“Europeanisation” of planning education?: an exploration of the concept, potential merit and issues

Abstract: Different profiles of the planning profession exist across European countries. As a result, models for education in planning differ considerably in comparison and curricula tend to reflect and address national needs. Programme and/or professional accreditation is also closely linked to nationally determined criteria and standards. However, education formats and particularly curricula evolve and over the past two or so decades a host of changes in European planning education have been introduced. Aside from the restructuring to make programmes compliant with the Bologna cycles in higher education, there have been developments around of integrated mobility opportunities and the emergence of collaborative master degrees delivered jointly by host institutions from different European countries. Increasingly, educators incorporate learning units on European spatial planning, cohesion policy and fiscal instruments, which impact on national, regional and local planning policy and practice. "is paper presents an initial exploration into whether these developments contribute to a “Europeanisation” of planning education and the values and issues associated with these developments.