Lecture：On development rules, challenges, strategies and evaluations of global megalopolis

Speaker: Ding Cheng-ri
Sponsor: Institute for Economic and Social Research in Jinan University

ABOUT DING CHENG-RI
Ding Cheng-ri, tenure professor of University of Maryland in urban studies and planning and a researcher of National Center for Rational Growth. In 1996, he was awarded the Ph.D. in regional planning philosophy from the University of Illinois. He was at Cleveland State University, Texas A & M University and University of Maryland. His research areas include urban economics, urban policy, land policy, urban planning, urban management, policy and planning analysis, urban transport and so on. He has published more than 30 papers in world-class magazines (in English), such as Urban Economics and Urban Policy, Urban Spatial Planning: Theory, Methodology and Practice, Urban Growth and Countermeasures - International Experiences and China Development, World Giant - rules, challenges, growth control and its evaluation are his works. He has two Chinese co-authored works named Urban Planning and Spatial Structure --- on Urban Sustainable Development Strategies and Urban Planning and Market Mechanism. Since the year of 2001, he has taken charge of the creation of the Land Policy and Urban Development Department of the Lincoln Land Policy Research Institute in China and the University of Maryland.

Discussion Topics:
1. Why the mega-city population has been breaking the planned one?
2. Why are challenging problems for mega-cities (so-called urban diseases), such as transportation, pollution, housing, resource pressures (like water resources pressure) cannot hold up the growth of urban population?
3. Is there a natural bond between mega-cities development and the rapid urbanization as well as the betterment of national economy?
4. What is the relationship between the development of mega-cities and the small and medium-sized ones (especially small cities)? Are there any negative correlations of the development speed?
5. Are there any control schemes in the world for mega-city development? If any, what are the specific results of the scheme?
6. How to understand the meaning of population growth as well as the problems in the mega-cities?