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APRU Sustainable Cities and Landscapes Conference 2025

About Conference

The Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) Sustainable Cites & Landscapes (SCL) Conference focuses on sustainable cities and landscapes, bringing together experts to explore innovative solutions, and an audience filled with researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals. Since 2018, the annual conference has consistently provided a platform to further APRU’s mission of uniting landscape and urban professionals in addressing the challenges posed by the world’s growing metropolitan population and its consequences. Each year, the conference gathers experts to explore practical, research-driven solutions for these pressing global issues.

This year's Conference theme, "Living with Water across the Pacific Rim", aims to focus on water as it underpins socio-economic growth, energy and food production, ecosystem health, and human survival, while also serving as the critical nexus for climate change adaptation. In response to current challenges, we require effective design, tools, frameworks, and collaborative approaches to re-imagine how we live with (or without) water.  

The Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU)

As a network of leading universities linking the Americas, Asia, and Australasia, APRU (the Association of Pacific Rim Universities) brings together thought leaders, researchers, and policy-makers to exchange ideas and collaborate on practical solutions to the challenges of the 21st century. The network leverages its members’ collective education and research capabilities into the international public policy process. In the post-pandemic era, APRU's strategic priorities focus on:

  1. providing a neutral platform for high-level policy dialogue;
  2. exploring innovative solutions for a sustainable future; and
  3. supporting diversity, inclusion, and minorities.

APRU’s primary activities support these strategic priorities, focusing on critical areas such as disaster risk reduction, women in leadership, indigenous knowledge, virtual student exchange, e-sports, population aging, global health, sustainable cities, artificial intelligence, waste management, and more.

APRU Sustainable Cities and Landscapes (SCL) Hub

Hosted by the University of Oregon, APRU's Sustainable Cities and Landscapes (SCL) Hub is dedicated to fostering a globally united society to reconsider critical challenges in the modern world as well as creating a platform that facilitates collaboration among authorities, decision-makers, and policymakers to align their efforts toward sustainable development. These challenges, water scarcity, waste management, energy consumption, and food security, affect vulnerable populations in the Pacific Rim, both directly and indirectly. The initiative also aims to bridge generational knowledge, ensuring that future leaders are equipped to address these challenges and promote lasting sustainability. As the world faces increasing population growth and the impacts of climate change, particularly in urban areas and surrounding ecosystems, APRU is committed to driving forward solutions that ensure the resilience and well-being of both present and future generations.

Simon Fraser University (Host Institution) 

As Canada’s engaged university, Simon Fraser University works with communities, organizations and partners to create, share and embrace knowledge that improves life and generates real change. We deliver a world-class education with lifelong value that shapes change-makers, visionaries and problem-solvers. We connect research and innovation to entrepreneurship and industry to deliver sustainable, relevant solutions to today’s problems. With campuses in British Columbia’s three largest cities—Vancouver, Burnaby and Surrey—SFU has eight faculties that deliver 193 undergraduate degree programs and 127 graduate degree programs to more than 37,600 students. The university now boasts more than 180,000 alumni residing in 145 countries.

Partners & Sponsors

This academic event is supported by the generous contibutions from SFU's Faculty of Environment, Office of the Vice-President Research and Innovation, SFU International, the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) and the APRU International Secretariat.

Contact

For inquiries, contact SFU International via email at scl_2025@sfu.ca.