The Universities Roundtable at World Urban 6 introduced the HPUI Hubs, intended to drive specific focus areas of the HPUI. These Hubs are the expression of the thematic priorities of the Habitat Partner University Initiative. They provide active partners with the opportunity to channel existing academic interests, making the Initiative as relevant as possible to universities. Each Hub is to bring together individual and institutional members under a particular focus, to gather international and cross-disciplinary expertise and perspectives relating to the priority. Each Hub is to have (minimum) one concrete output. The general idea behind the Habitat Partner University Initiative Hubs is to draw on the global wealth of academic knowledge and connect academia focusing on particular areas which are key to sustainable future cities, promoting research and action under specific themes.

The Terms of Reference for the Hubs can be found here

Following the discussions at the World Urban Forum 6, the following five Hubs are initially being set up:

1. Climate Change
2. Informal Urbanism
3. Food Security
4. Urban Governance
5. Future Cities

NOTE: More information on the Hubs and on how to engage will shortly be available here