Annual Research on Cities Summit
Bureau,Odishabarta
Bhubaneswar:School of Human Settlements, Xavier University, Bhubaneswar successfully organized the 5th Annual Research on Cities Summit (ARCS 5.0) with the theme Fit for the Future: Urban Strategies for the New Normal from 10th to 12th February 2021. The ARCS is an annual Conference organized by the School of Human Settlements, Xavier University, Bhubaneswar, for academics, professionals, and policy designers to share research and experience on planning and managing human settlements and urbanization. Due to the ongoing pandemic, this year the event was held in an online platform. The event stimulates the development and exchange of knowledge to develop safe, sustainable, and just settlements.
The conference was inaugurated on 10th February in a hybrid mode from the Xavier University, Bhubaneswar campus. Prof. Dr. Kajri Misra, Dean, School of human settlements, gave the welcome address followed by the address by Registrar Fr. E.A. Augustine, S.J. The keynote address was delivered by Mr. Hitesh Vaidya, Director at National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), Delhi, in an online mode. The Conference brochure/proceedings was revealed by the guests.
The eminent speakers for who gave thematic keynote speeches on Strategies for Post-Urbanization of the event were;
Mr. Hitesh Vaidya, Director at National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), Delhi
Prof. NeemaKudva, Associate Professor, City & Regional Planning, Cornell University
FedorKudryatvsev, Professor at Moscow University and Director of Architecture, NOVA Lab Moscow
Prof. Philip Harrison, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa
Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment.
Faculty, Research Scholars, and Postgraduate level students from prominent academic institutions in India and other countries such as, IIT, SPA, JNU, Calcutta University, Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology, Bangladesh, etc. participated in the conference. This year we received a total of 106 abstracts out of which 58 were presented during the three days of the conference.
Each day was scheduled with two parallel technical presentation sessions where researchers presented on topics under the themes –
Processes of governance
Patterns of economy and employment generation
Infrastructure networks and delivery processes
Public spaces and place making
Housing & Shelter
Environmental Risks and Resilience
Management and leadership
The three days of ARCS5.0 was concluded with a valedictory session, and the best presentations under research & students’ category were awarded.The convener and co-convener of the conference were Prof. Tathagata Chatterji and Prof. Prashant Prasad of the School of Human Settlements, XUB.
