2026 IACP Annual Conference Call for Abstracts

Call for Abstracts

Silk Road Civilization and Dynamic Transformation: Innovating Urban-Rural Coordination for High-Quality Development

The 20th International Association for China Planning (IACP) Annual Conference

July 10-12, 2026

Xi’an, China

 

Organizers

International Association for China Planning (IACP)
Chang’an University

Co-organizers

School of Architecture, Chang’an University
School of Architecture, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology

Supporting Organizations

Xi’an Chang’an University Engineering Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd.
School of Human Settlements and Civil Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University
College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University

 

We sincerely invite you to submit abstracts and participate in the 20th IACP Annual Conference

 

Conference Theme

In recent years, amid the intertwined trends of counter-globalization and deepening regional cooperation, civilizational exchange and economic transformation have become central topics in global urban-rural development. Climate change, resource constraints, and shifts in the geo-economic landscape are reshaping the stability of urban–rural spatial structures and challenging long-term sustainability. Against this backdrop, a key question for the planners is how to draw the wisdom of the Silk Road civilization to cultivate new development momentum, and to advance high-quality urban–rural development in the new era.

As both an inheritor of Silk Road civilization and a rapidly developing country, China is actively exploring innovative pathways for urban–rural development under the Belt and Road Initiative. China’s planning practices have increasingly shifted from scale-oriented expansion to quality-driven transformation, emphasizing the synergy of cultural inheritance and innovation-led development. Coordinated urban–rural planning has become a critical driver of regional integration. National policies highlight integrated urban–rural development and dynamic transformation as core components of modernization—promoting the two-way flow of factors, industrial collaboration, and cultural value re-creation to support a new pattern of urban–rural symbiosis and shared prosperity.

Under the dual goals of civilizational exchange and high-quality development, scholars across the world have advanced theories and practices related to coordinated urban–rural development. Major topics include cultural heritage protection and revitalization, urban–rural industrial synergy and transformation, regional spatial optimization, governance innovation, infrastructure connectivity, ecological security, low-carbon transition, digital technology, rural revitalization, and urban regeneration.

This year’s theme, “Silk Road Civilization and Dynamic Transformation: Innovating Urban–Rural Coordination for High-Quality Development,” aims to explore how innovative approaches to urban–rural coordination can achieve the integration of cultural inheritance and economic development. The conference will bring together leading experts and practitioners from around the world to exchange cutting-edge research and practical experience. Through keynote sessions and topical discussions, participants will examine paradigm shifts, methodological advances, and implementation strategies for planning under the goals of high-quality development. By addressing issues such as cultural co-creation, regional innovation networks, and spatial governance reforms, the conference seeks to contribute fresh insights and collective wisdom for building coordinated, complementary, and mutually learning urban–rural development systems.

Conference Format: This conference will be held fully in-person at the Weishui Campus of Chang’an University.

Dual-track Structure

The 2026 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:

  1.  Urban and Rural Integration and Regional Coordination
  2.  Sustainable Urban Development and Green Transformation in China
  3. Implementation and Evaluation of Spatial Planning
  4. Participatory Planning and Collaborative Governance
  5. Housing, Community Development, and Community Governance
  6. Land Use, Urban Mobility, and Infrastructure Planning
  7. Inclusive Urban Development and Social Equity
  8. Urban Resilience, Climate Change, and Environmental Planning
  9. Healthy Cities and the Well-being of Residents
  10. Smart Cities and Innovative Planning and Governance Technologies
  11. Cultural Heritage Preservation and Urban Renewal
  12. Low-Altitude Economy and Future Transportation Systems
  13. Innovation Spaces and Industrial Upgrading

Innovative Practices Tracks: will facilitate discussions about the experimental practices and emerging models in urban planning that address current issues related to achieving high-quality development goals in Chinese cities. Differing from regular sessions centered at 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 experience for urban planning and development.

The Innovative Practices Tracks include the following topics:

  1. New Directions, Practices, and Models of Urban Regeneration
  2. Planning Innovation for Urban Resilience and Climate Change Adaptation
  3. Reshaping Urban and Rural Communities
  4. Planning Practices with Innovative Applications of New Urban Sciences

 

Abstract Submission Requirements

Individual Abstract Submission: Please submit an English abstract of 250-300 words, in English only1 , by February 1, 2026 (Click Here to Download Conference Abstract Template). 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.

Abstracts must be submitted through the conference system2 (Click Here to Download Paper Submission Guide): https://cmt3.research.microsoft.com/IACP2026. Participants need to register in the system before submitting an abstract. When submitting online, please select the appropriate track, and fill in the names of all authors. The technical committee of this conference will review all submitted abstracts. Please refer to the submission notes below for the specific submission process.

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 1, 2026. The proposal should include the purpose and theme of the session, and the information of 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:

Abstract submission opens: December 2, 2025
Abstract submission deadline: February 1, 2026
Abstract acceptance notification: March 15, 2026
Early registration deadline: May 1, 2026
Student Paper Award and Travel Grant application deadline: May 1, 2026
General registration deadline: May 20, 2026
Dean’s Forum: July 10, 2026
Conference and on-site registration: July 10-12, 2026
Technical Tours: July 12, 2026

Note:

1Accepted papers must have one author registered the conference by early registration deadline in order for the paper to be included in the conference program.

2The Microsoft CMT service was used for managing the peer-reviewing process for this conference. This service was provided for free by Microsoft and they bore all expenses, including costs for Azure cloud services as well as for software development and support.

Conference Organizing Committee：

International Association for China Planning

Conference Chair: Guang Tian (University of Utah)

Co-Chairs: Li Yin (University of Buffalo)

Executive Committee Members:

Na Chen (Sun Yat-sen University), Chunwu Zhu (Texas A&M University), Hantao Sun (Cornell University),  Yefu Chen (Xiamen University), Zhixi Zhuang (Toronto Metropolitan University)

Contact:                     iacp.conf@gmail.com

Chang’an University

Chair: Quanhua Hou

Executive Vice Chair: Jingbin Tan

Executive Members:   Wenliang Chen,  Chunping Miao,  Xiaohui Yu,  Yaqiong Duan,     Yang Zhang,  Le Zhu,  Jizhe Zhou,  Wei Zhang,  Xiao Dong,  Juntao Yang,  Yifan Zou, Hua Zhou

Contact:                     iacpconference2026@163.com