World Cities Week

Welcome to World Cities Week!

Join us for a week of exciting events and hands-on activities as we explore the future of cities together. Co-hosted by the Future Cities Institute and Turkstra Chair in Urban Engineering, World Cities Week is designed for students to engage with cutting-edge ideas in urban development, sustainability, and innovation. From thought-provoking talks to creative challenges, this is your chance to connect with experts, collaborate with peers, and envision the cities of tomorrow.

Why Attend?

World Cities Week is your gateway to the future of urban spaces. Whether you're passionate about sustainability, technology, or social equity, this week offers you the tools, inspiration, and networks to help shape the cities of tomorrow. Don't miss the chance to:

Engage in hands-on learning experiences
Collaborate with experts and peers
Explore future career opportunities
Unleash your creativity

World Cities Week 2026 Schedule

Monday

Monday Nov 2

Activity Name: City Building Together

Time: 12:00–1:30 pm

Description: Hear from the University of Waterloo’s experts-in-residence. Engineer-in-residence Jessica Kellerman, Planner-in-residence Claire Basinski, and Practitioner-in-residence Helen Kerr will take part in an engaging discussion.

Activity Name: Careers at the City of Waterloo

Time: 1:30–2:00 pm

Description: With Jessica Kellerman, Manager of Stormwater Operations and Construction

Tuesday

Tuesday Nov 3

Activity Name: Agree-Disagree Spectrum Interactive Activity

Time: 12:00–1:30 pm

Description: Where do you stand on the issues shaping our cities? Share your views, hear different perspectives and join a respectful discussion on housing, development and smart cities.

Wednesday

Wednesday Nov 4

Activity Name: Adaptive Reuse in Action!

Time: 12:00–1:30 pm

Description: What could Kitchener’s former Charles Street Terminal become? Work with fellow students to develop a creative vision for reusing the site to support housing and community needs.

Thursday

Thursday Nov 5

Activity Name: Build Your Own Sustainable City

Time: 12:00–1:30 pm

Description: Engineers build cities! Bring your creativity and build your own city model using the provided LEGO bricks and baseplates.

Activity Name: Urban Regeneration: Gaslight District.

Time: 1:30–2:30 pm

Description: With Scott Higgens, President HIP developments. Light lunch provided.

Friday

Friday Nov 6

Activity Name: Turkstra Talk

Time: 11:30 am–1:00 pm

Description: “Mind the Box: How to Think and Rethink About the World We Live In and the Human Experience” Join Alon Eisenstein from the University of British Columbia, whose work spans entrepreneurship, innovation and experiential learning, for an engaging talk.

All World Cities Week 2026 events will be held in E2-2350.