Departmental news

The winners of the first ever Henley awards have been announced and the following three associated with REP have been awarded a prize:

Matteo Borghi, Lecturer in Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Leadership, Organization and Behaviour (for Teaching & Learning and Research)

Matteo has an openness to innovate and explores new ways to teach entrepreneurship. His work on this with the Real Estate department has been exemplary, and he has been commended for his work as an Academic Tutor and colleague.

Matteo’s research has been published in leading journals. His conjoint contributions display an interdisciplinary nature, addressing complex issues and providing valuable insights for both academia and industry.

Professor Angelique Chettiparamb, Professor of Urban Planning and Governance, REP; Research Division Lead (for Research Activities)

Mentoring and enabling colleagues – Since taking the research lead role at REP, Angelique has made significant changes and efforts, offering faculty with individual meetings to discuss personal research plans and provides priceless and thorough feedback.

Jane Batchelor: Careers Development Officer, REP (for Professional Services)

Jane is a highly effective careers practitioner, helping REP to phenomenal year on year success in Graduate Rankings and associated league tables. Jane offers an enviable level of knowledge about the REP labour market matched only by the evident respect and appreciation her students have for her.

Publications

Deng, C. X. and He, L. (2024) Digital transformation of infrastructure and urban resilience. Global Cities Research, 5 (1). 017-033.

The digitization of urban infrastructure is at a nascent stage globally, presenting vast potential. This research delves into the nature of digital infrastructure and its role in bolstering the security and resilience of global cities amidst challenges posed by economic, technological, and urban development shifts. The study's scope includes assessing the current state of urban digital infrastructure, exploring various digital modalities and their disparities, and offering an exhaustive analysis of the interplay between infrastructure digitization and urban resilience.

PhD thesis deposit

Cross, M. (2024) Unlocking imagination through maps: exploring the spatial imaginaries of food system transitions. PhD thesis, University of Reading. doi: https://doi.org/10.48683/1926.00117616

Relocalisation is often seen as an antidote to the problems associated with the ‘globalised’ food system. Shortening the distance between food production and consumption requires a significant shift in food systems thinking and practice. This thesis is concerned with how these rescaled food systems are imagined by actors seeking to move away from the ‘global’ and towards the ‘local’, and the role of these visions in transforming food systems. It fuses sustainability transitions – the process of change, usually from a less towards a more desirable state, with spatial imaginaries – the ways we collectively conceptualise, frame and experience spaces and places. The research focuses on the transitions sought by people working within and around UK food partnerships. It combines document review, interviews and spatial mapping methods to uncover and explore the desired destinations of transition – what I refer to as spatial imaginaries – how these visions are legitimised and justified, and by whom. It builds a picture of the conditions required for an imaginary to take hold, reflecting on the interaction between vision, policy and practice and the tensions that arise. In doing so, it responds to an identified research gap to better understand the role and influence of spatiality, agency and legitimacy in reimagining food system transitions. More specifically, it intersects with a current debate on the role of food partnerships in transitioning food systems through rescaling, by highlighting the value in more carefully considering our imagined food futures. The research makes two key original contributions. Firstly, by exploring the ‘relational triangle’ between spatial imaginaries, rescaling and transition, it sheds light on how the power of imagination and the politics of rescaling are harnessed to reconceive, shape and validate food system change. It identifies a complex and dynamic relationship between personally-held visions, written strategies and common spatial imaginaries and assesses the implications in research and practice terms. Secondly, the spatial mapping approach brings a unique dimension to exploring the visions, perspectives and actions of actors seeking change. The approach can help identify bounded thinking, avoid the pitfalls of localism and create richer and more inclusive and imaginative shared spatial visions of food system transitions.

Visit our Insights page to read past news from the Real Estate & Planning Department and Henley Business School 

 Henley Insights