Since 1976, IHS has worked on a global scale providing advisory services to local and national governments, non-governmental and civil society organizations, and academic and training institutions. IHS has worked on contracts for the World Bank, UN-HABITAT, UNDP, the Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, SIDA, the EU, GTZ, and Cordaid. The institute also works on contracts for local and national government clients.
Services provided by IHS include policy-level support and institutional development, on the job training for government professionals, aid in developing citywide strategic planning and participatory processes, development of methodologies and frameworks, research and programme evaluation. IHS' teams have extensive experience in linking international and local knowledge and working with local partners on finding innovative solutions that are embedded in and relevant to the local contexts. IHS also ensures that advisory services are combined with knowledge transfer: this approach ensures that the knowledge remains with the client and interventions are sustainable.
As urban problems are multi-dimensional, providing sustainable solutions requires accessing knowledge from a range of disciplines. IHS' staff is multi-disciplinary and international, allowing the institute to assemble teams with the necessary experience. Staff members comprise economists, planners, engineers, architects, sociologists, geographers, education and management specialists who can provide holistic and co-created solutions to urban problems. The team is skilled in combining international knowledge with local experience, which enables them to aid clients in finding innovative solutions relevant to the local context.
"Over the years, IHS has repeatedly collaborated with UN-HABITAT on a wide range of consulting assignments, always performing according to the highest standards of quality and the satisfaction of UN-HABITAT."
Cecilia Kinuthia-Njenga
Human Settlements Officer
Urban Environment planning Branch
Photo credit: Tim Johnson