Ph.D project
In my PhD project “Sport for Development and the Sustainable City: Bridging the Gap in Urban Planning”, I aim to redefine the role of sport by exploring how Sport for Development (S4D) principles can underpin sustainable planning and holistic development of multi-use urban spaces. The project highlights the links between social justice, public health, environmental concerns, and participatory urban development—examining how sport can serve as a strategic driver for inclusive and sustainable city transformation.
Through four sub-studies, I investigate how planning practices, knowledge use, and governance structures influence the integration of S4D principles in urban development across different contexts—drawing on case studies from cities such as Tirana and a Norwegian city. Using qualitative methods like interviews, document analysis, and fieldwork, the research combines perspectives from urban planning, sport management, and social development.
The aim is to develop a theoretical framework and practical tools that can support planners, policymakers, and sport for development actors in creating more inclusive and resilient cities - where sport is not only physical activity, but also a catalyst for social change and urban sustainability.
Work areas
Sustainable Urban Development
Sport for Development (S4D)
Inclusion and Social Justice
Urban Planning
Sport and Social Development
Sport Management and Planning
Background
- Assistant professor - IDR210 Adventure Management
- Master of Sport Management, Molde University College
- Bachelor in Sciences of Movement, Sports University of Tirana, Albania