After successful completion of the course, students are able to identify the specific opportunities and challenges of rural and alpine areas, to develop and critically reflect on scenarios for possible future developments and to present their own planning recommendations. Tools for citizen participation aimed at the specific stakeholder situation in rural and alpine regions can be identified, tested and adapted. Integrative and sectoral planning instruments as well as planning strategies can be analyzed and applied to specific areas. Students will be sensitized to the perception of space in rural and alpine locations or regions and will also be enabled to develop the high-level communication skills needed to involve residents (main and secondary residents, multi-local residents), guests (tourism) as well as local or regional stakeholders. Students can draw on problem-centered strategies, approaches and solutions and adapt them to renewal/transformation processes and thus to future potentials, but also to growing conflicts of use and interests. Through the reflection of spatial and sectoral (planning) strategies, but also through the integration of different problem views and disciplinary approaches, rural and alpine spaces - villages, municipalities, small towns and regions - can be identified, conveyed and developed as a space for future innovation.

The course is bundled with VU 280.874 Planning Processes for Rural and Alpine Areas and SE 280.875 Strategies for Rural and Alpine Areas. It deals with rural or alpine territories and their inhabitants as well as their cultural and economic resources and future chances in an integrative way. Planning instruments and processes as well as strategies, interventions and projects suited to specific spaces will be discussed. General and sectoral as well as local, regional and supra-regional strategies and planning instruments will be identified and broken down to local or regional conditions.

In the course of the semester, students work extensively on strategies for alpine areas. First, they will learn how to research existing strategies and how to read them. In the next step, strategies will be analyzed, refined and tested. After that, suggestions for the design and implementation of integrated spatial planning processes in alpine areas will be developed. The thematic focus will be on highly relevant issues and trends such as the climate crisis (climate strategy), land consumption (land strategy), transport and landscape. The course outcomes are to contribute to the understanding of alpine regions as innovative and future-oriented areas.

Preliminary excurision schedule (3 days):

• "alpine space": (cultural) landscape, natural hazards
• "strategies": challenges and development processes, Matrei, national park, river Isel
• "trends": (international) companies in Osttirol

The course package of the 2023 summer semester focuses on alpine areas using the example of East Tyrol. Several days will be spent working on site, making use of different methods, with the involvement of stakeholders and residents of the region.

The course contents will be developed in group and individual activities as well as in plenary sessions.

The course is jointly held with VU 280.874 Planning Processes for Rural and Alpine Areas and SE 280.875 Strategies for Rural and Alpine Areas. The three courses can therefore only be taken as a combined package.

It is eligible for credit as a supplementary course in elective module 2. 

The course will take place in presence mode. Please note the current regulations of TU Wien.

Subject to change due to coronavirus pandemic.

This course takes place in cooperation with the landuni Drosendorf. 

Participation and active involvement.

In course 280.874 you will find the combined registration for the 9-ECTS course package

VU 280.874 Planning Processes for Rural and Alpine Areas 
SE 280.875 Strategies for Rural and Alpine Areas
EX 280.891 Planning in Rural and Alpine Space

The three courses can only be taken as a combined package.

Preference will be given to students who are enrolled in the master's program.

Interest in the issues and challenges of rural and alpine areas and basic knowledge of planning tools, concepts, cultural practices and strategies are expected. Mandatory prerequisites: Simultaneous absolvation of the courses