Irina Panait

Summary

Urban Planner: strategic spatial planning & design

I have a wide understanding on strategic planning due to a rich expertise and in elaborating and coordination architectural projects within interdisciplinary teams for designing complex residential, commercial, reconversion projects in historical areas, office and industrial buildings and coordinate complex urban planning project such as zonal plans of important parts of large cities (“The actualization of the Urban Zonal Plan of District 6, Bucharest”). Due to my experience, I was selected as one of the members of the Technical Commission for Territorial Planning and Urbanism of the Ilfov County Council giving advice to the Chief Architect for the approval of the Urban Planning Applications for zonal developments.

Professional expertise in strategic territorial planning legislation

In my current mandate as Member of the Board of Directors of The Professional Association of Urban Planners in Romania (APUR), I provide professional advice on amendments to urban and territorial planning legislation and regulations in Romania, bringing a correlation with the latest European legislation towards sustainable urban development (e.g. Law for approval of the Code of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and Constructions).

Affordable Housing Provision

My research on policy analysis for affordable housing provision during my postgraduate programme brought solid basis in social inclusion and challenges in tackling disparities. My extended research on social exclusion and spatial polarization in the Global South from the European Cohesion Policy lenses brought forward clarity in my perspective as a planner for different levels of disparities (Thesis: “Sustainability in affordable housing provision in Johannesburg – a solution or a luxury?”). Within over 8 years of working within European territorial cooperation as URBACT programme manager in Romania, I have brought my in-depth understanding of sustainability and inclusion for stimulating the participation of cities in the programme and enrich public administration capacities with tools, methods and the drive to develop Integrated Action Plans and further find funding for implementing their projects. After many years of promoting and sharing knowledge on sustainable urban development, getting in-depth understanding of the challenges cities and various involved actors face within implementing their Actions Plans, I look forward to communicating about the benefits and key factors of cooperation and how they could be reflected in the future Cohesion policy.

Expertise in European Territorial Cooperation: sustainable urban development within URBACT

High proficiency in European Territorial Cooperation mechanism in URBACT and beyond; with a deep understanding of cities’ perspective on Cohesion Policy and sustainable development.

With extended experience in strategic urban planning and design, my expertise intersects knowledge and proficiency from both international cooperation focused on integrated sustainable urban development and experience in urban planning and design with an integrated view on planning policy, housing issues, social disparities and legislation gaps within strategic planning and territorial development. My experience in European territorial cooperation (URBACT, INTERREG EUROPE, ENI CBC Romania-Ukraine) and programme management, communication strategy and training for capacity building and knowledge sharing brings a comprehensive and inclusive approach on analysis regarding lessons learned from cities and stakeholders from URBACT to participate in the decision making on the future Cohesion policy.

Multi-level governance

My experience in URBACT began in 2012 when I started representing Romania in the cooperation programme within a key programming period where all Member States developed consultation groups and initiatives to determine their national objectives to be reflected within the programme’s aim for integrated sustainable urban development. I had been actively involved in thematic groups for determining the level and capacity of implementing the CLLD,  ITI and urban-rural partnerships on national level with the reflection of the Ministry for Agriculture, Ministry for European Funds and relevant actors within regional development. Therefore, I bring extended experience in facilitating dialogue within multilevel governance due to my participation in various consultation groups with the goal of extracting the essence of the needs on national, regional and local level as a reflection for the international level for implementing the Cohesion policy.