Dr. Yitian Ren obtained her PhD in Planning and Environmental Management at The University of Manchester, and is fully-funded by School of Environment, Education and Development Postgraduate Research Scholarship. Yitian takes the role of PGR Representative (Faculty and School), and contributes to the undergraduate and postgraduate teaching as well as the MSc dissertation guidance in the Department as Graduate Teaching Assistant. She also works as Research Assistant for two UoM-fund Projects including one centred with brownfield land reuse in Greater Manchester. Yitian has won the prestigious 2023 MDC Excellence Award (Best contribution to PGR environment), being as the nominee of Faculty of Humanities and the only awardee across The University of Manchester in the year. 

Before PhD journey, Yitian holds a B.E. in Real Estate Management (First-class, National Scholarship) and an MRes in Management Science (Distinction, Dean's list, National Scholarship). Previously she has also studied and conducted research at the Department of Building & Real Estate in the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and studied as visiting student in National University of Singapore, Politecnico di Milano, Antwerp University.

My research interests originated from the curiosity on the unprecedentedly fast and extensive urbanisation program in developing countries, amidst which the appearances of both urban and rural sectors are evolving and rampant urban sprawl and complicated rural restructuring co-exist.

In addressing the critical issues emerged during this process, my research covers the following aspects, by employing both qualitative and quantitative approaches:

1) Urban-rural linkage, rural restructuring and development

For example, the development of small towns and their roles in linking urban-rural areas and offering services to rural communities. Research questions such as how townships assume their responsibility, what are the major obstacles they are facing, what are the social-economic-environmental development status at township level, and how can small towns set proper development orientations are explored. By conducting both theoretical and empirical studies (including field-surveys in over 20 townships in Southwest China during 2016-18), key research findings are reported in the articles: Why small towns can not share the benefits of urbanization in China?; Regional disparity in urbanizing China: Empirical study of unbalanced development phenomenon of townships in Southwest China.

My doctoral research has a more bottom focus, that is, the grass-root rural communities: particularly how the emerging digital technologic infrastructures and economic forms are exploited to reshape and restructure the development configuration of rural society in the context of contemporary China. The empirical research of this project is underpinned by intensive fieldwork in five county-level territories in rural West China, involving multiple townships and grass-root villages.

The PhD Thesis is recognised by Examiners as Good, Strong, Thorough: "It is a strong thesis with a solid theoretical/conceptual grounding and a well-thought through design and methodology. It therefore builds on and adds to the accretion of knowledge in the longstanding field of ICT-for-Development (ICT4D), by yielding important empirical insights into the transformational impacts of ICT in rural China. "

The findings from this project are currently generating into journal articles, with one centred with policy review has come out "Rural China Staggering towards the Digital Era: Evolution and Restructuring", and stay tuned for the following piece with theoretical and empirical insights.

2) Strategies for sustainable urban (re)development

For example, how urban sprawl and development can be sustained given the resources and environment elements it relies on. These resource elements lie in multi-dimensions, such as infrastructure, land and water resources. Some research findings can be referred, such as indicators for monitoring urban carrying capacity (Ren et al., 2021), carrying capacity investigation of urban infrastructure system (Wang, Ren & Shen, 2020).

Other aspects related to the strategies of sustainable urbanisation and urban (re)development. For example, Exploring the interactions between ICTs adoption, smart city development and human happiness (Zhu, Shen & Ren, 2022). Urban health status investigation via different perspectives, including objective quatitative indicators and subjective satisfiction surveys incorporated; regarding complicated urban system as an living organism. Input-output based efficiency assessment of urbanisation development (Ren et al., 2018); Expoliting and utilising existing experiences and lessons to facilitate and shape future policy-making towards sustainable urbanisation (Wang, Shen & Ren, 2019).

        With first-degree being cultivated in real estate & construction management and trained as urban-rural studies academic, I am interested in the broad topics of housing, urban regeneration, and built environment.

Contact: [email protected]

From 2019/20 academic year, contribute to the following modules as Graduate Teaching Assistant: 

2019/20 Academic Year-Semester 2:

· Land and Development (PLAN40662/60102)
· Neighbourhood Planning (PLAN40812/60812)

2020/21 Academic Year-Semester 1:

· Policies for Cities and Regions (PLAN20381)
· Introduction to Real Estate (PLAN10201)
· Strategic Asset Management (PLAN41051)
· Real Estate Investment & Finance (PLAN60191)

2020/21 Academic Year-Semester 2:

· Rural Planning (PLAN 10362)
· Land and Development (PLAN 40662/60102)
· International Perspective on Environment and Development (PLAN 20172/20472)
· PGT Dissertations (PLAN 60090)

2022/23 Academic Year-Semester 1:

· Introduction to Real Estate (PLAN10201)
· Plan Making & the Development Process (PLAN20181)
· Property Valuation (PLAN41031/60331)
· International Planning: Systems and Frameworks (PLAN40861/60861)

2022/23 Academic Year-Semester 2:

· Infrastructure Planning (PLAN420002)
· Housing, Planning and Development (PLAN30512)
· International Fieldtrip (PLAN60832, Ruhr region, Germany)
· PGT Planning Dissertation
· PGT Real Estate Dissertation

2023/24 Academic Year-Semester 1:

· Real Estate Markets (PLAN61061)
· Applied Environmental Science (PLAN10101)

2023/24 Academic Year-Semester 2:

· Infrastructure Planning (PLAN60872)
· Place-making (PLAN10632)
· International Fieldtrip (Ruhr region, Germany)