We host summits that bring together urban leaders, practitioners and academics from around the world to examine timely challenges facing cities and the dynamic leadership strategies that are instrumental to tackling them. Thus far, we have hosted conferences focused on topics from rising sea levels and historic preservation to urban mobility and crisis management.<\/p>\n
Read on for recaps of past conferences and click here<\/a> to view our upcoming events.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n October 2023<\/p>\n \u201cGentrification, what can we do about it? An international dialogue\u201d was a global symposium on gentrification and displacement. It was the first international conference on gentrification studies in over 20 years\u2014the last one was held in 2002 in Glasgow, UK. Since then, academic publications on gentrification have taken off massively, case studies have become more global, and new types of gentrification have emerged. Anti-gentrification activism has also increased and gotten more sophisticated globally. Yet, gentrification and its associated problems endure for marginalized peoples in urban and rural areas and both formal and informal settlements worldwide. Rapidly rising commercial and residential costs, direct and indirect displacement, racial\/ethnic cleansing, socio-cultural exclusion, and discrimination are the result. Bringing together academics, activists, and others, this conference seeks real solutions: What can we <\/em>do about it? This event was hosted by the Boston University Initiative on Cities<\/a> and the Department of Sociology<\/a>. Experiential learning continues to grow as a hallmark of a Boston University education, via both new and longstanding programs across our many schools, colleges and centers. This day-long summit brought together BU leaders, faculty, and staff to share models and lessons learned in creating experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to help them find their passion and develop professional skills. This event was hosted by the IOC,\u00a0Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences<\/a>,\u00a0College of Arts & Sciences<\/a>,\u00a0Wheelock College of Education & Human Development<\/a>,\u00a0School of Public Health<\/a>,\u00a0School of Law<\/a>,\u00a0School of Social Work<\/a>,\u00a0College of Communication<\/a>, and\u00a0Government & Community Affairs.<\/a> October 2021<\/p>\n The Initiative on Cities hosted this conference on the political tensions between cities and the more rural parts of their regions that are often \u201cleft behind\u201d communities. The wave of populist politics that has swept economically advanced democracies in the last 10 years has many aspects; one central theme has been antipathy to metropolitan cities and their more liberal values. Beliefs that leading metropolitan centers take more than their fair share of resources\u2014including tax revenue\u2014and dominate culturally have been critical elements in fueling populist movements. Understanding and finding a way to alleviate these tensions is important for the future of cities. April 2019<\/p>\n Meeting the Challenge: Global Innovations in Urban Housing<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>was an\u00a0international conference to address America\u2019s housing affordability crisis. Conference participants featured the\u00a0<\/span>High-Cost Cities Housing Forum (HCHF)<\/a>, a peer-to-peer group comprised of local housing commissioners from nine of the most expensive cities in the United States. The commissioners\u00a0were joined by leading international experts representing eleven countries for a two-day program that featured a mix of panel presentations, keynotes, and local site visits. Conference speakers, including\u00a0<\/span>Boston Mayor Marty Walsh<\/a>, highlighted several housing strategies and challenges on topics ranging from land use planning to social housing.\u00a0<\/span>The event was supported by\u00a0<\/span>Citi Community Development<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>The Rockefeller Foundation<\/a>,\u00a0Enterprise Community Partners,<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0<\/span>Lincoln Institute of Land Policy<\/a>. April 2018<\/p>\n The Initiative on Cities partnered with the Boston Area Research Initiative (BARI) to host their annual conference at Boston University. Featuring speakers and attendees from academia, government, and non-profit and private industry, Confronting Inequality and Economic Mobility: Data-Driven Lessons from Boston, for Boston<\/em>, showcased the myriad projects happening in Boston aimed at enhancing economic equity and reducing inequality. April 2018<\/p>\n The Initiative on Cities collaborated with the School of Public Health to host a conference that brought together thought leaders from public health, cities, and journalism to develop strategies that bring greater attention to\u2014and produce visionary actions that address\u2014the global climate challenge. March 2017<\/p>\n How can America’s cities best enable the optimal development of their most vulnerable residents – children? Cities & Kids: Enabling Optimal Development for Urban Youth, <\/em>hosted by the Boston University Initiative on Cities and the Boston University School of Public Health, brought together government officials, public health professionals, youth and family advocates, and youth\u00a0to learn and share ideas for how cities can help children achieve their full development potential. April 2016<\/p>\n The Dynamic City: Futures for the Past<\/em>, the fifth City Leadership Summit, examined urban historic preservation with developers, academics, architects, preservationists, planners and mayors over the course of two days. Participants were particularly interested in the tension between celebrating a city’s historic character and adapting for 21st century economic and social needs.\u00a0The Dynamic City<\/em> was co-hosted by the Boston University (BU) Initiative on Cities, the BU American and New England Studies Program, and Historic New England. December 2015<\/p>\n Transportation Nudges: Experiments in Improving Urban Mobility<\/i>, the fourth City Leadership Summit hosted by the Initiative on Cities at Boston University, delved into these topics and more, bringing together transportation demand managers, urban planners, technologists, computer scientists, government officials, behavioral economists and community and business leaders to examine innovative ways cities can nudge their way to better mobility. April 2015<\/p>\n Fiscal Leadership and the Modern City<\/em> examined the ways in which communities are tackling contemporary financial constraints with 21st<\/sup> century financial tools. What are the greatest fiscal threats facing cities, and where are the opportunities? How can they use resources more efficiently? And what methods are they using to identify new revenue streams, balance budgets and finance growth? Can cities be expected to finance themselves? November 2014<\/p>\n Sea Level Rise and the Future of Coastal Cities <\/em>gathered mayors, scientists, city officials, urban planners and developers to discuss the known and emerging threats facing coastal cities. The meeting, held on November 13th and 14th, examined what is known, what cities are already doing to increase their resilience and reduce risks to citizens, and explored design principles that could be employed to create more resilient cities. The day closed with a discussion of how partnerships between businesses, cities, and academia can yield practical innovations designed to protect and enhance urban communities.Past Conferences<\/h2>\n
Gentrification & Displacement: What Can We Do About It? An International Dialogue<\/h3>
Gentrification & Displacement: What Can We Do About It? An International Dialogue<\/a><\/h4>\n
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nExperiential Learning for Social Impact Summit<\/h3>
Experiential Learning for Social Impact Summit<\/a><\/h4>\n
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nBeyond the City Walls: The Politics of Resentment<\/h3>
Beyond the City Walls: The Politics of Resentment<\/a><\/h4>\n
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nMeeting the Challenge: Global Innovations in Urban Housing<\/h3>
Meeting the Challenge: Global Innovations in Urban Housing<\/a><\/h4>\n
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nConfronting Inequality and Economic Mobility: Data-Driven Lessons from Boston, for Boston<\/h3>
Confronting Inequality and Economic Mobility: Data-Driven Lessons from Boston, for Boston<\/a><\/h4>\n
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nChanging the Climate: How Public Health, Cities, and the Media Can Advance Climate Solutions<\/h3>
Changing the Climate: How Public Health, Cities, and the Media Can Advance Climate Solutions<\/a><\/h4>\n
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nCities & Kids: Enabling Optimal Development for Urban Youth<\/h3>
Cities & Kids: Enabling Optimal Development for Urban Youth<\/a><\/h4>\n
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nThe Dynamic City: Futures for the Past<\/h3>
The Dynamic City: Futures for the Past<\/a><\/h4>\n
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nTransportation Nudges: Experiments in Improving Urban Mobility<\/h3>
Transportation Nudges: Experiments in Improving Urban Mobility <\/a><\/h4>\n
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nFiscal Leadership and the Modern City<\/h3>
Fiscal Leadership and the Modern City<\/a><\/h4>\n
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nSea Level Rise and the Future of Coastal Cities<\/h3>
Sea Level Rise and the Future of Coastal Cities<\/a><\/h4>\n
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nLeading Cities Through Crisis: Lessons From the Boston Marathon<\/h3>