The Most Important Skills an Urban Planner Needs In a Developing Country; The Case of Iran^*

* This paper was based on the findings of a research project which was funded by the Research Department of the College of Fine Arts of the University of Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Differences in the context of developed vs. developing countries require different kinds of urban planning skills in each group. This paper intends to figure out the most important skills an urban planner should have in a developing country. A total of 341 questionnaires were filled by professionals, instructors, students, and graduates. The result shows that team work, research method and data collection, and technical skills are the most important skills at the undergraduate level, in Iran, while problem definition, analytical skills, and oral presentation are the most important ones at the graduate level. Managerial skills, at neither level, show any significance.

Keywords:

• Urban planner skills
• priority
• urban planning education
• developing countries
• Iran

Acknowledgement

We would also like to appreciate the contribution of the following graduate students of urban planning in University of Tehran which helped us in completing the questionnaires: Maryam Rahi, Mahsa Mesgar, Mehran Foroughifar, Sepideh Bakhshidehzad, Pedram Zarif, Shohre Ezzatian, and Sara Vatanpoor.

Notes

* This paper was based on the findings of a research project which was funded by the Research Department of the College of Fine Arts of the University of Tehran, Iran.