Professor David Shaw. With over 40 years of experience in higher education all over the world, David Shaw is a well-respected planning academic. Following time spent in Plymouth, Malawi, and Birmingham, David spent nearly 30 years at the University of Liverpool and from 2000-2100 he was Head of the Department of Civic Design, the oldest planning school in the world. During he time as Head he played a significant role in the founding of the Urban Planning Department at XJTLU, which he has visited on several occasions. Having retired from Liverpool in August 2024, he was very fortunate to been selected by China’s National Leading Talent Programme and now holds a Chair at Nanjing University’s School of Architecture and Planning. His research interests are wide ranging, covering rural planning, environmental management, terrestrial and maritime planning, often with an international focus.
Prof. Richard Hu
Professor Richard Hu is an award-winning urban planner. Hu’s work and interests—both intellectual and professional—integrate the city, economy, and technology to tackle contemporary urban transformation and sustainable development with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region. Hu is author of seven books, including Reinventing the Chinese City (Columbia University Press, 2023), Smart Design (Routledge, 2021), and The Shenzhen Phenomenon (Routledge, 2020). Hu is the editor of the Routledge Handbook of Asian Cities (2023) and book series Routledge Research in Sustainable Planning and Development in Asia. Hu convenes the Asian Cities Network, a global enabling platform for knowledge sharing and policy debates on urban development in Asia. Hu is a registered planner with the Planning Institute of Australia (RPIA) and a certified planner with the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). Currently he is a Full Professor in the University of Canberra, Australia, and he has accepted the XJTLU’s appointment on a Visiting Professor position starting from September 2025.
Prof. David Shaw
Professor David Shaw. With over 40 years of experience in higher education all over the world, David Shaw is a well-respected planning academic. Following time spent in Plymouth, Malawi, and Birmingham, David spent nearly 30 years at the University of Liverpool and from 2000-2100 he was Head of the Department of Civic Design, the oldest planning school in the world. During he time as Head he played a significant role in the founding of the Urban Planning Department at XJTLU, which he has visited on several occasions. Having retired from Liverpool in August 2024, he was very fortunate to been selected by China’s National Leading Talent Programme and now holds a Chair at Nanjing University’s School of Architecture and Planning. His research interests are wide ranging, covering rural planning, environmental management, terrestrial and maritime planning, often with an international focus.
Prof. Richard Hu
Professor Richard Hu is an award-winning urban planner. Hu’s work and interests—both intellectual and professional—integrate the city, economy, and technology to tackle contemporary urban transformation and sustainable development with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region. Hu is author of seven books, including Reinventing the Chinese City (Columbia University Press, 2023), Smart Design (Routledge, 2021), and The Shenzhen Phenomenon (Routledge, 2020). Hu is the editor of the Routledge Handbook of Asian Cities (2023) and book series Routledge Research in Sustainable Planning and Development in Asia. Hu convenes the Asian Cities Network, a global enabling platform for knowledge sharing and policy debates on urban development in Asia. Hu is a registered planner with the Planning Institute of Australia (RPIA) and a certified planner with the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). Currently he is a Full Professor in the University of Canberra, Australia, and he has accepted the XJTLU’s appointment on a Visiting Professor position starting from September 2025.