Globalization and Planning Education

The current globalization calls for a globalizing pedagogy of planning education. By “globalization” is meant a process whereby certain megatrends are made universal to the human condition, although they are differently experienced by diverse cultures and activities and at various territorial scales. A “globalizing pedagogy”, on the other hand, is a mode of education which brings these trends to bear upon the planning profession in such a way as to allow for the advent of common global visions and locally specific practices. The author gives the rationale for a global approach to planning education, indicates the main characteristics of the current globalization, discusses past attempts at cultural universalism, and pedagogical innovations, and outlines some of the main features of a globalizing pedagogy for planning education. Some of the major challenges that the planning profession faces for adopting a global approach are also identified.