Cambridge to launch lectureship in Chinese urban development

The new lectureship will be funded through a gift of £1m to the Department of Land Economy by the Pecan Foundation Limited, a charity organization founded by Dr Justin Chiu. Dr. Chiu is a Senior Visiting Fellow of the Department of Land Economy, and is currently an Executive Director of Cheung Kong Asset Holdings Limited in Hong Kong. The funding will also support an ambitious new research and engagement programme in Chinese urban development.

This Lectureship represents the opening of a new phase of engagement between Cambridge's department of Land Economy and China. The Lecturer will provide teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and conduct world-leading research in sustainable development and urbanisation with a focus on China. The lecturer will also provide a focal point for collaboration and interaction with industrial leaders and research institutions throughout China.

This lectureship will address the impact of rapid population growth in China, and the demands placed on urban development. Some Chinese cities are home to populations larger than those of entire nations. The growth of these cities presents a unique opportunity to define new models and ideas for urban spaces. How these models develop will not only improve the future of cities in China, but will shape the future of urban development across the globe.

"This exciting new position will help further our understanding of the dynamics of Chinese urbanisation and its role in economic development, as well as the pressures it creates on planning and sustainability,” said Professor Colin Lizieri, Head of the Department of Land Economy. “Both our research and our teaching will benefit hugely from these insights, and the post will allow us to deepen our relationships with business leaders, policy-makers, researchers and our alumni in China and the surrounding nations."