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The group projects of the Urban School

The group project is at the heart of the pedagogy of all the Urban School's Masters programmes. Thanks to this original and highly professionalizing module, students respond to a real territorial issue posed by a public, private or associative organization.

For 5 to 9 months (following the master), each team of 4 to 5 students works under the supervision of an academic or professional tutor. Each project concludes with a presentation of the final results to the partner and at the Urban School's day in June each year, organised by our Lab. A written report is also produced, and innovative formats are sometimes proposed: an exhibition, a video, a seminar organisation, a public presentation of the results, a model, etc.

Groupe project with NIUA (credits: École urbaine)

Project themes

The Urban School strives to work on all the problems that contemporary societies may encounter in cities and territories: increasing inequalities, ecological transition, conflicts, cultural hybridizations, relations between governments and governed, collective choices and democracy, accumulation of data and technologies, pollution, financialization, etc. etc. The fields of study are therefore extremely varied.

Some reports 2022:

Discover the problematics of the previous projects

Skills acquired

Group project (credits: École urbaine)

By engaging in their mission, students acquire solid knowledge in the design, implementation and evaluation of public policies, the development of complex urban and territorial projects, support for transitions (demographic, ecological, digital, etc.), citizen consultation, etc.

In parallel, they also develop fundamental professional skills:

  • Project management 
  • Negotiation of content and reframing of projects 
  • Public speaking and effective presentation 
  • Time management 
  • Teamwork 
  • Archive organisation and document classification 
  • Budgeting and accountability of projects 

Specific training courses are organised throughout the year: project management, RGPD, advanced mapping, etc.).

Testimonies: a formative and enriching experience

Léa Delmas, graduate of the master Regional and Urban Strategy, realised a project with ICF Habitat:

"The group project is a rare opportunity in an academic setting to get in touch with the workplace – its actors, its demands and the sort of attitude to adopt, which is different from a student's – yet with strong guidance from the tutor and academic staff, which enables us to make significant progress. For me, the group project is one of the main strengths of the Master's programme, as it is firmly rooted in the professional world and the issues of urban dynamics."

Élodie Parier, tutor:

"Very high standards and sustained work on a project over the whole academic year force students to outdo themselves. It is wonderful to see how far they come in nine months! Every time, I've felt the satisfaction of having played a part in the students' growth, as they are placed in a professional situation as much to hone their soft skills as their expertise."

Who can propose a group project?

Any actor of the city and territories can propose a project. For example, we have worked with local authorities, companies, associations, Ngos, consultancy firms, development and urban planning agencies, state administrations and international institutions.

Interested organisations can propose a project from February to June OR from September to December (for the master Governing the Large Metropolis). 

Find out more

Contacts

Ilaria Milazzo, Executive Director of the Urban School
Pauline Emile-Geay, Academic Advisor of the master Governing the Large Metropolis

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