Research - Research Projects

International Urban Development

Under the leadership of Chengri Ding, the Center has broadened its research and training agenda by creating an international urban development component that, at present, is heavily focused on the effects of the rapid urbanization process now underway in China.

China Land Policy and Urban Management Program

Summary of the Project:
Led by Dr. Chengri Ding, the mission of the China Land Policy and Urban Management Program is to help the Chinese government better understand issues related to urban and land policy and taxation and to assist the Chinese in policy studies on issues related to urbanization. The project is funded by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.

Activities include training for scholars and officials both in China and in the United States; research on land use, urban and taxation policies; the convening of conferences, workshops, symposia, and roundtable discussions; production of publications; promoting an exchange of scholars; and demonstration projects.

To support this effort a Memorandum of Agreement between the Lincoln Institute and the Ministry of Land and Resources of the People’s Republic of China was signed in 2002. Among the tasks envisioned under this agreement is a joint project with the Lincoln Institute designed to demonstrate the value of redesigning China’s land polices and land management program as a means of more effectively managing land use in response to the nation’s rapid rate of urbanization.

Additional agreements have also been forged between the Lincoln Institute and leading Chinese agencies, such as the Development Research Center of the State Council, a think tank in China, calling for joint conferences, training and research to help China better shape its urban policies in the era of rapid urbanization. The Lincoln Institute is also establishing a relationship with the State Administration of Taxation, Ministry of Finance, and other universities and institutes.

World Bank Institute and Institute for Global Chinese Affairs

Summary of the Project:
Allied with the Center’s China Land Policy program is a cooperative arrangement with the Institute for Global Chinese Affairs, also located on the College Park campus, and the World Bank Institute. Under this arrangement, Dr. Ding and other Center staff are collaborating with the Institute for Global Chinese Affairs to develop an Executive Training Program on urban management and land policy for officials of the People’s Republic of China. Under the terms of the agreement the Center is authorized to use the library of training materials developed by the World Bank Institute. To date, the Center and the Institute for Chinese Global Affairs have offered training programs to officials from Jaingsu and Hunan Provinces and are scheduled in 2004 to conduct training for officials from Guangzhou.

The Evolution of Land and Housing Markets in the Peoples Republic of China.

Summary of the Project:
Pursuant to work begun while Chengri Ding was at Texas A&M University and Gerrit Knaap and Yan Song were at the University of Illinois, Dr. Ding and Dr. Song are editing a book on the evolution of land and housing markets in China. The papers were presented at a session of the World Planning Congress, organized by Dr. Knaap and Dr. Ding, in Shanghai. As part of its Program on Chinese Land Policy and Urban Management, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy will publish the book in 2004.

Multifunctional Intensive Land Use (MILU)

Summary of the Project:
As a consequence of three presentations given at universities in the Netherlands, Gerrit Knaap is participating in an international network of planning experts interested in advancing what in Europe is called “Multifunctional Intensive Land Use (MILU),” – a pattern of growth that in America might be known as Smart Growth. The project is sponsored by Habiforum—a Brookings-like organization in the Netherlands.

The goal of the MILU network is to analyze opportunities and constraints for the realization of innovative forms of multifunctional, intensive land use; and, to develop policies and instruments for the implementation of high quality MILU programs and projects. The MILU network will bring together organizations in and outside Europe that are actively involved in knowledge development, policy development and implementation of MILU. A conference jointly sponsored by Habiforum and the Center is planned for fall 2004 in Annapolis.