two people standing in front of red brick building with greenery in foreground

This is a caption.

Photo by John Smith ©2024

Mission

The Penn Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR) is a university-wide body that informs urban decision-making and public policy on issues of sustainable urban growth and development based on multi-disciplinary research, instruction, and outreach.

As the global population becomes increasingly urban, understanding cities is vital to informed decision-making and public policy at the local, national, and international levels. Affiliated with all 12 schools of the University of Pennsylvania and with the world of practice, Penn IUR fosters collaboration among scholars and policymakers across disciplines to address the needs of an increasingly urbanized society. By providing a forum for collaborative scholarship and instruction at Penn and beyond, Penn IUR stimulates research and engages with urban practitioners and policymakers to inform urban policy.

People are standing around a conference table looking at paperwork

Picture from studio course entitled, "Topics in International Development: Urban Plans for the Ukraine" taught by Eugenie Birch, Co-Director of Penn IUR, and Penn IUR Faculty Fellow David Gouverneur.

Photo by Eric Sucar

History

Penn IUR was founded in 2004 by Co-Directors Eugénie L. Birch and Susan M. Wachter, in the context of former Penn President Judith Rodin’s landmark revitalization of Penn’s West Philadelphia neighborhood.

In carrying out its mission, Penn IUR is a convener, voice and laboratory as it develops knowledge in three critical areas: exploring innovative urban development strategies; building the sustainable and inclusive 21st-century city; and understanding the role of anchor institutions in urban places.

Penn IUR's work brings deep and practical knowledge to the most pressing challenges for cities today. They bring a range of academics, policymakers, and private sector leaders that is unprecedented.