Dr. Fulong Wu stands as a preeminent scholar in urban planning and China's urban development, holding the distinguished Bartlett Professor of Planning position at University College London's Bartlett School of Planning within the Faculty of the Built Environment. This prestigious appointment, held since 2011, follows notable predecessors including Sir Patrick Abercrombie, Sir William Holford, Lord Richard Llewelyn-Davies, and Sir Peter Hall, establishing him among the most influential figures in contemporary planning scholarship. Educated at Nanjing University where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees, Dr. Wu completed his doctoral studies at the University of Hong Kong before embarking on an academic career that has spanned multiple prestigious institutions. Prior to his appointment at UCL, he held faculty positions at the University of Southampton and Cardiff University, building an international reputation for his expertise in urban transformation and spatial restructuring.
Dr. Wu's scholarly contributions have fundamentally reshaped understanding of China's urban transformation, with his research focusing on spatial structure, housing and land development, urban governance, and social spatial differentiation within the Chinese context. His extensive publication record includes seminal edited volumes such as "Restructuring the Chinese City" (2005), "Globalization and the Chinese City" (2006), and "Urban Poverty in China" (2010), which have become essential references for scholars studying urban development in Asia. His work on suburbanization patterns, regional governance, and rural-urban migration has provided critical frameworks for analyzing China's unprecedented urbanization process and its global implications. Recognized for his international impact, Dr. Wu received the prestigious 2013 Outstanding International Impact Prize from the UK Economic and Social Research Council, underscoring the significance of his research beyond academic circles into policy and practice.
Beyond his scholarly publications, Dr. Wu has played a pivotal role in shaping global discourse on urban development through his leadership in major research initiatives including the MCRI Projects on Governance, New Suburban Forms, and Regional Governance and Suburbanization. His tenure as Trustee of the Urban Studies Foundation from 2011 to 2017 further demonstrates his commitment to advancing urban scholarship internationally and fostering collaboration across disciplinary boundaries. Currently leading the China Research Cluster, Dr. Wu continues to direct cutting-edge research on urban China while mentoring the next generation of urban scholars through his position at one of the world's most respected planning schools. His ongoing work examining the relationship between transit-oriented development and urban expansion, as evidenced by his 2019 publication in Urban Geography, promises to further illuminate pathways for sustainable urban growth in rapidly developing contexts worldwide.
