The paper focuses on an analysis of the political project of Belgrade Waterfront as a drastic case of usurpation of formal planning procedures and the role of experts in the creation of planning solutions. As a campaign tool of the ruling political party, this project has evolved into an urban plan of national importance, and substantial modifications to the existing planning system in Serbia have been made to allow it to be achieved. In a completely non-transparent manner, and without professional involvement, changes have been made to the legal framework, system planning hierarchy, competences for planning decision-making, as well as to planning constraints for the site in question. Notwithstanding all these issues, there was no broad-based reaction by experts. The primary objective of this study is to analyse the tone of day-to-day media reporting so as to determine the main stakeholders and how they speak about the project, and, having recognised these interests and power distribution, identify the real views of the profession about the project. Emphasis is placed on discovering the cause behind the lack of response by the profession, in particular in the context in which the planning system operates. Results of this research should indicate the main problems facing the system and, consequently, produce guidelines for its improvement.
Although in recent years Serbia has seen significant efforts in setting up legislative and institutional frameworks aimed at tackling climate change, they still lack operationalisation that would make them effective at the local level. While democratic changes in Serbia have set in motion transformation of the social system, the socialist practice of top-down implementation of decisions is still widely present. What is lacking is an appropriate institutional and procedural framework in which the position of a responsible individual would substitute for that of a powerful decision maker. In circumstances when political decision makers are pressed by the demands to pursue development goals of economic policy, the issue of public intervention is caught somewhere in between interest and value domains. It is therefore unrealistic to expect efficient operationalisation of national climate change response policies at the local level. Protection of common values can be best ensured through regulations. While the existing planning framework in Serbia recognizes climate change issues in documents adopted at the top, national level, specific measures needed for implementation are still lacking. This paper explores the possibilities for development of urban planning regulations tailored to climate change response. The emphasis is on reexamination of the relationship between values and interests within current strategies and policies on climate change adaptation and legislative framework. Shifting the emphasis to regulations will make the urban planning system more resilient to particularised interests and ensure the realisation of the agreed value framework.
The problems of climate change significantly alter the character of urban planning. While changes in the planning process are aimed at mechanisms for urgent action in the transformed circumstances in the sense of a deeper understanding of the causes of phenomena and prediction of future changes, modification of specific measures suppose to be related to the regulatory framework for new and existing construction that will lead to reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and the development of resistance to settlements' extreme impacts. The focus has shifted to land-use planning and the development and application of building regulations. It is considered that planning at the local level is an appropriate instrument for solving the problem of climate impacts in the community. In general, urban planning is an instrument of implementation of national strategies for mitigation and adaptation at the local level. Successful implementation of the strategy is based on a developed vertical and horizontal institutional and procedural coordination. In the circumstances of specific context of post-socialist urban restructuring, which is characterized by a lack of developed institutions and appropriate procedures, it is difficult to expect the entire application of prescribed procedures and harmonization of vertical and horizontal spatial development policies. Accordingly, it is recommended that policies be aimed at short-term improvements that are based on existing climate risk management and short-term projections of climate impacts. Among the main recommendations of the regional climate change adaptation strategies related to policy-makers in the field of urban development is to establish new and efficient use of existing legislation in the field of environment and planning. It is believed that most countries in the region have adequate legislation and efforts should be directed towards more effective implementation of existing planning and building regulations especially in areas exposed to climate impacts. In the absence of a national strategy of adaptation to climate change, urban planning guidelines could be determined by comparative analysis of regional recommendations in the field of urban planning and the existing legislative framework in Serbia. ; Pitanja klimatskih promena značajno menjaju karakter urbanističkog planiranja. Dok su promene planskog procesa usmerene ka mehanizmima za hitno delovanje u izmenjenim okolnostima u smislu dubljeg razumevanja uzroka pojava i predviđanja budućih promena, konkretne mere se odnose na utvrđivanje okvira za novu i postojeću izgradnju koji će dovesti do smanjenja emisije ugljen-dioksida i razvoja otpornosti naselja na ekstremne uticaje. Težište je prebačeno na planiranje upotrebe zemljišta i razvoj i primenu građevinskih propisa. Smatra se da planiranje na lokalnom nivou predstavlja adekvatno sredstvo rešavanja problema klimatskih uticaja u zajednici. Načelno posmatrano, urbanističko planiranje predstavlja instrument sprovođenja nacionalnih strategija za ublažavanje i prilagođavanje na lokalnom nivou. Uspešno sprovođenje strategija zasniva se na razvijenoj vertikalnoj i horizontalnoj institucionalnoj i proceduralnoj koordinaciji. U okolnostima specifičnog postsocijalističkog konteksta urbanog restruktuiranja, kojeg odlikuje nedostatak razvijenih institucija i odgovarajućih procedura, teško je očekivati primenu propisanih procedura i vertikalnu i horizontalnu harmonizaciju politika prostornog razvoja. Shodno tome, preporučuju se politike usmerene ka kratkoročnim poboljšanjima, koje se oslanjaju na upravljanje postojećim klimatskim rizicima i kratkoročne projekcije klimatskih uticaja. Među glavnim preporukama regionalnih strategija prilagođavanja klimatskim promenama koje se odnose na kreatore politika u oblasti prostornog razvoja je utvrđivanje nove i efikasnija primena postojeće legislative u oblasti životne sredine i planiranja. Smatra se da većina država regiona ima odgovarajuću legislativu i da napore treba usmeriti ka efikasnijoj primeni postojećih planerskih i građevinskih regulativa, pre svega u područjima izloženim klimatskim uticajima. U nedostatku nacionalne strategije prilagođavanja klimatskim promenama, smernice za urbanističko planiranje moguće je tražiti kroz uporednu analizu regionalnih preporuka u oblasti urbanističkog planiranja i postojećeg legislativnog okvira u Srbiji.
Planning theory can be perceived as a great challenge in teaching master'slevel studies. Planning schools and authors throughout the world have developed diverse approaches to address this problem, drawing attention to the issues of what skills to offer – practical ones or skills related to the complexity of the socio-political context of urban planning. An additional question that arises in countries in transition is how to teach planning theory under their specific conditions of land privatisation and constant changes to legislation, regulation, procedures, and the process of establishment of a new planning paradigm. Following these challenges, the Planning Theory course at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, presents a pedagogical model based on analysis of controversial cases in contemporary urban planning practice in Belgrade. An innovative methodology is conceptualised through multiple research steps that entail collection and analysis of publicly available information, including all statements of the stakeholders involved in the process of urban development. The paper focuses on the observation of relationships between information, values, and power imposed as key challenges in understanding the process of space production. The research presents the results of applying this methodology during the 2015/16 academic year on the case study of Belgrade Waterfront, the city's largest and most controversial development project in the last 25 years. The main goal of the research is to present how an innovative methodology can contribute to the improvement of specific reflective planning skills: communication, negotiation, decision-making, and critical thinking about contemporary urban development. ; Teorija načrtovanja predstavlja velik izziv za poučevanje na magistrski študijski ravni. Planerske šole in avtorji po svetu se tega lotevajo različno, pri tem pa imajo težave glede izbire znanj, ki naj bi jih ponujali – praktičnih znanj in znanj, povezanih s kompleksnostjo družbenopolitičnega konteksta urbanističnega načrtovanja. Dodatno vprašanje, ki se poraja v državah v tranziciji, je, kako poučevati urbanistično načrtovanje v pogojih privatizacije zemljišč in nenehnih sprememb v zakonodaji, predpisih, postopkih in procesu vzpostavitve nove paradigme načrtovanja. V luči teh izzivov predmet Teorija planiranja na Fakulteti za arhitekturo Univerze v Beogradu predstavlja pedagoški model, ki temelji na analizi spornih primerov v sodobni urbanistični praksi v Beogradu. Inovativno metodologijo smo zasnovali prek več raziskovalnih korakov, ki vključujejo zbiranje in analizo javno dostopnih podatkov, vključno z mnenji deležnikov, vključenih v proces urbanističnega razvoja. Članek se osredotoča na opazovanje odnosov med informacijami, vrednostmi in razporeditvijo moči, kot ključnimi izzivi pri razumevanju procesa prostorskega razvoja. Raziskava predstavlja rezultate uporabe te metodologije v šolskem letu 2015/2016 na primeru »Beograda na vodi«, največjega, a tudi naspornejšega razvojnega projekta Beograda v zadnjih 25 letih. Glavni cilj raziskave je predstaviti, kako lahko inovativna metodologija prispeva k izboljšanju določenih načrtovalskih znanj: komunikacije, pogajanj, odločanja in kritičnega razmišljanja o sodobnem urbanističnem razvoju.
Criticism of wide civic participation, as a mean for every citizen to actively engage himself in decision making, including planning processes, has a long history and numerous voices. Although the model is plausible for its openness and somewhat necessary for achievement of contemporary democratic standards (governance transparency, accountability etc.), civic participation has long been criticized for its ineffectiveness, inefficiency and utopian characteristics. Yet, the very notion of the need for public to participate in important decision making processes came along with another novelty — the development and the widespread use of informational technologies. Emerging genres of online platforms combine specific technologies with various actors and activities, thus fostering different types of interpersonal interactions. They are becoming a source of information and a platform for public expression, and complementing traditional media. It is inarguable that new technologies, which support deliberation and information dissemination, can contribute to the increase of civic participation. Completely new range of modes of expression enable citizens to give their voice and to be heard, while fast and different forms of information dissemination contribute to citizens awareness and knowledge about different matters. It may seem that the circle of conditions for successful civic participation is closed. In this article we will discuss the possibilities of civic participation/engagement in urban planning processes through informational technologies, in relation to conditions that civic participation needs and critiques it is exposed to.
Rapid and externally imposed institutional changes cause conflict and stagnation within educational organisations. The tension arises from conflicts between the newly introduced institutional framework, which imposes change, and the old one, which takes the form of an informal framework and resists changes that disturb the institutional order established with much effort. The informal framework creates difficulties for operating within the new framework and the state of collision between two competing institutional frameworks prevents institutions from continuing to develop. However, the formality of the newly-introduced framework can override the informal framework, because it opens the possibility for individuals to act within the institutional order, provided that they consolidate and follow a new set of formal rules and procedures. Working within the conflict state and analysing it can help identify weak points in the procedure that could not be identified during the establishment of the new institutional framework.
Over the past three decades, Serbia's development context has been marked by social and economic transition, war conflicts, and accession to the European Union (EU). These three factors have altered the dominant ideology and value system, including concepts, models of engagement, types of solutions, skills and knowledge across all fields of human endeavor, urbanism included. The complexity of these changes, and the growing tendency to exclude urbanists from local and national development policies and projects, require a re-assessment of their current role and position in urban governance, as well as of the adequacy of their competences and models of education. This paper presents a proposal for introducing a National Core Curriculum in Urbanism (NCCU) as a strategically significant instrument with a number of key roles: (a) to build capacity of the professional community for facing developmental challenges and so ensure ongoing sustainability; (b) to evaluate the quality and guide the development of (new) study programmes; and (c) to allow Serbian professionals to become competitive in the European/global market. The paper comprises three main parts. The first section discusses the relative merits of an NCCU, together with an overview of international initiatives, experiences, and practices in this area. The second part presents key documents relevant for developing the NCCU, grouped into three categories: (i) 'agendas', or development concepts and EU's directives; (ii) charters of associations of planning schools, and (iii) the local context's legal framework and public policies. The conclusion section introduces a possible methodological procedure for institutionalising the NCC and discusses potential advantages/benefits and disadvantages/drawbacks of this instrument. ; V zadnjih treh desetletjih so razvojni kontekst Srbije zaznamovali družbena in gospodarska tranzicija, vojni konflikti in vstop v Evropsko unijo (EU). Ti trije dejavniki so spremenili prevladujočo ideologijo in vrednostni sistem, vključno s koncepti, modeli vključevanja, vrstami rešitev, spretnostmi in znanjem na vseh področjih človekovih prizadevanj, vključno z urbanizmom. Zaradi kompleksnosti teh sprememb in vse večjih teženj, da bi urbaniste izključili iz lokalnih in nacionalnih razvojnih politik in projektov, bo treba ponovno oceniti njihovo trenutno vlogo in položaj v urbanističnem upravljanju kot tudi ustreznost njihove usposobljenosti, pristojnosti in modelov izobraževanja. Prispevek predstavlja predlog za uvedbo nacionalnega temeljnega učnega načrta za področje urbanizma kot strateško pomembnega instrumenta z večjim številom ključnih vlog: (a) povečati zmogljivost strokovne skupnosti za soočanje z razvojnimi cilji in tako zagotavljati vzdržnost, (b) oceniti kakovost in usmerjati razvoj (novih) študijskih programov in (c) strokovnjakom v Srbiji omogočiti, da postanejo konkurenčni na evropskem/svetovnem trgu. Prispevek je razdeljen na tri dele. Prvi del obravnava prednosti temeljnega učnega načrta za področje urbanizma, s pregledom mednarodnih pobud, izkušenj in praks na tem področju. Drugi del predstavlja ključne dokumente, pomembne za razvoj temeljnega učnega načrta, ki so razvrščeni v tri kategorije: (i) agende ali razvojni koncepti in direktive EU, (ii) listine združenj šol za prostorsko načrtovanje ter (iii) pravni okvir na lokalni ravni in javne politike. V sklepu predlagamo metodološki postopek za institucionalizacijo temeljnega učnega načrta ter obravnavamo potencialne prednosti/koristi in slabosti/pomanjkljivosti tega instrumenta.
Purpose This purpose of this study is to explore the integration of the sustainable development concept and goals into the curriculum of higher education studies using the example of three faculties of the University of Belgrade.
Design/methodology/approach A qualitative content analysis has been applied on two levels: the evaluation of the sustainability of courses starting from the criteria defined using the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (ASHE, 2017), and the analysis of the outcomes defined in the curricula of subjects within the three faculties using the UNESCO learning objectives related to selected sustainable development goals (SDGs) as a criteria.
Findings While the largest number of courses were analyzed from the Faculty of Architecture, the highest proportion of sustainability courses was found in the Faculty of Security Studies. Both study areas reflect a stronger interdisciplinary orientation, although it should be strengthened in the case of the Andragogy study program. Based on the experience of the Faculty of Architecture, the courses implemented by linking theory and practice may significantly contribute to achieving the LOs and to implementing the education for sustainable development. At the University of Belgrade, strategic documents are missing that would encourage and oblige the faculties to apply the concept of sustainability.
Originality/value This is the first study to apply this type of curricula analysis at the University of Belgrade. It is performed by teachers from the university, coming from different disciplinary fields but oriented towards an interdisciplinary perspective. Although performed in three specific study areas within a single university, the identified gaps and trends may be useful for planning interventions toward accelerating the implementation of SDGs in the higher education curricula.
One of the basic characteristics of Serbian territorial development is the concentrated development of several major urban centres driven by a rapid decline of the quality of life in villages, their depopulation and impoverishment. The basic thesis of this paper is, in accordance with the current global, European and national development agendas, that the sustainable territorial development can be achieved exclusively through balanced rural-urban development. This paper introduces integrated rural development projects (IRDP) as instruments for reaching sustainable territorial development for the city of Smederevo. They are developed within the Master Program in Integrated Urbanism at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Belgrade supported by the DANURB project and the city government. The main aim of the paper is to present the pedagogical model and IRDP development methodology, as well as results produced within the teaching process – five master theses. These projects differ in main themes, the size of the territory, types and formats of the solutions, but have the same objectives - to improve the quality of life of individuals, families and rural communities, and, thus, increase their visibility and attractiveness. Their aim is not only to prevent out-migration of young people from the villages, but also to encourage in-migration of new population. When viewed from that perspective, besides straightening rural areas, these IRDPs can contribute to the reduction of pressure on urban areas, whose spatial, infrastructural, institutional and ecological capacities are increasingly burdened and hold back sustainable development.
Turbulent periods of transition from socialism to neoliberal capitalism, which have a ected the relationships between holders of power and governing structures in Serbia, have left a lasting impact on the urban spaces of Belgrade's cityscape. The typical assumption is that the transformation of the urban form in the post-socialist transition is induced by planning interventions which serve to legitimize these neoliberal aspirations. The methodological approach of this paper is broadly structured as a chronological case analysis at three levels: the identification of three basic periods of institutional change, historical analysis of the urban policies that permitted transformation of the subject area, and morphogenesis of the selected site alongside the Sava River in New Belgrade. Neoliberal aspirations are traced through the moments of destruction and moments of creation as locally specific manifestations of neoliberal mechanisms observable through the urban form. Comparison of all three levels of the study traces how planning and political decisions have a ected strategic directions of development and, consequently, the dynamics and spatial logic of how new structures have invaded the street frontage. The paper demonstrates that planning interventions in the post-socialist transition period, guided by the neoliberal mechanisms, has had a profound impact on the super-block morphology.
PurposeThe paper aims to present a pedagogical model tailored to the development of key competences in the urban planning profession in post-socialist transitional countries that is based on the creation of an integrated platform for dialogue and the development of professional competences as part of the process, whereby students produce their final projects.Design/methodology/approachThe pedagogical model is based on the principles of education for sustainable development and focuses on the establishment of a repeatable platform for dialogue between students and mentors, members of the mentoring team, the local community, external members of the consulting team of experts and foreign master's degree programmes, in the process of producing students' projects. The proposed method addresses several dimensions, including: the education of students, teachers, professionals and local experts, the establishment of a network for cooperation and collaboration and the delivery of practical and usable results.FindingsThe paper provides a comparative overview of the pedagogical model's application in producing the final master's degree projects of three generations of students, as well as its alignment with the needs of re-defining the role and reach of the profession of urban planner in an environment of post-socialist transition. The model was improved, enhanced and optimised through this process and then corroborated with its practical implementation.Originality/valueThe innovative pedagogical model comprises an instrument to enhance the professional capacities of all participants in the production of final master's projects: academics, practitioners and future professionals/students, through discussions of topical issues, innovative modes of work and new professional responses grounded in the local context and tested by a broad range of stakeholders. It is of particular importance for countries in transition experiencing a shift in the paradigm of professional action, especially as the proposed pedagogical model establishes a problem-solving platform that surpasses academia.
This paper aims at critically re-assessing the new regulatory framework for public policy governance in Serbia, a structure of crucial importance for urban governance. Public policy regulation is a key objective of Serbia's Regulatory Reform and Public Policy Improvement Strategy, 2016-2020. The first measure envisaged under the Action Plan to implement this Strategy is the creation of a common legal framework for governing public policies through the enactment of a Planning System Law. Its purpose is to govern the planning system by: (a) defining mechanisms for the adoption and mutual alignment of public policies; (b) establishing instruments to direct public policies and linking policymaking with budgeting; and (c) formalising the currently informal planning practice and integrating it with formal planning in all areas of public policy in Serbia. In the absence of an appropriate regulatory framework, Serbia's current practices in urban governance have caused a proliferation of mutually unaligned documents and uncoordinated actions by stakeholders at various levels of government, resulting in the unsustainable use of resources and the generation of spatial conflicts. The proposed Planning System Law marks an advance in the understanding of the role and purpose of the public sector in urban governance in line with the concept of sustainable development and the requirements of European integration. This paper will review this Law proposal as a new legislative framework, which ought to contribute to the establishment of system and a system governance model. Therefore, the structure of the system, regarding its elements and their mutual relations, will be analysed with reference to systems theory and the model for the governance of the development process. After omissions were identified in the consistency and integration of the proposed solutions, recommendations to improve the system and its management were developed in line with the contemporary concept of good governance.
This chapter suggests a new view on the arrangement of urban governance for Serbia, where an Integrated Urban Project (IUP) is examined as an instrument for achieving sustainable development. Policy-making in Serbia's urban development is faced with the challenge of transition from a traditional, bureaucratic, and autocratic system towards a new, efficient, effective, communicative, and flexible one. The process of searching for new instruments for its realisation was initiated due to the existing model's inability to deal with complex problems brought about by the post-socialist economic and social transition, as well as global influences related to Serbia's planned accession to the European Union (EU). The first part of the chapter briefly outlines the concept of a new urban governance model. The second section defines the characteristics of an IUP as an instrument intended to create and implement sustainable public policies in the field of urban development. The third part presents curricula of master's theses and master's projects for three generations of students of the Integrated Urbanism master's programme at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade: (i) IUPs for Inner City Development, (ii) IUPs for Disaster Risk Management, and (iii) IUPs for Municipal Development. Regardless of the differences in topics and locations, the students' assignments were to work with specific local institutions to devise IUPs in response to identified problems of the 'real' context and indicate how these might be put into practice. This section details the results achieved by the latest generation of students: (i) the IUPs as urban governance instruments, focusing on their integration potential; and (ii) the IUPs development process, showing the types and techniques of communication and knowledge dissemination amongst students, as well as between students and mentors, and with the local community and the broader professional and academic public. Besides aiming to contribute to a comprehensive innovation of the curriculum in the local context of a post-socialist country, the purpose of this chapter is to point out the options and opportunities for collaboration between academic institutions and local communities in the introduction of new topics, ideas, concepts, and instruments for effective urban governance in Serbia. ; Book series: Reviews of Sustainability and Resilience of the Built Environment for Education, Research and Design
Sustainable and balanced urban-rural development largely depends on the system of governance, as well as methods, instruments, and practices which were derived from it. Just, efficient and effective governance requires collaboration and sharing of responsibility in policy formulation and decision-making processes between different stakeholders at different levels of territorial organisation. This implies a complex set of mechanisms, processes and institutions through which stakeholders can articulate their interests and exercise their rights, but also share ideas, negotiate, reach common understanding, and agree on solutions in given circumstances. This paper presents and discusses the process and results of the collaboration between an academic institution and a local government in the development of students' master's theses and integrated projects for the territory of the municipality of Pančevo, Serbia. The main focus of the curriculum was the application of multilevel governance instruments to achieve balanced development of the municipal territory. Students' projects addressed various challenges: devastation of agricultural land; migration of (especially young) people from rural to urban areas; poor services and low income in rural areas; waste management; neglect of natural and cultural heritage. The educational approach was designed so as to create a learning environment that fosters collaborative learning for all the participants involved: students, local stakeholders, consultants, and mentors. The paper consists of three main sections. The first provides a brief overview of the theoretical background of multilevel governance, collaborative learning, and the practice-oriented approach to education. The second section presents the objectives of this educational model, and the methods and structure of the expected deliverables. The third part presents six students' projects that deal with urban-rural relationships, and highlights key multilevel governance instruments for the implementation of the resulting proposals. The conclusion discusses process and product outcomes, differentiating benefits for all those involved, obstacles, and challenges, and provides recommendations for future work.
Sustainable and balanced urban-rural development largely depends on governance system and methods, instruments and practices deriving from it. Just, efficient and effective governance requires collaboration and sharing of responsibility in policy formulation and decision-making processes between different stakeholders at different levels of territorial organization. This implies a complex set of mechanisms, processes and institutions through which stakeholders can articulate their interests and exercise their rights, but also share ideas, negotiate, reach common understanding and agree on solution in given circumstances. This paper discusses process and achieved results of the collaboration between academic institution and local government in the students' master thesis and integrated projects development for. .set on application of multilevel governance instruments in order to achieve balanced development of the municipal territory. Students' projects address different challenges: devastation of agricultural land; migration of (especially young) population from rural to urban areas; poor services and low income in rural areas; waste management; neglect of natural and cultural heritage. The educational approach was designed in order to create learning environment that foster collaborative learning for all participants involved: students, local stakeholders, consultants and mentors. The paper has three main parts. The first one provides a brief overview of the theoretical background of the multilevel governance and collaborative learning and practice oriented educational approach. Second part presents the objectives of this educational model, methods and structure of the expected deliverables. The third part presents seven students' projects that are dealing with urban-rural relationships and highlights key multilevel governance instruments for the implementation of proposals. Conclusion discusses process and product outcomes differentiating benefits for all involved, obstacles and challenges and provides recommendations for future work.
