School of Social & Political Sciences

The conference will focus on topics including:

• Urbanisation, urban clusters and urban agglomeration
• Suburbanisation, urban-rural relations and integration
• Demographic changes and generation cohort differences
• Migration and migrants, urban labour market and employment
• Economic development, innovation, industrial restructuring and upgrading
• Housing and real estate development
• Financial tools of urban system
• Neighbourhood/community changes and residential patterns
• Neighbourhood design and liveability
• Urban governance, community (shequ) construction and management
• Inequality, social and spatial division/segregation and integration
• Urban social policy and public services provision
• Urban villages, informality, redevelopment and gentrification
• Smart cities, eco-cities, sustainable cities and ‘dream towns’, city marketing
• Urban big data implication and new research methodologies

The confirmed speakers for the conference are:

• Professor Jane Duckett, University of Glasgow, UK
• Professor Chaolin Gu, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
• Professor John Logan, Brown University, Rhode Island, USA
• Professor Fulong Wu, University College London, UK
• Professor Anthony Yeh, The University of Hong Kong

Day 1 (Monday 9th July)

1330: Registration opens at Sir Charles Wilson Building. Refreshments will be available
1500-1700: Welcome and keynote talks
1715: Travel to reception venue
1800-1900: Civic welcome reception at Glasgow City Chambers
1900: Travel back to campus

Day 2 (Tuesday 10th July)

0900-1700: Programme of conference sessions with refreshment breaks and lunch
1800-1900: Conference dinner arrival drink at Hilton Glasgow Grosvenor
1900: Conference dinner

Day 3 (Wednesday 11th July)

0900-1700: Programme of conference sessions with refreshment breaks and lunch

Day 4 (Thursday 12th July)

0900-1700: Conference field trip

Monday 9 July: Civic welcome reception

The City of Glasgow and Lord Provost extends a warm welcome to all of our conference delegates and speakers. On the first evening of the conference we will have a civic welcome reception at the historic City Chambers in George Square. Attendees will be able to enjoy drinks and appetisers while meeting other delgates and hearing from our speakers, representatives of the City and the University. Transport will be provided to the City Chambers and back to campus. 

Tuesday 10 July: Conference dinner

On the second evening of the conference we will host a dinner at the Hilton Glasgow Grosvenor. As well as a chance to enjoy further discussion with colleagues over delicious Scottish cuisine, delegates will also hear from our dinner speaker, Cliff Hague, Emeritus Professor of Planning and Spatial Development at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. 

Thursday 12 July: Field trip to Edinburgh and Loch Lomond

For those who wish to extend their stay and time at the conference, we are offering two field trips on 12 July. One will focus on urban studies and will visit our capital city Edinburgh, with stops at South Queensferry and the new town of Livingston. The second option will concentrate on rural studies and will take in the spectacular scenery of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park area. 

*Please note that you must register for all of these events. If you have already registered for the conference and not opted for the events, you can amend your registration at any time to attend. Tickets for all events will be issued to those who have registered/paid for their attendance. 

• December 2017: Call for Papers and Abstract submission
• 31 March 2018: Abstract submission deadline
• 15 May 2018: End of Early Bird Registration
• 15 June 2018: End of Early Regular Registration
• 9 July: Registration, welcome talks and reception
• 10 to 11 July: Conference presentations
• 12 July: Post conference fieldtrips

The conference is sponsored by:

• ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council)
• GCRF (Global Challenge Research Fund, RCUK)
• The School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Glasgow
• Newton Fund
• Urban Studies Journal
• The Confucius Institute at the University of Glasgow

The conference will be held in the Sir Charles Wilson Building, which is part of the University of Glasgow campus, in the West End of the city. There are a wide variety of hotels and guest houses nearby. The city centre is very accessible from the West End and hosts a large number of hotels, catering for every budget. Information on the city's accommodation can be found on the People Make Glasgow and Visit Scotland websites. 

We encourage delegates to book as early as possible as several large events will be taking place in Glasgow at the same time as the conference. 

With its famous music scene, fantastic shopping, and as a former City of Culture, Glasgow has firmly established itself as a must-visit destination. The West End is a particular jewel in the crown of the city, so please make the most of your time in Glasgow. 

The Conference Venue

The conference will take place in the Sir Charles Wilson Building, situated on the corner of Gibson Street and University Avenue. Some conference sessions will also be held in the James Watt Building which is a short walk away. Information is available about the venue accessibility and you can download a Campus Map.

Getting to the West End

You can reach the venue from the city centre via a short Subway ride. The nearest station is Kelvinbridge. A taxi from the city centre should take about 15 minutes. There are also many buses from the city centre which stop at the University. For further information on getting around the city please visit the People Make Glasgow website.