Saud University Study Visit

At the request of the King Saud University (KSU), The Hague Academy for Local Governance – in close collaboration with VNG International – designed a two-week training programme on ‘Urban Development and Governance’, consisting of classroom sessions, and study visits for 20 students on their Postgraduate Diploma in Urban Planning and Design. These students were employees of local governments around the country. The overall objective was to provide the participants with improved knowledge in the field of urban development and governance, through exposure to Dutch best-practices and lessons-learned.

After the 10-day training, the participants were able to:

• Explain key concepts in relation to urban design, planning and governance  
• Assess the conditions for a successful collaborative approach to urban design and planning, bringing together knowledge institutes, different levels of government, business sector and civil society
• Identify innovative solutions to designing and beautifying urban spaces
• Describe the principles and practices of planning and delivery of large urban infrastructure projects
• Describe different models of financing urban development
• Identify the benefits of ecosystems to human development and discuss the role of nature in climate adaptation and resilience (nature-based solutions)
• Examine the benefits and limitations of different tools to promote accountability in urban governance
• Identify new trends in urban development and planning through the analysis of various Dutch practices

Moreover, the participants had the opportunity to explore and understand the training objectives through a series of study visits in De Ceuvel (Amsterdam), Stijp-S (Eindhoven), Paleiskwartier (Den Bosch) and The Green Village (Delft).

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