Methodology and Procedure
The complex and dynamic nature of megaurban processes requires a dedicated transdisciplinary and multisectoral approach, with a special focus on the interfaces and interactions between the diverse urban subsystems - taking into account both "horizontal" (sector and discipline overarching) and "vertical" (scale overarching, global, regional, local and sublocal) interconnections.
The four core topics are examined singly or in combination by interdisciplinary research teams - dedicated to a close collaboration between approaches of both social and natural sciences.
A strong cooperation with partner universities in Bangladesh and China enables the international exchange of knowledge and experiences and the joint development of scientific approaches and methods.
In order to achieve high effectiveness of analysis and intensive interaction and coordination between the projects, the programme research concentrates on two megacities.
The selection of the two megacities was made on the basis of the two contrasting categories "centralised" (with only partially possible informality) and " decentralised" (with a high degree of loss of governability and marked informality).
The megaurban regions of Dhaka in Bangladesh and the Pearl River Delta in China (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong) were chosen. Close coordination with other existing German and international megacity initiatives and research programmes ensures the benefit from possible synergy effects.