German-Uzbek Specialist Conference on ‘Urban Growth Between Preservation and New Construction’ at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam

Urban growth, caught between the conflicting demands of heritage conservation, the preservation of existing historic neighbourhoods and new construction, raises important questions that are of immense practical relevance to urban development in Central Asia and Europe. 

The conference ‘Urban Growth Between Preservation and New Construction’ stems from an initiative by the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam and its Uzbek partners. The conference aims primarily to present and discuss Uzbek and German perspectives on issues relating to the protection of monuments and cultural heritage in growing urban environments. 

The aim is to facilitate and promote the exchange of knowledge between educational institutions in both countries, as well as the exchange and development of new cooperation projects of mutual interest in the fields of integrated applied research, knowledge transfer and teaching for the coming years. The conference is part of the “Interdisciplinary Approach to Monuments 2.0” project, led by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Röder, within the Eastern Partnership Programme funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

Specialist conference on Monday the 9^th of November 2026

1. Interdisciplinary Approaches to Heritage 2.0 – Summer School 2025 – Results and Findings
2. Keynote: Urban growth between heritage conservation and new development
3. Uzbek and German perspectives on urban growth between heritage conservation and new development
4. Reception

Networking conference with workshops on Tuesday the 10^th of November 2026

Workshops will be offered on the following topics: 

1. Research and knowledge and technology transfer topics of mutual interest, as well as degree programmes and their links to applied research and knowledge and technology transfer in the context of urban growth between heritage conservation and new development in Uzbekistan/Central Asia and Germany/Europe
2. Development of integrated degree programmes and academic standards for joint international modules, dual degrees and joint degree programmes
3. International dual degree programmes, as well as their legal and practical implications, in collaboration with interested companies and institutions
4. Summary – Outlook

The full programme and information about the speakers will be published on the website shortly.

Partners

The partner universities of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam in Uzbekistan are:

• Tashkent University of Architecture and Civil Engineering
• Samarkand State University 
• Samarkand State University of Architecture and Construction
• Bukhara State University
• Bukhara State Technical University

The specialist conference ‘Urban Growth Between Preservation and New Construction’ is funded by the DAAD’s Eastern Partnership project funding scheme and by third-party funding from the Erasmus+ Key Action 171 programme for cooperation with Uzbekistan.