CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
Culture, Resilience, and Inclusiveness: Forging a New Era of Planning
The 19th International Association for China Planning (IACP) Conference
July 3-6, 2025
Xiamen, China
Hosted by the International Association for China Planning
Xiamen University
Organized by School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Xiamen University
Co-organized by Institue of Urban-Rural Planning & Design, Xiamen University and Institute of Architecture Design, Xiamen University
You are cordially invited to submit abstracts to the 19th IACP Conference.
Conference Theme:
In recent years, the forces of globalization and localization have introduced unprecedented challenges to cultural integration and conflict in cities worldwide. At the same time, uncertainties such as climate change, natural disasters, and global pandemics continue to test the adaptability and resilience of urban areas. Building an inclusive, open urban culture and strengthening social resilience have thus become essential goals in contemporary urban planning and governance.
As a rapidly developing economy on the global stage, China’s cities confront a unique confluence of cultural diversity and distinct developmental demands. With the ongoing progress of urbanization, there is increasing emphasis on fostering cultural identity and promoting social inclusiveness within Chinese cities. Planning strategies aimed at enhancing urban resilience have become focal points for both policymakers and academic researchers. National policies now prioritize inclusive urban development and cultural integration as key components of the country’s new urbanization strategies, aiming to support harmonious development within diverse cultural settings, bolster urban resilience, and achieve long-term social prosperity.
Amid this backdrop of cultural diversity and inclusive development, scholars from China and abroad are addressing critical issues and real-world demands for urban resilience and social harmony. Discussions focus on creating inclusive communities in multicultural settings and strengthening cities’ crisis response capacities. Key topics include strategies for multicultural coexistence, resilient planning and risk management, protection of vulnerable groups’ rights, inclusive design of public spaces, community development and governance, transportation resilience and sustainability, and public health.
The central theme of this year’s conference is “Culture, Resilience, and Inclusion: Forging a New Era of Planning”. The conference seeks to explore how cities can achieve sustainable development and harmonious coexistence through inclusive and resilient planning and governance in multicultural contexts. We warmly welcome professionals from China and around the world, including scholars from universities and research institutions, planning experts, and government officials, to join broad discussions on advancing academic and practical approaches to urban cultural integration and resilience. The conference will feature keynote sessions and group discussions on significant topics in urban inclusivity and resilience, focusing on inclusive and resilient planning strategies and synthesizing insights from theoretical breakthroughs, technological innovations, advanced concepts, and practical experiences to guide urban development in culturally diverse contexts.
Conference Format: The conference will be held in person ONLY at Xiamen University (Siming Campus), Xiamen, China.
A “Dual-track” Conference
The 2025 IACP conference will continue to offer its well-established structure, featuring two primary tracks: research paper sessions and sessions focusing on “innovative practices.” Participants are encouraged to identify the most appropriate track for their submissions, selecting either the research paper track or the innovative practice track. For submissions that span both areas, contributors may choose the track that best aligns with the core content of their work. This dual-track structure aims to foster a dynamic exchange of ideas, integrating cutting-edge research with practical advancements in the field.
Research Paper Tracks: consist of regular conference sessions of scholarly research. These tracks emphasize the intellectual contribution of the proposed research to an ongoing debate/gap in the international literature on urban planning, as well as rigorous research design and methodology that ensure the reliability and validity of the research findings.
The Research Paper Tracks include the following topics:
- Sustainable Urban Development and Green Transformation in China
- Urban-Rural Integration and Regional Development and Governance
- Implementation and Evaluation of Spatial Planning
- Participatory Planning and Collaborative Governance
- Housing, Community Development, and Community Governance
- Inclusive Urban Development and Social Equity
- Land Use and Urban Transportation
- Urban Resilience, Climate Change, and Environmental Planning
- Healthy Cities and the Well-being of Residents
- Cultural Heritage Preservation and Urban Renewal
- Smart Cities and Innovative Planning and Governance Technologies
- Interdisciplinary Urban Planning Education
Innovative Practices Tracks: will facilitate discussions about the experimental practices and emerging models in urban planning that address current issues related to achieving sustainable development goals in Chinese cities. Differing from regular sessions centered on scholarly research, this series emphasizes breakthroughs in professional practices that translate innovative methods into successful projects of development or management and offer valuable and replicable experiences for urban planning and governance.
The Innovative Practices Tracks include the following topics:
- New Directions, Practices, and Models of Urban Regeneration
- Planning Innovation for Urban Resilience and Climate Change Adaptation
- Reshaping Urban and Rural Communities
- Planning Practices with Innovative Applications of New Urban Sciences
Abstract Submission:
Individual Abstract Submission: Please submit your paper abstract of 200-300 words in English only* by February 12, 2025. Please make sure to include the following information: (1) title, keywords, and abstract; (2) name, affiliation, title, and email of all authors; and (3) indicating the presenting author.
Paper abstracts should be submitted via https://cmt3.research.microsoft.com/IACP2025. The specific instructions for submission are listed here (http://www.china-planning.org/alpha/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2025-IACP-Conference-Instruction.docx). Please register as an author in the CMT system first. When making a submission, please select the most appropriate category. Please enter the names and contact information of all co-authors. Otherwise, their names will not appear in the conference program. The technical committee of the conference will review all submitted abstracts.
Pre-Organized Session: Participants interested in organizing a pre-organized session, please ask your session participants to submit their abstracts as regular abstract submissions. The organizer of the pre-organized session should send a pre-organized session proposal to iacp.conf@gmail.com before March 15, 2025. The proposal should include the purpose and theme of the session, as well as the information on each individual paper (abstract ID, title, and authors). The subject of the email should be formatted as “pre-organized session proposal: proposal title”.
Important Dates:
Opening for abstract submission: December 20, 2024
Deadline for abstract submission: February 12, 2025
Notification of abstract acceptance: March 15, 2025
Early registration: April 15, 2025
Award and travel grant applications: April 15, 2025
General registration: May 1, 2025
Dean’s Forum: July 3, 2025
Conference, on-site registration: July 3-5, 2025
Technical Tours: July 6, 2025
* Accepted papers must have one author registered for the conference by the Early registration deadline in order for the paper to be included in the conference program
Conference Organizing Committee:
IACP
Chair: Zhenhua Chen (The Ohio State University)
Executive committee:
- Li Yin (University of Buffalo)
- Zhongjie Lin (University of Pennsylvania)
- Tao Tao (Carnegie Mellon University)
- Kailai Wang (University of Houston)
- Zhixi Zhuang (Toronto Metropolitan University)
- Yefu Chen (Xiamen University)
Contact: iacp.conf@gmail.com
Xiamen University
Chair: Ruoxi Zhang
Execuitve Vice chair: Hui Kong
Executive committee:
- Wangtu Xu
- Chasong Zhu
- Xiang Li
- Jixiang Liu
- Quhang Wu
- Zhichao He
Contact: iacpconference2025@163.com
Scan the QR code below to connect with IACP official WeChat account.
