MSc in Spatial Planning and Urban Project, University of Porto

Abstract

After an in-depth examination of its academic curriculum and teaching pedagogy, the MSc in Spatial Planning and Urban Project, offered by the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Porto, Portugal, has been conferred the AESOP Certificate of Quality. The programme was evaluated by two members of the AESOP Excellence in Education Board (EEB) appointed by the Chair. The EEB certifies that the programme fulfils the Quality Recognition criteria. The MSc in Spatial Planning and Urban Project is distinguished by its integration of spatial planning, urban policy, and urban project/design within a single accredited programme. It addresses contemporary urban challenges across European and Global South contexts and combines project-based learning, critical thinking, comparative analysis, and professional engagement. The programme fosters students’ awareness of their social role as planning professionals and agents of change through interaction with communities, institutions, and practitioners. Particular strengths include the Urban Environmental Quality Planning course, focusing on climate adaptation, urban resilience, flood risks, and climate justice, and the Urban and Metropolitan Policies course, which develops comparative research capacity through the analysis of metropolitan governance models in diverse international contexts. The AESOP Certificate of Quality and this Evaluation Report are valid for six years (2026–2032). Date of certification: 15 June 2026.