Integrated Development Planning

Integrated Development Planning (IDP) is the first major of this type in Poland, which aims to respond to legal changes in the strategic management of socio-economic processes and spatial planning. It provides an opportunity to prepare new human resources for administration and institutions dealing with integrated development planning.

IDP offers a curriculum of 3.5 years (7 semesters) resulting from consultations with specialists in regional and spatial policy. The representatives of opinion-making circles were invited to contribute to its development (e.g., Committee for Spatial Economy and Regional Planning, Society of Polish Town Planners), national administration staff (e.g., Ministry of Development), regional (e.g., Marshal’s Office of Wielkopolskie Voivodeship) and local administration (representatives of selected cities’ and communes’ offices), and also representatives of other academic centres in Poland (the Jagiellonian University, Łódź University, Poznań University of Economics and Business, Cracow University of Economics, Warsaw University of Technology and Gdańsk University of Technology).

IDP is a modular, innovative education programme divided into coherent thematic blocks (modules) covering legal, economic, social and spatial aspects of planning. Each module comprises lectures, seminars (including individual and team projects) and studio visits in a logically connected internal structure. The curriculum involves both academic teachers and development policy experts.

IDP is a major leading to a degree in engineering (BEng.) granted after the examination when a student presents an original engineering dissertation, the portfolio of their projects carried out during studies and answers the questions covering the curriculum asked by the examination board.

To summarize, integrated development planning is…

  • the first major of this type in Poland
  • a curriculum resulting from the consultations with experts in regional and spatial policy
  • a modular, innovative education programme
  • a major leading to a degree in engineering

Graduate profile:

  • Knowledge, skills and competencies acquired during studies allow practising the profession in the following institutions:
  • Public administration units—positions related to the preparations of plans and development programmes, planning and implementation of projects, obtaining funds, e.g., from the European means
  • Consulting companies drawing up strategies, plans, programmes, expert assessments, etc.
  • Economic entities carrying out various types of investment projects.