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The Auroville Centre for Urban research (ACUR) is a
unique attempt to combine studies and investigations in Urban Development
with an actual field of practical implementation.
It is located in Auroville,
Tamil Nadu (India), an universal township under construction and serves
the dual purpose to constitute the first administrative nucleus of the emerging
city, a centre for elaboration of innovative approaches to the development
of the city and a place for exchange of experiences and communication at
the national and international levels with urban researchers, civic administrators,
city stakeholders and NGOs.
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The construction of this centre has been made possible thanks
to a contribution of the European Commission under the Asia-Urbs programme
, the Dutch based NGO Stichting De Zaaier and direct funds from Auroville.
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The centre hosts some of the civic bodies of Auroville, the
technical offices involved in regional planning and researching, a conference
room and a multimedia-library on town planning, urban research, and regional
development.
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As Auroville is a city under construction located into what
has been so far a predominantly rural area, the issue of a proper urban-rural
linkage is one of the core areas of research and ACUR aims to work towards
planning sustainable development solutions also at the level of the regional
surrounding rural area. |
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Networking with other cities and institutions in India and abroad is another
component of our research activity. As a spin-off of a project initially
started inside the Asia-urbs programme (City Networking for Sustainable
Development and Human Unity), ACUR offers support to other Indian cities
interested in linking with European cities and other institutions. |
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It also offers facilities for training programmes on urban management and
a multimedia library - with documentation on subjects like urbanisation,
sustainable growth of cities, diffusion of appropriate technologies, and
rural-urban relations - is available for individual students and researches.
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ACUR undertakes also activities of dissemination through conferences,
workshops, exhibitions and publications. |
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