Purpose: This paper focuses on the competencies and skills needed in preparing graduates of urban planning schools to meet the real-world challenges of professional practices. The present work explores the gap between skills and knowledge required to excel in the urban planning discipline and professional practices. Design/methodology/approach: This research utilises a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods. This study depends on collecting data from descriptive and statistical analysis based on two streams. The first comes from a survey launched among students of urban planning. The second is interviews scheduled with academics that are also practitioners. Findings: The results outline the missing correlation between what Egyptian students learn in schools of urban planning and professional practices. The findings show that academics, students, and graduates share the same experiences about the education system. Academics agreed that graduates need to be more skilful rather than knowledgeable. The discussion shows that the undefined role of the planner in Egypt influenced the mismatching between the current demand and supply of competencies and skills offered by planning schools. The concluded remarks mentioned that communication skills and negotiation skills are the most crucial skills for graduates, in addition to information finding and data-processing skills. Originality/value: This research has particular advantages in presenting a model of competencies as results of scanning the expectations of Egyptian students and new graduates vs professional practices. The contribution is in answering the question of what skills students of the urban planning programs should learn in order to meet the continued changes in professional practices.

The “x-minute city” concept gained attention within the global urban discourse on post-pandemic cities. Recently, numerous cities have shifted their attention from considering the x-minute city merely as a theoretical concept to one with practical applicability, rediscovering the proximity dimension to be integrated into urban policies and plans. Consequently, a requirement emerged to develop comprehensive approaches for monitoring and assessing this proximity. In this perspective, this article seeks to answer two main questions: What are approaches utilized in the literature to measure proximity within the context of “x-minute cities”? How could these measurement models accurately reflect real-world scenarios? The aim is to identify the models and variables required for measuring proximity within the framework of x-minute cities. A review of 38 peer-reviewed articles following the PRISMA statement was performed by searching the Web of Science database for publications from 2020 to 2023. Our results clarified the essential components of the measurement models and presented recommendations for more comprehensive assessments. The findings highlight the variable deficiencies that affect proximity measurement approaches. The recommendations hold the potential to enhance measurement models, contributing to the development of urban communities that are more accessible and interconnected.

The 15-Minute City (15mC) concept has emerged as a paradigm-shifting urban planning model aimed at enhancing sustainability, accessibility, and quality of life by ensuring that essential services and amenities are within a short walking or cycling distance. This study explores the historical roots of the X-minute City model through a chronological review of previous urban planning strategies and examines its practical implementation through a thematic analysis of five case studies representing different cities. The research identifies key challenges faced in these cities and categorizes them into five main themes: financial and resource constraints, governance and administrative barriers, public engagement and perception issues, socioeconomic dynamics, and infrastructure and urban development challenges. The findings reveal that while the X-minute City model has the potential to create more livable and sustainable urban environments, its implementation is constrained by institutional, financial, and societal challenges. The study highlights the importance of policy coordination, community engagement, and context-specific adaptation in overcoming these challenges. Future research should expand the analysis to additional cities to explore diverse urban contexts and further refine strategies for successful implementation. By bridging historical insights with contemporary case studies, this research contributes to the ongoing discourse on sustainable urban development and offers valuable insights for policymakers and urban planners.