This ARP-MAC focuses on understanding decision-making and governance in urban transport planning, specifically within three sectors: paratransit (such as minibuses/matatus, motorcycle taxis), public transport (such as busses, rail, Bus Rapid Transit), and walking. Recognizing that there is a significant knowledge gap in this area, the program aims to generate and share insights on how decisions in these sectors are made and implemented in Sub-Saharan African cities.
Consortium leader
Dr. Gladys Nyachieo
Host institution
Multimedia University of Kenya
Main partner organizations
University of Cape Coast (Ghana), Kyambogo University (Uganda), Redeemer’s University (Nigeria), University of Birmingham (UK), and World Health Organization (Switzerland)
The program has four main objectives:
- to generate and disseminate knowledge on urban transport decision-making in Africa,
- to enhance academic collaboration and build capacity among scholars in urban transport and mobility
- to foster partnerships between relevant state and non-state actors in this area, and
- to create a sustainable research platform to convene urban policymakers, practitioners and scholars.
The ARP-MAC will be built around three main thematic streams which will combine scientific work with community building activities:
- decision-making and implementation processes,
- power and politics,
- planning, attitudes, and behavr (including barriers which actors experience in their decision making)
The various projects within the program will explore crucial issues regarding the actors involved in decision-making, the ways in which these actors influence and shape decisions, and the barriers they face (as well as how these barriers are overcome).
MID-UTA will also focus on building capacity among next generation scholars through workshops and summer courses, as well as by embedding issues related to transport planning and governance into formal educational offerings on the continent, thus ensuring a lasting impact on transport planning education in the region. Additionally, an important long-term ambition is to strengthen the participation of African scholars in the global academic community.