Urban Transformations


Finalization of the integrated project „Urban  Transformations“ by the end of the year 2020

Within the subsections of this website you find information regarding the activities, work packages and events that were part of an interdisciplinary project collaboration across the borders of research units between 2014 and 2020.

The collaboration on transformations towards resilient urban areas will continue within the next phase of Program-Oriented Funding (POF IV) of the Helmholtz Association. Further information on the research program 2021-2027 "Changing Earth - Sustaining our Future" can be found here.


Logo URP2020

A final highlight of our collaboration was the international conference “Sustainable and Resilient Urban-Rural Partnerships - URP2020” which took place vom 26 – 27 November 2020.

More than 450 experts from science, politics and urban practice from around 40 countries were meeting for a digital exchange. The focus of the discussion was on challenges and approaches towards sustainable and resilient relations between urban and rural areas. The conference was organised as a close cooperation between the research initiative “Stadt-Land-Plus”, the Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ and the City of Leipzig. It  took place in association with the German EU Council Presidency and the adoption of the new Leipzig Charter.

Further information on the Leipzig Charter and the accompanying film "Leipzig lives the Leipzig Charter" on Leipzig's urban development progress and strategies from 1990 up to the present, can be found on the website of the City of Leipzig.

Two Special Issues will be published as a follow up of the conference within “Land” (MDPI) and “Raumforschung und Raumordnung” (RuR, German language). The Call for Contributions is still open.

URP2020 was funded by the German Ministry for Education and Science and stood under the auspices of the German Federal Minister of Education and Research, Anja Karliczek.

URP 20020 (© André Künzelmann/UFZ) URP 20020 (© André Künzelmann/UFZ)








Graphic Recording of the URP2020 Opening Ceremony (by 123comics)

Graphic Recording of the URP2020 Opening Ceremony