The recently launched U-CARE project, co-funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme, aims to address the pressing health and climate challenges affecting modern urban environments. Coordinated by the Berlin University of Technology and supported by five leading academic and research institutions from different European countries, including the SURF (Society and Urban Form Lab) of the University of Cyprus, U-CARE will develop innovative tools and methodologies to improve urban health through spatial planning.
Urban health is defined as the effects of the physical and social environment that influence the health, well-being and quality of life of the inhabitants of cities and communities. It is a critical factor for sustainable development, especially in the light of the global climate crisis. However, research and professional guidance in this area remains fragmented, leading to significant delays in the adoption of evidence-based solutions to support positive health outcomes. According to the European Commission’s Science and Knowledge Service, the urban health gap is a serious obstacle to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Redefining Urban Health through an Integrated Approach
As part of its innovative educational approach, the U-CARE project will introduce the three-step UrbanCare methodology, which includes urban health research to assess environmental risks at the neighbourhood level; diagnostic assessment to investigate urban infrastructure, its dynamics and its potential impacts on the environment and population health; and the organisation of decision-making workshops, involving citizens, policy makers and professionals, to design strategies Through these steps, U-CARE will develop new training modules focusing on different aspects of urban health in the participating universities, aiming at shaping the next generation of urban planners, architects and public health professionals and creating healthy and sustainable environments. The project will implement a series of actions in four European cities – Florence, Gothenburg, Berlin and Nicosia including:
- the development of Urban Health Indicators to monitor and improve living conditions
- Conducting a mixed-methodology survey in the pilot sites to collect data on key urban health challenges
- the creation of a user-friendly U-Care web platform to visualise urban health data in a way that is easily accessible and understood by stakeholders
- the organisation of Decision Making Workshops in each city. These workshops will discuss research findings, identify local challenges, set targets and improve design solutions in neighbourhoods to improve urban health.
In Cyprus, the study area of the project is the neighbourhood surrounding the Makarios Hospital in Strovolos. The U-CARE project will involve various stakeholders, covering a wide range of stakeholders. Students and academics from the partner universities will benefit from new educational material and research opportunities, while professionals in the fields of urban planning, public health and environmental sciences will contribute with their expertise, while enhancing their skills in addressing climate change. Citizens, civil society, policy makers, decision makers and local governments will gain valuable knowledge that will enable them to promote policies and design solutions to improve urban health.
For more information about the U-CARE project, visit our website, https://ucareproject.eu/.
For more information about the SURF workshop, visit https://www.surf.com.cy/.
For contact: Ilaria Geddes, Researcher, ilaria.geddes@gmail.com
Notes to editors:
- The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
- The project partners are the Technical University of Berlin (project coordinator), the University of Cyprus, Chalmers University of Technology, University of Florence, BHL Building Health Lab UG and RESET Ltd.
- The project has a three-year duration from November 2023 to October 2026.
- The total budget of the project is 400.000,00 Euros.
Source: University of Cyprus | Latest news (https://shorturl.at/yGzCq)