The scientific discourse on university towns (UT) has progressed for a long time, with a surge of interest in recent years. However, a global overview of the research conducted on this topic have yet to exist. This paper aims to re-examine the relationship between UT and urbanization in literature. Built environment and people are often the most talked aspects in UT literatures. The variety of definitions remains largely uncharted. Policies behind UT development are also rarely studied. This article used an R studio-based bibliometric literature review to synthesize findings from various scientific literature. Keywords related to university towns and urban were used in digital search engines to examine and analyse the literature. Results revealed a significant gap in scientific research on critical theoretical concepts that planners can use as a guide in creating, formulating, and evaluating UT, especially in developing countries. This study promotes simplification of existing literature by examining the impact of UT on the stakeholders involved.

Since the Reform and Opening up, GDP of the cities on eastern bank of the Pearl River Estuary in Guangdong Province were higher than the eastern bank cities. Therefore, this article aims to modify the urban gravity model combines it with the entropy weight method to calculate urban quality and applies it to measure the degree of connectivity between cities over the past decades. The research aims to explore whether cities with higher economic output have a greater attraction for surrounding cities, and whether the eastern bank cities can also promote the development of the west. Through detailed data collection and analysis, this essay reveals the dynamic changes of the gravity among cities and its influence factors such as economic, transportation and urban development. The research results indicate that the strongest gravitational force between cities on the east and west banks is between Dongguan and Zhongshan, rather than between Shenzhen and cities on the west bank. This demonstrates that the connection between cities on the east and west banks is primarily constrained by geographical factors, and the geographical location of a city influences on surrounding cities significantly. In particular, Dongguan and Zhongshan play a key role in connecting the eastern and western bank of the Pearl River Estuary, rather than Shenzhen, which is traditionally considered to have the highest economic aggregate. In addition, the study also found that the COVID-19 epidemic has had a significant impact on inter-city communication, resulting in a decline in inter-city gravity in recent years.

This study evaluated the development and validation of an integrated operational model for the Underground Logistics System (ULS) in South Korea’s metropolitan area, aiming to address challenges in urban logistics and freight transportation by highlighting the potential of innovative logistics systems that utilize underground spaces. This study used conceptual modeling to define the core concepts of ULS and explored the system architecture, including cargo handling, transportation, operations and control systems, as well as the roles of cargo crews and train drivers. The ULS operational scenarios were verified through model simulation, incorporating both logical and temporal analyses. The simulation outcomes affirm the model’s logical coherence and precision, emphasizing ULS’s pivotal role in boosting logistics efficiency. Thus, ULS systems in Korea offer prospects for elevating national competitiveness and spurring urban growth, underscoring the merits of ULS in navigating contemporary urban challenges and championing sustainability.

Growing urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa, with its attendant degradation of natural vegetation, is a real scourge. It takes the form of urban sprawl, with its corollary of native vegetation degradation. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of urban sprawl in Brazzaville and the related degradation of the vegetation covering on the urban site. The methodological approach was based on the collection of documentary and field data, as well as the analysis of Landsat satellite images from 2002, 2012 and 2022. The results show a regressive evolution of natural plant formations in favor of urbanization. The area of vegetation cover fell from 17,523 ha in 2002 to 8355.5 ha in 2022, representing a regression rate of 52.32% in 20 years. At the same time, the urban area has grown from 12,164 ha in 2002 to 29,892 ha in 2022, an increase of 145.74%. This deterioration in vegetation cover is reflected in water erosion, resulting in silting-up and flooding of homes and sanitation facilities.

The Modern Cities Program is the largest-scale urban development effort in the history of the country, with which the Government of Hungary aims to promote the simultaneous development of municipalities at the same hierarchical level. Its projects focus on the preservation of intangible and tangible cultural heritage, the transformation of urban public spaces and green areas into community spaces, the creation of institutions for sports and recreational activities, research and development, digitalization, projects for innovative and creative professionals, and public educational and cultural institutions. The study aims to analyze the funding granted for developing the cultural and creative sector of cities with county rights through the Modern Cities Program in the period 2016–2025, by comparing the size of their population, their strategic importance in regional economic policy and the relationship between the value of the cultural heritage with the amount of funding received. The paper unveils the distribution of grants over time and space, the modalities and proportion of grants, and the way the cities that has received grants align with the national strategy. This will also reveal a shift in the regional importance of the cities and their relationship. Until February 2024, the Government of Hungary has contributed more than HUF 322.6 billion (809.5 million EUR) to the implementation of 98 cultural and creative projects in 22 cities with county rights through its urban development support program that has been established for the development and regeneration of cities with county rights and to counter the dominance of the capital.

The process of internationalization and innovation (IPI) in the urban road passenger transport (URPT) sector is driven by the need to provide cities with efficient and sustainable mobility solutions. The objective of this study is to understand the perceptions of URPT employees in relation to PII, based on a comprehensive case study. By exploring how these two concepts interrelate and influence each other, the study seeks to provide valuable information that can help improve strategic planning and policy formulation in the urban transport sector. The research, based on semi-structured interviews with 20 employees, reveals significant gaps in internal communication, with only about half of the participants aware of ongoing national and international projects. Information was often limited to those directly involved, indicating a need for improved dissemination strategies. Despite these communication issues, employees positively view the company’s presence at international events and recognize the importance of involvement in European organizations, particularly for knowledge acquisition and networking. Challenges identified include inadequate internal communication and insufficient investment in international projects. However, there was strong agreement on the value of internationalization and innovation process (IIP) for both professional development and organizational growth. To enhance the company’s international presence and return on investment (ROI), the study recommends better coordination, improved information sharing, and strategic planning. These findings emphasize the critical role of effective communication and active participation in international initiatives for the sustainable growth of the organization.