The need for qualified professionals that can develop projects and manage urban planning processes in developing countries is clear. We can find the highest urbanisation ratios in the world in these countries and it is here where international cooperation is most needed.
If we add to this the impact of an earthquake, tsunami or a war, the situation is critical and intervention is required in architecture and urban planning areas, in order to know how to develop a plan of temporary developments and settlements, with quick construction processes that are efficient under extreme conditions; with the management of the existing resources, offering solutions that can be implemented in this type of situations where unfortunately we must work under different forms of pressure.
The purpose of the Master’s degree is to face these situations and it is aimed at preparing future architects and professionals to deal with regional planning and emergency construction projects, i.e., professionals that can arrive at these ‘non-places’ and can use specific tools to apply the appropriate strategies in order to help develop the communities affected by extremely poverty conditions;human and natural catastrophes.
Therefore, the aim is to establish the strategies and criteria for taking action in the area of urban planning, developing neighbourhoods and implementing architecture projects, while bearing in mind energy-saving systems and sustainability criteria in all areas related to materials and local cultures.
This Master’s degree is part of the ERASMUS MUNDUS European cooperation program, considered to be one of the most prestigious programs in the world. The MUNDUS URBANO program brings together the following universities: Technische Universität Darmstadt, Università “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Université Pierre-Mendès-France Grenoble and Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, in order to develop a joint European Master’s degree.