Competencies Revisited An Educational Approach to Conceptualising Planning as a Boundary Discipline

• Published in: DISP Vol. 52; no. 1; pp. 42 - 55
• Main Authors: Gilliard, Lukas, Thierstein, Alain
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 02.01.2016
• ISSN: 0251-3625; 2166-8604
• DOI: 10.1080/02513625.2016.1171048

This paper presents a systemic view on the purpose and impact of planning education. We introduce a system model, which is based on the assumption that the objective of planning education is to equip students with competencies to resolve current and future challenges. Planning education has always been focussed on instruments for this purpose. Among other reasons, established statutory instruments have become less effective in steering urban development due to a shift of power from public towards private stakeholders, e.g. in terms of funding. Thus, we propose a shift from formal qualifications suited for public planning control towards a problem-based and impact-orientated approach. The educational term "competence" serves hereby as a measure of employability. The "wicked" nature of planning problems (Rittel, Webber 1973 : 160) characterises knowledge in planning. Knowledge is contextual and constantly transforming. It can, however, be deconstructed in a defined context. Then, we can assign an observable impact to a certain state of a problem or intervention. These constructs of knowledge can help us to make informed decisions. The challenge is to apply and transform these contextual constructs to other settings. This requires proficiency in analysing, evaluating and creating constructs. Public planning control and its instruments consist of normative goals, which dictate the reason and extent of planning. In the case of a problem-based approach, it is the role of a planner to recognise situations in which his knowledge helps to make an impact on intended futures.