Participatory approach

The pilot session in Participatory Planning was a dynamic series of pilot sessions designed to inspire and equip students with essential skills for tackling real-world challenges in participatory planning. These sessions were an introduction of innovative methods, digital tools, and strategic approaches for seamlessly integrating civic engagement into decision-making processes. The scope of this seminars was to develop key competencies through interactive lectures, hands-on exercises, and teamwork, to effectively apply the Modular Participatory Planning Curriculum (ModPPC) in various educational and professional settings.

The online seminars of the pilot session were held in March. The 1^st seminar, titled “Public Participation and Local Development Strategies: Practical Implications” was led by a team from Politecnico di Torino: Professor Giancarlo Cotella, Assistant Professor Erblin Berisha, and PhD Candidate Yahya Shaker. A total of 23 students were registered for the seminar. The 2^nd seminar of the Joint Pilot Sessions was an “Introduction to Digital Tools for Public Participation”. This seminar focused on exploring various digital tools that can enhance Participatory Planning and how they can be effectively utilised. The session was led by Petros Rodakinias (Laboratory Teaching Staff) from the University of Thessaly. A total of 29 students were registered for the seminar. The last seminar of the Pilot Session was an “Introduction to Management Skills and Techniques for Participatory Planning” led by Vesselin Blagoev, Varna University of Management. A total of 34 students were registered for the seminar.