The seminar on Sustainable Urban Infrastructure and Social Inclusion was successfully held in Westminster University from Dec 1st to Dec 3rd. Over 20 scholars from various universities and research institutions, including Westminster University, University of Manchester, Reading University, London Imperial College London, Peking University and other universities from Mainland China, took part in the seminar.

The seminar was jointly operated by the College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University and the Department of Architecture and the Built Environment, Westminster University. It was funded by the Newton Foundation (Great Britain) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (project title: The function and planning practice of Chinese and British sustainable infrastructure on social inclusion, project number 41681230282, principal investigator: Pengjun Zhao). The seminar was co-organized by the head of the Department of Architecture and the Built Environment at Westminster University, Prof. Johan Woltjer, and Research Prof. Pengjun Zhao from the College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University.

The opening session of the seminar were given by Prof. Johan Woltjer and Research Prof. Pengjun Zhao. Prof. David Dernie from the Department and Prof. Bin Lu from the College gave welcome speeches, followed by an detailed introduction to the curriculum, faculty, teaching and research of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning in Peking University by Prof. Jian Lin, head of the Department.

Participants of the seminar include Nick Bailey, Prof. of Urban Regeneration at the Department of Architecture and the Built Environment, Prof. Simon Joss, who leads the International Eco-Cities Initiative, Prof. Fengjun Jin from the Research Institute of Earth Sciences and Resources at Chinese Academy of Sciences, Prof. Xiaoyan Huang from Shaanxi Normal University, Prof. Hu Zhao from Shaandong Jianzhu University and Dr. Ping Wen from Sun Yat-sen University, etc.

Both Chinese and British scholars actively participated in the seminar, giving a total of 15 presentations and countless in-depth discussions covering a wide range of topics, which fall into the broader categories of sustainable practices and the London case, accessibility, transport and social inclusion, urbanization and urban wellbeing, urban wellbeing, climate and the environment, and social infrastructure and partnership.

The seminar included a field trip to the London 2012 Olympics site. Dr. Duncan Bowie gave a guided walk and discussions were raised regarding the site’s planning, after-event operation and various projects catalyzed by the Olympics site.

Results of the seminar will be published as a book and as a special issue of an academic journal. The seminar has offered valuable opportunities to both British and Chinese scholars to exchange thoughts on the topic of sustainable urban infrastructure and social inclusion. It raised discussions on the urban infrastructure construction and development policies of cities such as London, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xi’an, and it offered perspectives of theoretical foundations and practical experiences for the sustainable development of both British and Chinese cities. The seminar also set the foundation for further academic exchange and cooperation between Westminster University and other British universities and Peking University and other Chinese universities.