The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of the United Kingdom (UK), through the Development Planning Unit (DPU) of University College London (UCL), will organize the ADB-UK Urban Learning Week (AUULW) in London. 

ADB works with rapidly urbanizing countries facing growing pressure to deliver infrastructure, housing, and services that are inclusive and resilient. Many ADB operations sit at the intersection of planning, infrastructure, finance, governance, and community engagement. The AUULW in London 2026 provides ADB project teams and developing member country (DMC) partners with exposure to mature urban systems in the UK, where complex trade-offs among growth, equity, sustainability, and private-sector participation are actively managed.

Objectives

AUULW in London 2026 will focus on the challenges urban practitioners face in contemporary cities, with a specific concern for sustainable and just development, and the delivery of resilient and inclusive infrastructure, housing, and public spaces. 

The course also examines opportunities and challenges for private-sector involvement in urban transformation—while emphasizing the need to cater to vulnerable sectors of the population and to achieve environmental sustainability. The UK context offers practical lessons on integrated planning, regulatory frameworks, institutional coordination, and implementation pathways that are highly relevant to strengthening upstream project design, policy dialogue, and delivery of ADB-supported urban investments.

The event is supported by the Urban Resilience Trust Fund (URTF), financed by the Government of the United Kingdom, through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). URTF supports cities in Asia and the Pacific in strengthening resilience through improved planning, infrastructure, knowledge exchange, and institutional capacity.