Research Fellow on University Town Development; UCA

Department: Graduate School of Development (GSD)

Duty station: Remote

Report to: GSD's Urban Development Lead

Deadline: December 4, 2024

Contract type: Service Agreement, 3 months

UCA Background:

The University of Central Asia (UCA) was founded in 2000 as a private, not for profit, secular university through an International Treaty signed by the Presidents of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, and His Highness the Aga Khan; ratified by their respective parliaments, and registered with the United Nations. The Presidents are the Patrons of the University and His Highness is the Chancellor. UCA’s mission is to promote the social and economic development of Central Asia, particularly its mountain communities, by offering an internationally recognised standard of higher education, and enabling the peoples of the region to preserve their rich cultural heritage as assets for the future. UCA brings with it the broader commitment and partnership of the Aga Khan Development Network. For more information: www.ucentralasia.org

Scope of the Work

Transforming the towns where UCA is located into thriving university towns necessitates establishing clarity among all key stakeholders about what a university town is and how it can improve the quality of life for residents. Local government should have an opportunity to learn about how to create favourable conditions for allowing universities to become fertile ground for urban innovation, environmental sustainability, economic development, and cultural enrichment. Understanding future benefits will help bring all local stakeholders, including local government officials, university administrators, urban planners, community leaders, and other stakeholders together to co-plan and jointly transform the UCA-located towns into vibrant university towns.
The primary objective of this project is to develop a comprehensive and practical handbook that provides detailed guidance to local government officials of UCA’s founding states and key stakeholders involved in urban development processes. Furthermore, the project seeks to introduce and contextualize the concept of University Town Development within the UCA community. Additionally, this initiative aims to extend the understanding of this concept to relevant institutions within the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), thereby fostering informed engagement and collaboration in shaping the future of university towns. It will show how to provide an enabling urban environment, assist educational institutions to turn into incubators for new ideas and technologies, and guarantee sustainable and resilient urban development. The handbook will be written in simple language with clear illustrations, making it immediately applicable to the Central Asian institutional context. The handbook is arranged as follows:
Part I delves into the unique concept of a university town, exploring its potential benefits and the distinct challenges it presents. It also clarifies the target audience for such a development and its crucial role in achieving sustainable urban development.
Part II examines how resilience contributes to sustainable urban development, the relevance of strengthening resilience in developing university towns, the significance of disaster risk assessment and the use of GIS, and the opportunities for revising critical infrastructure and using nature-based solutions.
Part III strongly emphasises the importance of a strategic and integrated planning approach for strengthening the university town's environmental, social, and economic resilience. It also highlights the role of participatory planning, key stakeholders, and the benefits of engaging with the local community in identifying local competitive advantages in strengthening economic and cultural resilience.
Part IV takes a practical look at urban management and the implementation of development plans. It addresses the challenges and opportunities that arise in implementing the suggested resilient planning of university towns and discusses sustainable land use and municipal property management relevant to university town development and management.

Summary of Position and Key Responsibilities

The researcher will work with the UCA team under the guidance of the Graduate School of Development (GSD) Urban Development Lead and Institute of Public Policy and Administration (IPPA) Senior Research Fellow, Dr Madina Junussova. The researcher will continue work started on the handbook development by collecting and analysing data and contributing to the content development of the parts III and IV of the handbook described above. The parts I and II are under development and will be completed by the end of December 2024

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Carefully study parts I and II of the handbook.
Conduct a literature review and case study analysis for handbook’s parts II and IV.
Analyse UCA experience in contributing town development and add to the handbook clear illustrations how the university can assist in the development needs of UCA’s founding states, ensuring accessibility and applicability.
Analyse findings of the online survey of UCA internal staff, faculty members, and relevant AKDN institutions to introduce and refine the concept of University Town Development.
Maintain organised documentation of collected data and handbook materials for parts III and IV.
Develop content for parts III and IV of the handbook and draft separate sections logically aligned to previous parts I and II, adding in-text cross-references to parts I and II if necessary. Presentation of parts III and IV of the handbook to UCA and key stakeholders, gathering and analysing feedback, and preparing reviewed versions to ensure they meet the practical needs and expectations of those involved.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Master’s or PhD degree in Urban Planning or Urban Management or a closely related field.
Proven experience in conducting research and developing teaching materials, preferably for civil servants.
Experience working on urban planning projects with a focus on sustainable development and strengthening urban resilience.
Experience in working on projects that involve community engagement and the participation of local citizens in urban planning processes.

How to apply

Ready to join our team? We kindly invite you to submit your application for this position by clicking the Apply button on this page. To facilitate a smooth application process, please create an account on our website. Be assured that the account setup and application steps are straightforward.

Candidates from the founding countries of UCA: Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan are encouraged to apply for the position.

Applications will be reviewed when received. Early applications are strongly encouraged. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Review other job vacancies at: https://ucentralasia.org/career-opportunities