Scenario planning is increasingly recognised as a valuable pedagogical tool in spatial planning education, particularly for addressing the complexities of cross-border integration. This study investigates how exploratory scenario planning can enhance learning in a multidisciplinary urban planning studio, with a focus on cross-border cooperation in the context of European spatial planning. The research draws on a studio conducted within the Architecture Master’s Programme at Aalto University in Finland, as part of courses taught by the Professorship of Urban and Regional Planning. In this studio, students engaged with the Helsinki–Tallinn and Tornio–Haparanda regions. The findings indicate that scenario planning supports critical thinking, fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, and deepens students’ understanding of governance structures, policy frameworks, and transnational planning challenges. At the same time, the study identifies key difficulties students encountered, particularly grappling with legal, political, and cultural complexities, as well as the constraints posed by the linear structure of studio assignments. The results underscore the need for planning education to equip future professionals with adaptive, scenario-based approaches capable of responding to the demands of European spatial integration. The findings further suggest that futures thinking can be effectively introduced and practised in studio settings through accessible, low-pressure tasks. However, the study also reveals limitations in sustaining the participatory and communicative dimensions of scenario planning in teaching tasks, largely due to time constraints and practical challenges within the teaching framework. The article calls for a stronger body of literature dedicated to urban planning education, particularly in relation to scenario-based and cross-border pedagogies. • Scenario planning fosters futures literacy in European spatial planning education. • A studio-based pedagogy helps students navigate cross-border planning complexities. • Students learned to integrate economic, legal, and governance factors in scenario work. • The study proposes new directions for teaching exploratory planning in uncertain contexts.
Hossam Hewidy (Fri,) studied this question.