The Master's Programme on Sustainable Cities blends hands-on experience with academic insights from the Norman Foster Foundation's global network of experts. Co-directed by Norman Foster, President of the Foundation, and Professor Kent Larson, Director of the City Science Group at MIT Media Lab, the programme places students at the forefront of urban innovation. Each year, students immerse themselves in three pilot cities, engaging directly with local planners and managers to address urgent urban challenges.
Following the success of this year's pilot cities in Africa, the 2026 edition of the programme expands its geographical horizons to span three continents: Asia, Europe and Latin America. The pilot cities will be announced in the upcoming months.
The thirty-six-week academic year is structured across three stages—Foundations, Diagnosis and Interventions—with time divided between studio and field work. The course starts with tools and skills that can be used to address wide-ranging issues in cities, such as leadership, advocacy, communication, presentation, diagramming, mapping and the understanding and interpretation of data. These could be applicable to cities all over the world, as well as informal settlements and suburbia. Towards the end of the year, the students will present their findings to each city's administration.
This year, the Master's Programme introduces three new specializations:
- City Science, led by Norman Foster and Dr Gareth Simons, Head of City Science, Norman Foster Institute (NFI). This specialisation explores how data-informed analysis and spatial tools can support compact, walkable and inclusive cities, with technical training in GIS, Python and urban modelling.
- Urban Design, led by Norman Foster and Prof. Vishaan Chakrabarti, Founder and Creative Director, Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU). This specialization focuses on the civic realm, studying how public space, urban form and environmental design can strengthen community, resilience and identity.
- Architecture, led by Norman Foster and Prof. Frédéric Migayrou, Former Deputy Director, Musée National d'Art Moderne, Centre Pompidou, Paris. This specialization encourages the design of future-oriented architecture through sustainable methods, innovative typologies and emerging technologies, grounded in the contexts of the pilot cities.
The NFI Centre for City Science supports students as they work on developing sustainability strategies for pilot cities using artificial intelligence, augmented reality and interactive interfaces. This is coupled with data-driven and evidence-based design methods, allowing students to explore, test and evaluate their interventions.
This Master's Programme is intended for those who seek a holistic approach to the design and management of cities. It welcomes graduate and postgraduate students along with professionals in various fields such as Anthropology, Architecture, Arts, Computer Science, Construction, Data Analytics, Design, Economics, Engineering, Environment, Geography, History, Law, Mathematics, Public Policy, Sociology, Transportation, Urbanism and other related disciplines.
The Norman Foster Institute provides a Master's Degree Diploma for the Programme on Sustainable Cities, in partnership with the NFI's Academic Partner, the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, signed by Co-Directors Norman Foster and Kent Larson. Additionally, the diploma is signed by the NFI Provost, Prof. Edgar Pieterse, Founding Director, African Centre for Cities (ACC), University of Cape Town, and the Provost of Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.
Scholarships are awarded to talented applicants in need of financial support, based on merit, distinctive competencies, background and academic excellence.
Visit www.normanfosterinstitute.org to learn more about the Master's Programme on Sustainable Cities. Applications are now open. The deadline for applications is 1 July 2025 at 23:59 CEST.
