Tsinghua University Research Center and UN-Habitat Spotlight Sustainable Urban Financing at WUF13
The thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) recently took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, bringing together global leaders, researchers, and practitioners to address pressing urban development challenges. As part of the Forum, the Research Center for Investment and Financing Policy (IFP) of Tsinghua University and the Cities Investment Facility (CIF) of UN-Habitat jointly organized an Urban Finance Masterclass attended by more than 70 participants from around the world.
The event served as a significant follow-up initiative to the Letter of Intent signed between Tsinghua University and UN-Habitat in 2025, strengthening collaboration on sustainable urban development and financing.
In his opening remarks, Prof. Yang Yongheng, Director of the Research Center for Investment and Financing Policy at Tsinghua University, highlighted the growing challenges faced by cities, including housing shortages and infrastructure financing gaps. He emphasized the importance of innovative financing mechanisms, such as Public-Private Partnerships, and collaborative governance involving governments, markets, and communities.
Experts from UN-Habitat, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and China’s infrastructure financing sector shared insights on project preparation, housing finance, and sustainable investment strategies. The programme also featured interactive project design and pitching exercises involving Tsinghua graduate students and international participants, fostering practical discussions on financing solutions for housing and infrastructure development.
