On March 20, 2024, Grace Watetu, an official from the Policy, Legislation, and Governance Division of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), and Dr. Fan Li, Vice Chairman of the International society of city and regional planners and Senior Researcher at the Department of Human Settlements at the Berlin Institute of Technology, visited the School of public affairs, Zhejiang University (SPA-ZJU). During the visit, Prof. Zhao Zhirong, Dean of SPA, Prof. Zhang Weiwen, Vice Dean of SPA, Prof. Yue Wenze, Director of the Department of Land Management, and Hu Changcui, a staff at the Zhejiang University Student Career Development and Training Center engaged in a friendly discussion with the distinguished guest.
During the meeting, the school leaders introduced the guests to the academic and international cooperation situation at Zhejiang University. They also proposed potential collaborations between SPA and UN-Habitat in various areas, particularly in discussions related to student internship programs, cooperation in the World Urban Forum, and urban policy development. Grace Watetu introduced the specific work of UN-Habitat and its position within the UN system and the Human Settlements Programme. This visit not only deepened the cooperation and exchanges between the two parties but also provided new perspectives and impetus for global urban sustainable development research and practice. Both sides engaged in in-depth discussions on efforts to build more livable, equitable, and sustainable
The UN-Habitat is a UN agency dedicated to realizing a better future for cities. Since its establishment, UN-Habitat has been committed to supporting and coordinating cooperation with national governments, local governments, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to promote the development of global human settlements. Its work focuses on urban management, housing, basic services, and infrastructure.
