To use AUICK information more directly in urban planning, it might be possible, and necessary, for AUICK to establish some kind of sustained relationship with urban planning offices in a select number of cities. The existence of such planning offices in many countries and cities of Asia suggests that they might be the specific organizational instrument through which AUICK information feeds into the urban planning process.

One problem immediately presents itself. To date, AUICK has dealt with 13 countries in the region, and near 200 cities. The most recent plan for training lists 5 countries in Group A and 5 in Group B*5. In addition, a network conference will include Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. At the moment Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar are not included in the plan. In effect, there are perhaps too many countries and far too many cities for a comprehensive inclusion of all existing planning bodies.

This suggests that AUICK might consider selecting a smaller number of countries and cities with whose planning bodies it could establish an ongoing relationship. The number might be quite small in a two or three year pilot project. Such an ongoing relationship might include some training for personnel from the selected cities, plus some systematic information gathering about the planning process, the planning office and the city itself. Special attention could be paid to developing a project data base with information from these cities.

In some cases, it would be advantageous to establish an on-going relationship with a local university as well as with the city planning office. This could provide AUICK with access to local academics who would be interested in the research and information-gathering activities, and it might also help build a more effective relationship between the selected city administration and its local university.


*5. Group A: China, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam; Group B: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka