The UEM field of study responds to the need to study Urban Planning and Urban Management problems from environmental perspectives to promote sustainable urban development. Faced with deteriorating environmental conditions which threaten urban productivity, the quality of life of urban residents and the social cohesion of cities, the field develops and teaches the capabilities and skills to confront and reverse these negative trends.

UEM draws on and integrates theories and perspectives from the established disciplines of urban planning, urban and regional development, and public policy and management into a distinctive framework of problems, issues, and questions concerning the urban environment in a developing society context. This field of study deals with environmental problems such as poor water supply and sanitation, inadequate solid waste and waste water management, land-use conflicts and deteriorating environmental quality in the home, neighborhood and city.

Teaching, research and outreach programs of UEM stress the specific physical, spatial, economic, social and political characteristics of urban and regional systems in developing Asian cities and their implications for urban environmental changes and solutions. They include an understanding of various elements that may serve as opportunities and constraints to urban environmental management such as social institutions, public-private partnerships, governance, and instruments of regulations, public information, incentives and finance. UEM FoS, therefore, is interdisciplinary in subject foci and approach, as reflected in the UEM curriculum.

Outreach Program

UEM Applications and Networks

A major opportunity for UEM outreach has been created by CIDA-AIT partnership through the SEA-UEAM Project which focuses both on UEM graduate education and its application. The four application components are: Alumni Demonstration Projects, UEM Sub-sector Networks and Professional Support Program, Joint Action Research and Applications of Research Results & Lessons Learned. The focus of each component is on the three key UEM sub-sectors, namely, water and sanitation, solid waste and air pollution. Details in the website: http://www.sea-uema.ait.ac.th

Urban Management Program

As part of its outreach, UEM FoS co-manages UN-Habitat Urban Management Program (UMP) Asia. UMP focuses on poverty alleviation, urban environmental management and participatory governance in cities and municipalities.

Sustainable Cities Program

UEM is also linked with UN-Habitat-UNEP’s Sustainable Cities Program (2002-2007).