Chapter Strengthening Capacity to Address Urban, Health and Education Challenges in Fast-Growing Cities and Neighbourhoods

Overview & Synopsis

This chapter considers the work of a large-scale project, the Centre for Sustainable Healthy Learning Cities and Neighbourhoods (SHLC), funded within the UK’s government’s Global Challenges Research Fund, part of its Official Development Assistance Programme. In particular, the focus of the chapter is the ways in which the capacities of researchers in the global south can be strengthened through collaboration with universities in the global north. There is an emphasis in this work on the juxtaposition of capacity development and capacity strengthening, the latter invoking the notion that there are foundations to build upon. All of the work of SHLC focused on the links between SDG 3 (Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages), SDG 4 (Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all) and SDG 11 (Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable). The chapter reports on a range of activities with a focus on a number of projects that it funded in the global south.