Berlin- Germany – September 14, 2026 | University Press Office (UNPO) – The University of Duhok (UoD) The Department of City Planning at the College of City and Regional Planning has successfully completed its international Summer School 2026 in Berlin, Germany.

Held from August 21 to August 30, 2026, the program titled “Public Spaces of Everyday Urban Life” served as a major milestone under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the University of Duhok and Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin). The initiative was coordinated by Dr. Hassan Elmouelhi (Habitat Unit, TU Berlin) and Dr. Layla Mohamed Raswol (UoD), supported by supervision from Dr. Shareen Younus Ismail, Head of the Department of City Planning, and Mr. Vajin Kawa Mahmood, Department Coordinator.

Partnering with TU Berlin—ranked among Germany’s top universities—allowed the City Planning Third-stage (6th semester) students to immerse themselves in international academic exchanges, urban field studies, and practical design activities focused on public space governance.

Program Highlights & Field Exploration

The summer school combined theoretical lectures at TU Berlin with extensive urban surveys across Berlin's public realm:

• August 24: Following welcoming remarks by Prof. Dr. Anke Hagemann (Chair of International Urbanism and Design, TU Berlin) and Dr. Hassan Elmouelhi, students participated in comparative workshops analyzing public space typologies across Germany and Kurdistan Region-Iraq. The day concluded with an urban walking survey covering Alexanderplatz, Berliner Dom, Brandenburg Gate, and Potsdamer Platz.
• August 25: The Third-stage (6th semester) Students surveyed large-scale open-space management at Tempelhofer Feld and the Allmende-Kontor community garden, alongside social integration models at The Open Kitchen (Hejmo).
• August 26: Seminars presented by Hellen Aziz addressed power relations in Arab city public spaces (building on the UoD-hosted PR-GPS project) and urban greening typologies. Students engaged in hands-on sustainable gardening practices at Prinzessinnengarten Jacobi.
• August 27: Featuring lectures by Mohamed Salheen (Coproduction of Knowledge) and Eiad Alnofal (Public Spaces and Real Estate), students completed a 5-kilometer guided walking study along Sonnenallee to evaluate how identity and social history shape urban spatial character.
• Aug 28: Students explored “The Street Markets in Berlin,” followed by a field visit to the Neukölln Flohmarkt. The visit provided students with an opportunity to observe the role of street markets within the urban environment. The workshop concluded with student group presentations, through which participants presented their reflections and proposed ways of applying their learning to their own urban context. The programme officially ended with the awarding of certificates to the participating students, marking the completion of an intensive learning experience combining academic exchange, expert knowledge, fieldwork, community engagement, and practical reflection.

Connecting Berlin Insights to Duhok's Local Context

A primary objective of the summer school was knowledge transferability. During the final working sessions, students worked in collaborative teams to synthesize their observations and present actionable strategies for adapting Berlin’s urban practices to Duhok and the broader Kurdistan Region.

Proposals focused on implementing more inclusive public space governance, integrating urban agriculture, and improving community-led green infrastructure in local neighborhoods. The program officially concluded with a student presentation showcase and an official certificate ceremony.

Strategic Alignment with UoD Vision

This collaboration directly supports the University of Duhok’s Strategic Plan (2023–2038) by:

• Strengthening Global Partnerships with elite European institutions like TU Berlin.
• Experiential & Practical Education, shifting learning beyond traditional classrooms toward real-world field analysis, site observations, and cross-cultural problem-solving.
• Local Community Impact, by applying international spatial methodologies to improve the inclusivity, sustainability, and vibrancy of public spaces across Duhok and Kurdistan.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE MEDIA COVERAGE FOR THIS EVENT

University Press Office – September 14, 2026

Reported by: Fatima Mahmood Ali, Aland Kamal Othman

Photography: Vajin Kawa Mahmood

Keywords:

• University of Duhok
• City Planning
• TU Berlin
• Summer School
• Public Spaces
• Urban Governance
• Sustainable Cities