The Italian spatial planner: data insights on education and practice in an international perspective

Abstract

Almost 20 years since its introduction in Italy, the Spatial Planner profession is still being debated: on the one hand, the recent reform proposal by the National Council of Architects PPC would result in its disappearance; on the other hand, the revision of the degree classes (L-21 and LM-48) initiated by the National University Council offered the opportunity to reaffirm its cultural relevance.

Through an original collection and analysis of data from different sources, the paper investigates planning education, practice and their evolution in the last twenty years, framing current Italian planners’ situation in light of the wider international context. In fact, planning schools and professionals can be found worldwide, but in such a variety of forms (terminology, cross-disciplinary contamination, legal recognition) that the Planner’s social role is still uncertain. Nevertheless, a strong endorsement comes from the UN’s New Urban Agenda.

In conclusion, the paper argues that, until now, the Italian debate has been driven (and misled) by a limited number of indicators which are neither reliable nor sufficient, whereas it should be reframed in an international perspective, due to the increasing globalization of education and practice, paying attention to planners’ competence, societal utility, actual and potential role.