Association of American Planning Schools

Association of American Planning Schools. The Association of American Planning Schools, also known as the American Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP), is a non-profit organization that aims to promote excellence in urban planning education. Founded in 1980, the organization has over 100 member schools, including University of California, Berkeley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of Michigan. The organization works closely with other planning organizations, such as the American Planning Association and the Urban Land Institute, to advance the field of urban planning.

● History

The Association of American Planning Schools was established in 1980 by a group of urban planning educators, including Harvard University's Lawrence Susskind and University of Pennsylvania's Jonathan Barnett. The organization's early years were marked by collaboration with other planning organizations, such as the American Institute of Certified Planners and the National Association of County Planners. In the 1990s, the organization began to focus on issues related to sustainability and environmental planning, working with organizations like the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Today, the organization continues to work with a range of partners, including World Bank, United Nations Human Settlements Programme, and International City/County Management Association.

● Organization

The Association of American Planning Schools is governed by a board of directors composed of representatives from member schools, including University of Texas at Austin, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Georgia Institute of Technology. The organization has a number of committees, including the Committee on Diversity and Social Justice, which works to promote diversity and inclusion in urban planning education, and the Committee on International Planning, which focuses on international planning issues and collaborations with organizations like the International Society of City and Regional Planners and the Global Planning Education Association Network. The organization also has a number of interest groups, including the Housing and Community Development Interest Group and the Transportation Planning Interest Group, which provide a forum for members to discuss topics related to housing policy and transportation planning.

● Membership

Membership in the Association of American Planning Schools is open to accredited planning programs in the United States and Canada, including University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, and McGill University. Member schools must meet certain standards, including having a planning accreditation board-accredited program and a commitment to social justice and community engagement. Members include a range of institutions, from small liberal arts colleges like Pomona College to large research universities like University of California, Los Angeles and New York University. The organization also has a number of international members, including University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, and National University of Singapore.

● Activities

The Association of American Planning Schools engages in a range of activities, including research and policy analysis, professional development and continuing education, and advocacy and community outreach. The organization works with other planning organizations, such as the National Association of Planning Councils and the American Society of Landscape Architects, to advance the field of urban planning and promote best practices in planning education. The organization also provides a range of resources and services to its members, including job listings and career advice, funding opportunities and grant writing support, and networking events and conferences.

● Accreditation

The Association of American Planning Schools works closely with the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) to accredit planning programs in the United States and Canada. The PAB is a non-profit organization that sets standards for planning education and evaluates programs based on their curriculum, faculty, and resources. The organization also works with other accrediting agencies, such as the Council for Interior Design Accreditation and the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board, to promote excellence in design and planning education. Accredited programs include those at University of Southern California, University of Washington, and Carnegie Mellon University.

● Conferences_and_Publications

The Association of American Planning Schools hosts an annual conference that brings together planning educators, practitioners, and students from around the world, including University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and Australian National University. The conference features keynote speakers, paper presentations, and workshops on topics related to urban planning, sustainable development, and social justice. The organization also publishes a range of publications, including the Journal of Planning Education and Research and the Journal of the American Planning Association, which provide a forum for scholars and practitioners to share their research and ideas. Other publications include those from Routledge, Sage Publications, and Island Press. Category:Urban planning