Founded in 1965, the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) is a global association of professional city and regional planners. Our network brings together individual and institutional members from 85+ countries with the vision to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable through integrative participatory urban and territorial planning. In 2016, the Society initiated the ISOCARP Institute as a research spin-off for generating and disseminating knowledge for better cities and territories.

Our mission and objectives

Our mission is to mobilise professional urban and regional planners to co-implement the vision enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda by:

• creating a global network of practitioners
• fostering planning research, training, and education
• encouraging the professional exchange of knowledge
• promoting the planning profession and excellence in practice in all its forms
• developing and maintaining altruistic relations between members
• enhancing public awareness and understanding of major planning issues at the global level
• supporting and protecting planning interest and professional planners

Our activities

Activate knowledge

The objectives of ISOCARP include the improvement of planning practice through the creation of a global and active network of practitioners. ISOCARP encourages the exchange of professional knowledge between planners, promotes the planning profession in all its forms, stimulates and improves planning research, training and education and enhances public awareness and understanding of major planning issues at a global level.

World Congress

The Society’s main event is the annual World Congress, which focuses on a globally-significant planning theme and which takes place in a different country each year. Prior to the congress Young Planning Professional Workshops are organized. This YPP programme seeks to bring together emerging young planning professionals from all over the world to tackle ‘real-world’ planning projects. Smaller-scale events such as seminars and working groups are also organized.

Publications and Awards

All ISOCARP activities are covered in publications such as the ISOCARP Review, the International Manual of Planning Practice (IMPP), Congress proceedings and special project reports.
ISOCARP recognises excellence through the Society’s award programme.

Urban Planning Advisory Teams

ISOCARP Urban Planning Advisory teams (UPATs) assist sponsor organizations by offering the extensive experience and expertise of ISOCARP members to work on important local or international planning projects, programs and policy initiatives.

Young Planning Professionals’ Programme

A particular focus and commitment of ISOCARP is on young generations through facilitating knowledge for better cities with the youth. The Young Planning Professionals’ Programme is a crucial component of ISOCARP’s dedication to promote and enhance the planning profession. The objective is to contribute to the knowledge base and improve skills of young professionals, the future leaders of our profession.

Download our brochure to find out how you can get involved, and learn more about membership, activities and ISOCARP’s contribution to the Global Agenda: