Dr. Kristof Van Assche

Biography

Kristof Van Assche is a Professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Alberta. His research interests encompass governance, planning, development, and environmental policy strategy. He is particularly focused on the evolution and innovation of governance structures, with a keen interest in spatial planning and design. Kristof has substantial fieldwork experience across various regions, including Europe, the Americas, Central Asia, and the Caucasus, and has successfully combined this fieldwork with theoretical reflections drawn from systems theories, interpretive policy analysis, institutional economics, and post-structuralism. He has held visiting positions at several prestigious institutions, including McGill University and Wageningen University. He is also associated with Bonn University as a Senior Fellow at the ZEF/Institute of Development Research and has worked as a Research Fellow at the Harris Centre for Regional Development Policy at Memorial University. Kristof has published extensively, contributing to both academic research and practical applications in sustainability, comparative policy, and planning administration.

Research Interests

Courses