LEARN acknowledges the complexity of contemporary urban systems and adopts a systems approach to understanding the development and functioning of cities. In addition, urban issues are interdisciplinary, requiring insights from diverse fields. Consequently, our research endeavours are hinged on interdisciplinary collaboration between academia, industry, government, and civil society. By fostering collaboration across disciplines, we believe that innovative and holistic development solutions can emerge, drawing upon diverse knowledge typologies, perspectives, methodologies, and insights. This holds the potential to address the interconnectedness of social, economic, political, and environmental factors shaping urban development trajectories in East Africa and beyond.
By actively involving a diverse range of urban actors in the research process, we aim to ensure that knowledge is co-produced in a participatory and inclusive manner, enhancing its relevance, applicability, and impact on real-world issues. These collaborative efforts also represent strides towards addressing the research waste problem within the region’s urban context, which broadly manifests in failure to translate research into action for societal transformation.