Directions in Urban Development, launched in October 2008, provides an opportunity to address, in a timely and focused manner, emerging trends and topics of relevance to cities, towns, national governments, and development agencies as they face the challenges of urbanization.
Those who wish to receive regular updates and emailed versions upon issuance of new notes should provide their email contact information to the Urban Help Desk to be included on the e-mail list. Suggestions for topics that are timely and relevant to our global urban community are welcome.
The Directions series was initiated with several objectives in mind:
• To respond to a combination of requests by client countries and cities, donor partners and both Urban and non-Urban World Bank staff who seek timely and more accessible knowledge and thinking on urban challenges and responses of relevance to policy makers, practitioners and development partners.
• To respond to requests for more short and focused messages; the presentation is oriented toward an executive-style 4-6 page format that is issues-focused and usually responding to an urgent topic of debate or interest.
• To provide an ideal platform for the exchange and communication of ideas, innovations, good practice, and emerging trends that have a bearing on urban development.
• To draw attention to recent research of the Bank and other development agencies. Such reports, research papers and publications can often be overlooked because their messages are not reaching the right audiences.
