Urban Infrastructure Planning, Management & Sustainable Urban Development Training

Programme Overview

Urban infrastructure planning and sustainable development have become central priorities for governments, city authorities, and development partners as cities face rapid population growth, climate pressures, resource constraints, and rising demand for resilient services. Poorly coordinated infrastructure and city systems decisions can lead to congestion, environmental degradation, fiscal stress, and long-term urban vulnerability. This training programme is designed to equip participants with practical frameworks and tools to plan, design, and manage urban infrastructure systems that are inclusive, resilient, and aligned with sustainable development objectives. The programme focuses on integrated urban planning approaches that connect transport, housing, utilities, land use, climate resilience, and economic development. The training bridges the gap between infrastructure planning theory and real-world urban decision-making. Participants gain hands-on exposure to strategic planning methods, project prioritization, governance models, and sustainability principles applicable to cities in developing, emerging, and transition economies. This Urban Infrastructure Planning & City Systems Training supports cities in strengthening integrated planning, governance, and sustainable infrastructure delivery. Watch the video below for a practical perspective on integrated urban infrastructure planning and sustainable city development.

Urban Infrastructure Planning for Sustainable Development | Building Resilient Cities

Host Country Profile Japan is a global leader in urban infrastructure planning, resilience, and sustainable development. With advanced transport systems, integrated land-use planning, and strong disaster risk management, the country offers valuable lessons for modern cities. Japan’s leadership in urban infrastructure planning and resilience is supported by national frameworks and policies led by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), which oversees transport systems, land-use planning, and sustainable urban development nationwide. Yokohama is internationally recognized for its smart urban planning, sustainable mobility, and waterfront redevelopment. Hosting the programme in Yokohama allows participants to learn from real-world applications of coordinated infrastructure planning, sustainability strategies, and effective urban governance within a highly advanced urban environment.

Delivered by Risalat Consultants International in Yokohama, Japan, it combines expert-led sessions, real cases and group work, so that participants can apply what they learn in their own institution.

The Programme Strengthens Institutional Capability

• Understand integrated urban infrastructure planning principles
• Align infrastructure investments with sustainable development goals
• Apply land-use, transport, and service integration approaches
• Assess infrastructure demand, capacity, and long-term urban growth needs
• Incorporate climate resilience and environmental sustainability into planning
• Prioritize infrastructure projects using economic, social, and environmental criteria
• Strengthen governance, coordination, and stakeholder engagement in urban planning
• Improve decision-making for sustainable, inclusive, and resilient cities
• Infrastructure planning and prioritisation
• Project appraisal and business cases
• Financing options and public-private partnerships
• Procurement and contracting for works

It is designed for urban planners and city development officials, infrastructure and public works managers, transport, housing, water, and energy sector professionals and others who want practical, current skills in infrastructure, urban development and partnerships.

The Growing Importance of Urban Infrastructure Planning, Management & Sustainable Urban Development

Infrastructure and urban services shape growth, health and opportunity. Projects are large, complex and long-lived, and weaknesses in planning, financing or delivery are costly to fix later.

Governments increasingly combine public investment, partnerships with the private sector and new technologies. Teams who can plan, appraise, procure and manage these investments deliver better assets and services.

Organisations increasingly require professionals capable of:

• Plan and prioritise infrastructure investments
• Appraise projects and prepare business cases
• Choose financing and delivery models
• Supervise works for time, cost and quality
• Manage assets over their life

Strong infrastructure, urban development and partnerships systems help organisations:

• Select the right investments
• Deliver projects on time and on budget
• Attract financing and partners
• Keep assets working for longer

This Urban Infrastructure Planning, Management & Sustainable Urban Development programme brings these elements together in a practical format, so that participants understand not only what good practice looks like but also how to introduce it in their own setting, with the people and resources they have.

Who Should Attend This Urban Infrastructure Planning, Management & Sustainable Urban Development Training?

This programme is designed for:

• Urban planners and city development officials
• Infrastructure and public works managers
• Transport, housing, water, and energy sector professionals
• Municipal engineers and technical advisors
• Policy makers and regulatory authority staff
• Project and programme managers in donor-funded urban projects
• Consultants working in urban development and infrastructure
• Staff of ministries responsible for cities, infrastructure, and regional development
• Infrastructure and urban planners
• Engineers and technical managers
• Project and programme managers
• PPP unit staff

The programme suits experienced professionals as well as those moving into new responsibilities. Groups that mix institutions and countries are encouraged, because participants learn a great deal from each other’s experience.

Urban Infrastructure Planning, Management & Sustainable Urban Development Training Objectives

Upon successful completion of this Urban Infrastructure Planning, Management & Sustainable Urban Development Training, participants will be able to:

• Explain how infrastructure is planned and prioritised
• Appraise projects and prepare a business case
• Compare financing and delivery models, including partnerships
• Plan procurement and contracts for works
• Supervise construction for time, cost and quality
• Plan asset management and maintenance
• Build sustainability and resilience into projects
• Engage stakeholders and communities
• Prepare an action plan for their portfolio

Each objective is practised during the programme through exercises, cases or group work, so that participants leave able to do it, not only to describe it.

Programme Contents and Structure

The programme runs over 5 days. Each day combines expert input, practical work and a closing workshop or case study:

• First Day: Urban Infrastructure Planning Foundations
• Second Day: Land Use, Mobility & Service Integration
• Third Day: Sustainable & Climate-Resilient Infrastructure
• Fourth Day: Infrastructure Financing, Prioritization & Governance
• Fifth Day: Technical Visits, International Practice & Institutional Action Planning

Full day-by-day contents

First Day | Urban Infrastructure Planning Foundations

• Urbanization trends and infrastructure challenges
• Role of infrastructure in sustainable urban development
• Integrated urban systems: transport, housing, utilities, and land use
• Infrastructure planning vs. project-by-project approaches
• Governance and institutional coordination in cities

Workshop: Urban Infrastructure Planning Foundations: Applying It to Your Institution

Working in small groups, participants apply the day's methods to examples from their own institutions and agree practical next steps.

Second Day | Land Use, Mobility & Service Integration

• Land-use planning and spatial development frameworks
• Urban transport systems and mobility planning
• Transit-oriented development (TOD) concepts
• Infrastructure density, accessibility, and service equity
• Managing informal settlements and service expansion

Workshop: Land Use, Mobility & Service Integration: Applying It to Your Institution

Working in small groups, participants apply the day's methods to examples from their own institutions and agree practical next steps.

Third Day | Sustainable & Climate-Resilient Infrastructure

• Climate risks and urban vulnerability assessment
• Resilient infrastructure design principles
• Green infrastructure and nature-based solutions
• Energy efficiency, water management, and waste systems
• Environmental and social safeguards in urban projects

Case Study: Sustainable & Climate-Resilient Infrastructure in Practice

Participants analyse a realistic case, compare the choices made with good practice and draw lessons they can use in their own setting.

Fourth Day | Infrastructure Financing, Prioritization & Governance

• Infrastructure investment planning and sequencing
• Cost-benefit analysis and economic appraisal
• Public investment management and donor financing
• Public-private partnerships (PPPs) in urban infrastructure
• Risk management, procurement, and contract considerations

Workshop: Infrastructure Financing, Prioritization & Governance: Applying It to Your Institution

Working in small groups, participants apply the day's methods to examples from their own institutions and agree practical next steps.

Fifth Day | Technical Visits, International Practice & Institutional Action Planning

• Translating plans into implementable projects
• Monitoring infrastructure performance and outcomes
• Data, indicators, and urban analytics for decision-making
• Stakeholder engagement and political economy of cities
• Action planning for participants’ cities and institutions

Capstone Exercise: Urban Infrastructure Planning, Management & Sustainable Urban Development Action Plan for Your Institution

Participants bring the week together in an action plan for their own institution, with priorities, owners and first steps, and present it for feedback from peers and facilitators.

Urban Infrastructure Planning, Management & Sustainable Urban Development Training Methodology

The programme is practical and participatory. Expert facilitators introduce concepts and current practice, and participants apply them straight away through discussion, exercises and work on real cases.

The programme combines:

• Expert-led sessions on current practice
• Regional and international case studies
• Group work and practical exercises
• Simulations and role plays where relevant
• Discussion of participants' own challenges
• Peer learning across institutions and countries
• Technical visits to institutions and sites
• Daily reflection and action planning

Before the programme, a short pre-assessment helps the facilitators understand each participant’s role and priorities, so that examples and exercises can be adjusted to the group. Each day ends with a short reflection in which participants note what they will apply at work.

Technical Visits and Site Programme

The programme includes visits to institutions, projects or sites in and around Yokohama where participants see current practice at first hand and meet the professionals responsible. Visits are confirmed with the host organisations before the programme and may change for operational reasons.

• Briefings by host institutions on their approach and results
• Guided site visits with time for questions
• Structured observation notes for each visit
• Group debrief linking what was seen to participants' own institutions

Expected Outcomes

Upon completion of this Urban Infrastructure Planning, Management & Sustainable Urban Development Training, participants will be able to:

• Plan and prioritise infrastructure investments
• Appraise projects and prepare business cases
• Choose financing and delivery models
• Supervise works for time, cost and quality
• Plan asset management and maintenance
• Build resilience into projects

Participants leave with a personal action plan and practical tools they can use in their institution from the first week back. Institutions that send several participants can use the programme to agree shared methods and templates across teams, which makes improvements easier to sustain.

Institutional Application of Urban Infrastructure Planning, Management & Sustainable Urban Development Training

This programme supports organisations in strengthening:

• Investment planning
• Project appraisal
• Partnership management
• Works supervision
• Asset management

Participants return with practical tools to improve:

• Business cases
• Risk allocation
• Contract management
• Maintenance planning
• Service monitoring

The programme is built so that learning moves from the classroom into the institution. Participants work on their own processes and documents where possible, and leave with an action plan that their managers can review and support.

Regional Relevance & Application

Europe

European institutions apply infrastructure, urban development and partnerships within detailed regulatory frameworks and reform agendas. Participants from Europe can compare their practice with colleagues from other regions and test how established methods work under different conditions.

Africa

Across Africa, ministries, agencies and project teams working in infrastructure, urban development and partnerships increasingly operate alongside donor-financed programmes that expect clear systems and evidence. The programme helps participants adapt good practice to the institutions and resources they work with.

Middle East

In the Middle East, national development strategies and diversification plans place growing demands on infrastructure, urban development and partnerships. Participants explore how to build the capability these plans need inside public bodies and companies.

Asia

Institutions across Asia combine rapid growth with ambitious modernisation programmes. Participants from Asia can share their experience of scaling systems quickly and learn from approaches used elsewhere.

Pacific

Small island and Pacific states face particular constraints of size, distance and capacity. The programme highlights practical, proportionate approaches to infrastructure, urban development and partnerships that suit smaller institutions.

Holding the programme in Yokohama, Japan brings participants together away from their daily pressures, so they can compare how infrastructure, urban development and partnerships is handled in different settings. The same programme can also be delivered in-house for one institution, in its own country or online, with cases taken from its current work.

Host Country Profile – Japan

Programmes, Workshops, Exposures, Training Courses in Yokohama, Japan by Risalat Consultants International

Studying away from their own country gives participants time to focus, a fresh view of their own institution and the chance to build a network with colleagues from other countries.

The programme takes place at New Otani Inn.

Urban Infrastructure Planning, Management & Sustainable Urban Development Training Deliverables

Participants receive support before, during and after the programme, so that preparation, learning and follow-up form one continuous experience.

Before the Programme

• Participant Pre-Assessment
• Urban Infrastructure Planning, Management & Sustainable Urban Development Readiness Assessment
• Urban Infrastructure Planning, Management & Sustainable Urban Development Resource Pack
• Preparatory Reading Materials
• Complimentary Visa Support & Advisory

During the Programme

• Airport Pickup & Welcome Assistance
• Accommodation with Breakfast
• Welcome Networking Dinner
• Risalat Training Kit (Bag, Bottle, Mug, T-Shirt, Cap, Passport Cover, Pens, Notebook, Magnet & Keychain)
• Comprehensive Urban Infrastructure Planning, Management & Sustainable Urban Development Training Manual
• Project Appraisal Template
• PPP Risk Allocation Matrix
• Works Supervision Checklist
• Asset Management Plan Template
• Practical Workshops & Simulations
• Group Discussions & Peer Learning
• Daily Lunch and Refreshments
• Full Access to Training Venue Facilities
• Mini Pad / Tablet with Digital Learning Materials
• Field Visit (where applicable)
• Entertaining City Tour

After the Programme

• Certificate of Completion
• Risalat Programme Participation Recognition Award
• Post-Training Reference Materials
• Business Case Review Checklist
• Maintenance Planning Template
• Post-Training Support & Follow-Up Guidance
• Programme Report

Institutions can also request a tailored in-house version of this programme, delivered at their premises or online. Request a proposal.

Common Challenges in Urban Infrastructure Planning, Management & Sustainable Urban Development, And How This Training Helps

How can institutions plan and prioritise infrastructure investments?

The programme addresses this directly on the first day (Urban Infrastructure Planning Foundations), where participants practise the methods involved and adapt them to their own institution, then build it into their action plan.

How can institutions appraise projects and prepare business cases?

The programme addresses this directly on the second day (Land Use, Mobility & Service Integration), where participants practise the methods involved and adapt them to their own institution, then build it into their action plan.

How can institutions choose financing and delivery models?

The programme addresses this directly on the third day (Sustainable & Climate-Resilient Infrastructure), where participants practise the methods involved and adapt them to their own institution, then build it into their action plan.

How can institutions supervise works for time, cost and quality?

The programme addresses this directly on the fourth day (Infrastructure Financing, Prioritization & Governance), where participants practise the methods involved and adapt them to their own institution, then build it into their action plan.

How can institutions manage assets over their life?

The programme addresses this directly on the fifth day (Technical Visits, International Practice & Institutional Action Planning), where participants practise the methods involved and adapt them to their own institution, then build it into their action plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where does the Urban Infrastructure Planning, Management & Sustainable Urban Development programme take place?

It runs from 1 Feb 2027 to 5 Feb 2027, in Yokohama, Japan (New Otani Inn). The registration deadline is shown at the top of this page.

Who should attend?

The programme is designed for urban planners and city development officials, infrastructure and public works managers, transport, housing, water, and energy sector professionals, municipal engineers and technical advisors, and others who want practical skills in infrastructure, urban development and partnerships.

Will I receive a certificate?

Yes. Participants who complete the programme receive a Certificate of Completion from Risalat Consultants International.

Can this programme be delivered for our institution only?

Yes. We can deliver a tailored in-house version at your premises, in another city or online, built around your own cases. Use the proposal request on this page.

Do I need prior experience in infrastructure, urban development and partnerships?

No specialist background is required beyond experience in a related role. A short pre-assessment helps the facilitators adapt the sessions to the group.

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