Shenzhen, China--(Newsfile Corp. - August 3, 2026) - On 28 July 2026, coinciding with China's APEC Year 2026, Shenzhen hosted the Global Forum on Urban Governance and Sustainable Development & Global Launch Event of the Urban Index of Shenzhen (UIS) Products. The event was guided by Shenzhen Municipal People's Government and Bureau of Territorial Spatial Planning, Ministry of Natural Resources of the People's Republic of China, supported by UN-Habitat, and organized by the Urban Planning and Natural Resources Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality and the Ocean Development Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality. The series of Urban Index of Shenzhen (UIS) products made its global debut at the conference, marking that this Chinese urban assessment achievement has officially entered the stage of international promotion and application.
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The Urban Index of Shenzhen (UIS) features an innovatively constructed evaluation framework covering six dimensions: Innovation, Livability, Aesthetics, Resilience, Humanity and Intelligence. It aims to deliver a standardized and scientific observation and assessment framework for sustainable urban governance worldwide.
Two flagship outputs, namely the UIS Asia-Pacific Urban Observation Report and the UIS Urban Observation Report on the Aesthetics Dimension, were unveiled at the launch event. Complemented by the UIS monthly monitoring bulletin, official website and WeChat official account, they jointly form an eight-part product ecosystem integrating research outputs, knowledge sharing, experimental platforms, analytical tools, thematic forums and academic awards. The Asia-Pacific report profiles 13 key cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore.
Jarmo Suominen, Vice Dean and Professor of the Shanghai International Institute of Design and Innovation at Tongji University, shared his views on the value of the UIS products in an interview. He noted: "The products launched today enable this index to be disseminated. These tools are about understanding and learning—they are not about 'me teaching you,' but about 'us learning together.' The idea that cities learn together is very valuable. The six dimensions are important because all cities are different, just like human beings. We need to look at cities from different perspectives, and that understanding can be very well defined through this product."
Jarmo Suominen
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This event drew urban planning experts, urban governance practitioners and representatives from international institutions across the globe. Participants exchanged insights on topics including sustainable urban development, global governance cooperation, and the practical application of urban assessment tools, while exploring new models of urban development that advance harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.
Bolstered by rigorous theoretical foundations and an open global vision, the Urban Index of Shenzhen (UIS) is poised to serve as an important public tool for mayors, urban planners, researchers and citizens to understand urban development and engage in urban governance and decision-making.
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