As a majority of the world's population lives in cities, a major part of all social phenomena, problems and amenities will take on an urban form and challenge the existing regional structures. The institute tackles complex problems of urban and regional development by research and education. It combines the long-standing academic excellence of research in the University of Helsinki with emerging transdisciplinary collaborations with cities and other actors. The research focuses on three interlinking fields: places, people and politics in an international setting.