This lecture provides an introduction to the KAEBUP Project funded by the Erasmus+ Programme and coordinated by the University of Cyprus. The Knowledge Alliance’s main objective is to create an international educational and training method offering participants the opportunity to engage with professional environments, learning how research can be the basis for innovative professional practices and what businesses in the field of planning, architecture and urban design require from academia. Successful enterprises in Europe have made research outputs the core element of their practice to address pressing urban challenges including sustainability, mobility, health and social cohesion. Such practices are ever more sought after by designers and authorities to ensure successful and sustainable results in urban design and governance.

 

KAEBUP’s partners comprise HEIs, NGOs and enterprises from different European cities, who have expertise of evidence-based design and wish to strengthen the links between businesses and HEIs to mutually benefit from the tools that research can provide to enterprises and from the experience of evidence-based practice. The cooperation between KAEBUP’s partners will be the key for addressing current needs and developing future educational systems providing students with the skills to enter the professional world and inspiring HEI staff to innovate through research. KAEBUP will work by implementing three ‘pathways to evidence-based urban practice’:

 

1. Innovating learning and teaching through knowledge exchange and skills development working on real-life urban projects.

 

2. Understanding and developing business models for evidence-based urban practices.

 

3. Co-creating urban knowledge through multiple modes of exchange and involvement of students, teaching and company staff in teaching, research and practice.