ARL International

We promote international exchange in spatial sciences and practice.

Our platform connects excellent knowledge, transferable questions, practical recommendations, and expertise from both science and practice across Europe and beyond.

This dynamic approach fosters cross-border perspectives and transdisciplinary solutions, addressing the increasingly important challenges of our time.

NEW: Our missions

#1 Promoting sustainable, resilient and equitable water management
#2 Planning sustainable infrastructures

Latest News

07/07/2025

Call for Contributions: Special Session on City-Regional Futures

As part of the RSA Regional Futures conference (Dublin, 12–14 November 2025), this Special Session invites contributions exploring the future of city-regions.

07/07/2025

Photo of a camera screen showing a New York street scene with a yellow taxi and zebra crossing

PhD Video Challenge 2025

Buildings & Cities and the ARL are once again calling on all doctoral students to take part in the Video Challenge

02/07/2025

The role of visual images in urban planning for health equity

We’re excited to share the latest contribution from the ARL International Working Group on Urban Planning for Health Equity

01/07/2025

Transformation of rural mountain areas in the Alps

Recap of ARL AlpPlan Summer Course 2025 for Young Researchers and Professionals

25 – 29 June 2025 in UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch (CH)

24/06/2025

Group of around 20 people smiling and posing in front of large turquoise letters spelling “NMBU” on a grassy lawn. In the background stands a historic red brick building with white window elements and a rainbow flag on the roof. The sky is blue with some clouds, and the atmosphere appears cheerful and summery. The scene takes place on the campus of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences.

Exploring Land-Management across Europe: Perspectives, Challenges and Practices

A brief recap on the ARL Summer School 2025 on Land Management at NMBU, Norway

From 17 to 19 June 2025, the Summer School on Land Management was held at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) in Ås, Norway.

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Who we are

The ARL – Academy for Territorial Development in the Leibniz Association is the central platform and professional voice of spatial science research and practice. As a social research infrastructure, we bring together recognised experts on socially relevant topics.

We provide our members and all participants in our network with the human and financial resources necessary for inter- and transdisciplinary cooperation, the synthesis of spatial knowledge and the effective transfer of results. In this way, we tackle current issues of sustainable spatial development in an integrated, multidisciplinary and practice-orientated manner.

This inter- and transdisciplinary approach characterises all our activities, events and publications with the aim of stimulating forward-thinking change and actively shaping the process of spatial transformation.

The ARL is a member of the Leibniz Assoctiation.

The Academy