A team of researchers from the Institute for Development Studies and the African Urban Lab (AUL) at the African School of Economics-Zanzibar held a strategic partnership meeting on 20^th May, 2025, to discuss potential areas of collaboration.

The Research Roundtable focused on the AUL's research agenda, which is structured into four main clusters: urban expansion in the periphery, innovative urban governance, urbanization and industrialization, and cities, culture, and technology.

The discussions addressed the challenges associated with urban expansion, including land markets, mobility, and environmental sustainability, with the aim of gathering feedback from the Institute for Development Studies to explore potential collaborations on urban development initiatives.

Led by Ms. Paschalin Basil, the IDS team expressed enthusiasm for upcoming collaborative events, including a side event at the New Cities Summit in Nairobi in June, and discussed logistics for including students and staff in these initiatives. Overall, the roundtable fostered a collaborative atmosphere, emphasizing shared goals and opportunities for future partnerships and research funding.