Purpose: The paper aims to present a pedagogical model tailored to the development of key competences in the urban planning profession in post-socialist transitional countries that is based on the creation of an integrated platform for dialogue and the development of professional competences as part of the process, whereby students produce their final projects.Design/methodology/approach: The pedagogical model is based on the principles of education for sustainable development and focuses on the establishment of a repeatable platform for dialogue between students and mentors, members of the mentoring team, the local community, external members of the consulting team of experts and foreign master’s degree programmes, in the process of producing students’ projects. The proposed method addresses several dimensions, including: the education of students, teachers, professionals and local experts, the establishment of a network for cooperation and collaboration and the delivery of practical and usable results.Findings: The paper provides a comparative overview of the pedagogical model’s application in producing the final master’s degree projects of three generations of students, as well as its alignment with the needs of re-defining the role and reach of the profession of urban planner in an environment of post-socialist transition. The model was improved, enhanced and optimised through this process and then corroborated with its practical implementation.Originality/value: The innovative pedagogical model comprises an instrument to enhance the professional capacities of all participants in the production of final master’s projects: academics, practitioners and future professionals/students, through discussions of topical issues, innovative modes of work and new professional responses grounded in the local context and tested by a broad range of stakeholders. It is of particular importance for countries in transition experiencing a shift in the paradigm of professional action, especially as the proposed pedagogical model establishes a problem-solving platform that surpasses academia.

The 20th century brought about major social challenges related to civil and human rights, triggering changes in urban environments and gradually adjusting the spatial and functional performances of cities to the needs of all users. In this article, the concept of Universal Urban Design (i.e., “Design for All”) is regarded as a sustainable placemaking process which enables the higher accessibility and usability of cities for all people, regardless of their age or (dis)abilities. The pilot project “Creating Accessible Pedestrian Corridors by the Limitless GIS Application” conduced in Serbia from 2017 to 2019 by the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Belgrade and the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Limitless proposes an innovative approach to urban design. Based on information and communication technology (ICT) adaptation, it is focused on the alternative concept-design of buildings, provision of ICT-based infrastructure, socioeconomic integration of all users, and ultimately on overall urban sustainability. The main outcome of the project was the development of a Geographic Information System (GIS) android application and an e-platform for adaptive placemaking. The project also provides a set of accessibility criteria based on Universal Urban Design, criteria that enable the mapping of locations based on the type of use, a set of recommendations for identified problems, as well as a brief analysis of the latest technological solutions for overcoming detected physical barriers. The Limitless GIS android application differs from the existing ones since it primarily identifies two target groups: (1) people with disabilities who could upload necessary data by established criteria; and (2) employees in the public sector (city authorities and municipalities) in charge of planning alternative routes and setting priorities and investment costs based on the identified problems. Pilot results of the project have revealed that in the current Serbian practice, there is still a lack of planned, consistent and continuous movement routes in urban areas. Terrain configuration represents a serious limitation for people with disabilities, while lifting platforms are recognized as a better solution than ramps (both for paraplegics and quadriplegics), due to their higher efficiency and minimized spatial requirements. Therefore, the android application and e-platform presented in this article contribute to the detection of actual problems at the local level as well as to the overall improvement of planning/design practice in Serbian cities.

Open public spaceis usually seen as physical, but also dialogic space that promotes social responsibility and affects the quality of life of citizens. Public participation in planning and design of such spaces has been observed as a fundamental emanation of democracy. This paper considers the effects of applying participatory approach to the urban design of open public spaces as a practical experiment in teaching. Different levels and methods of participation were used in order to identify main problems and potentials for the use of public space, formulate goals and priorities, and re-evaluate the concepts of urban design. Acquiring knowledge is considered to be the most important result of a dynamic approach, directed towards learning and achieving new skills. Thus, this paper suggests that the capacity development through participation may be seen as a basis for the future community development, and longitudinal care fort he public space as common good.

This paper is the result of the research project carried out as part of the Master program Integral Urbanism at Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade. The main focus of master's thesis was 'Instruments for Governing Integral Urban Development'. In year 2016, polygon used to create a master projects was the territory of the City of Pančevo, a development framework was: 'City Development Strategy of Pančevo for the Period 2014-2020'. Considering issues and potential improvement opportunities of the city, after research and analysis, we have chosen the research theme 'Implementation Monitoring of City Development Strategy - The Case Study of Pančevo'. The paper outlines the broader framework of urban development management to understand the implementation of new instruments of urban governance in local context of the City of Pančevo. The focus is on instruments that improve process of the monitoring of implementation of local development strategies - human resources, financing, institutionalization and participation. The results of this master project relate to the proposals for improving monitoring of the implementation strategy, including the manner and structure of reporting, establishing a team to implement the strategy as a permanent body, linking funding strategy with the program budget of the city and improving public participation and transparency in decision-making in the process of implementing the strategy. Results are derived from the research presented in this paper, and listed for better overview and operationalization issues in a local context. The focus of this work is on understanding the capacity of institutionalization of changes in the domain of urban governance in the local context in Serbia.