This introductory course highlights the vital role of public space in building thriving, sustainable cities. It defines public space, outlines its various types, and explores its interdisciplinary benefits in urban life from social cohesion to environmental resilience. The course also explains how public spaces contribute to the SDGs and the NUA.
Learners will understand the inclusive and participatory approaches to public space, participation principles, stakeholder and target group identification, and the benefits of involving diverse voices. The course introduces engagement methods and innovative tools to support collaborative public space design, development, and management.
It presents guiding principles for creating safe, accessible, and inclusive public spaces, including how they can be assessed and managed through participatory processes.
Start: Self-paced course
Duration: 2 hours
Fees: None
Certificate: Yes, after completing and passing the quiz
This course introduces UN-Habitat’s City-Wide Public Space Assessment (CWPSA); a step-by-step methodology designed to help local governments measure and evaluate the entire network of public spaces within a city.
Learners will be guided through the CWPSA process, including indicator selection, data collection requirements, and stakeholder participation. The course also features technical training on KoBo Toolbox for field data collection and QGIS for mapping and spatial analysis, supporting evidence-based urban planning.
By the end of the course, practitioners will understand how to assess, visualise, and interpret city-wide public space data to inform inclusive urban policy and investment decisions.
Start: Self-paced course
Duration: 2.5 hours
Fees: None
Certificate: Yes, after completing and passing the quiz
This course introduces UN-Habitat’s Public Space Site-Specific Assessment (PSSA); a practical methodology designed to evaluate the quality of a selected public space and its surrounding area through a participatory approach.
Learners will be guided through the process of assessing public spaces, from data collection to analysis, using tools that promote community engagement and evidence-based decision-making.
The course also supports practitioners in mapping and interpreting gathered information to inform inclusive and context-sensitive public space design proposals.
Start: Self-paced course
Duration: 1 hour
Fees: None
Certificate: Yes, after completing and passing the quiz