"We seek to be a catalyst for innovation, equity and meaningful collaboration in cities around the world."

Being a catalyst in urban development

One of the strategic direction areas in the strategy focuses on impact: contributing to addressing the complex challenges of urban poverty, inequality and climate change. "We think that our education, research, and advisory work can mutually reinforce the catalysing of sustainable, inclusive, and resilient urban development," shared David. If we can make meaningful contributions to this in the next five years, then the strategy will have been a success.

Creating a new strategy - with whom?

"We always aim to listen to our stakeholders and partners – not just when creating a new strategy!" - mentioned David. During the exploration phase of the strategy, internal consultations were held, using a mixture of in-person and online modes for gathering and reviewing inputs. Drawing on quantitative analysis from surveys of partners and students, the institute interviewed key stakeholders from the academic and practitioner communities in the Netherlands, Europe and around the world. "Putting these inputs together has helped us to be responsive to current and emerging agendas while also being clear about our own vision as an institute and how we can add value."

We see urban challenges as being fundamentally interconnected

This is why the new strategy positions transdisciplinary approach as one of the key direction areas in the strategy. IHS has expertise in a wide range of critical areas, including housing, climate change, sustainability, urban planning, digital transformation and AI, and gender and inequality. When asked about applying this approach at IHS, David highlighted: 

"Bringing together the insights from different areas of knowledge is key to addressing complex challenges. We aim to do this in our research and advisory work and how we train the next generation of urban professionals in our education programmes."

Fostering a supportive work environment

The main strategic directions in the strategy can be applied to all facets of IHS' work. The institute will focus on internal organisation and culture as a way to fulfil its mission and foster an environment where staff are recognised and valued for doing so. "We will develop annual plans for our different areas of work – so that we think through what a focus on "impact" and "transdisciplinarity" might mean in our work on education or advisory projects."

Staying relevant in an ever-changing world

"The world will certainly change in the next five years, and we expect that IHS will change, too." - said David. Our direction area on positioning and partnerships commits us to work through partnerships that prioritise inclusivity, cross-sector collaboration and decolonisation for sustainable urban development. In other words, the institute will seek new ways of working that signal confidence in our vision and skills while also recognising the knowledge and experience of our partners around the world. Looking into the future, David shared: "We expect to evolve into an even more inclusive and supportive workplace fostering fresh, diverse perspectives, innovation and agility."