Curriculum Vitae - Iván Tosics

IVÁN TOSICS

PhD, Managing Director

Metropolitan Research Institute, Budapest, Hungary

QUALIFICATIONS SUMMARY

Iván Tosics (born in Budapest in 1952) is one of the principals of Metropolitan Research Institute. He is mathematician and sociologist (PhD) and research fellow with long experience in urban sociology, strategic development, housing policy and EU regional policy issues. Since late 2011 he was one of the three Thematic Pole Managers of the URBACT programme, which has changed since January 2016 into Programme Expert position. He teaches at the University of Pécs, Department of Political Studies, Doctoral School.

He is Vice Chair of the European Network for Housing Research (ENHR), Board member of the European Urban Research Association (EURA). He was member until 2013 of the HS-NET Advisory Board to UN-HABITAT.

He is the Policy Editor of the journal ‘Urban Research and Practice’, member of the Editorial Advisory Board for the ‘Journal of Housing and the Built Environment’ and for ‘Housing Studies’.

Most recent activities:

Being involved, on the request of DG Regio, in the development of an EU Urban Agenda, organizing and managing UDG meetings on integrated urban development, especially regarding the link between the Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI) and the area-based urban renewal policies.
Participating in the UN-HABITAT project on the State of the European Cities in Transition Report. Member of the Advisory Board of the European Cities Report (to be launched at the Habitat III Conference) for the European Commission and UN-Habitat.
Member of the Selection Committee of the 2014 Bloomberg Mayors Challenge for European cities.
Participating in the winning consortium with ECORYS and LSE to perform the “Study on Sustainable Regeneration in Suburbs – promoting social integration in deprived neighbourhoods through housing interventions by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF )” for DG Regio
Participating in the work lead by AEIDL ‘Good practice in urban development: Projects and approaches supported by the European Regional Development Fund during the 2007-2013 programming period’, prepared for DG Regio
Invited expert to the European Parliament public hearing on ‘The place of Europe’s towns and cities in Cohesion policy’
Invited keynote speaker to the launching event of the European Metropolitan Network Institute
Working for DG Regio in the Cities of Tomorrow programme, preparing issue paper on ‘Governance challenges and models for the cities of tomorrow’
Co-author of the Synthesis Report on “The impact of European demographic trends on regional and urban development”, prepared under the Hungarian Presidency;
Co-organizer of the Hungarian EU Presidency high-level conference in May 2011 on European Demographic Changes
Invited expert in numerous programmes of DG Regio (e.g. Local Development Lab, RegioStars)
Invited keynote speaker at the UDG meeting during the Spanish EU Presidency
Invited keynote speaker to the EUROCITIES Integrated Local Development conference
Lead Expert of two URBACT programmes
Leader of a consortium elaborating the medium and long term Urban Development Strategy of Budapest.

He worked also in many other international projects, e.g. for the European Parliament, European Commission DG Regio, European Commission DG Environment, URBACT, ESPON, UN ECE Working Group on housing renewal, Council of Europe Group of Specialists on Access to Housing (CS-LO). For many years he represented the Municipality of Budapest in EUROCITIES, as member of the Executive Committee and of the Economic Development Forum.

Together with József Hegedüs, he organised the ENHR International Housing Conference in Budapest in 1993 (300 participants) and the ENHR conference in Balatonfüred in 1999 (150 participants).

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

1989-Present Principal, Metropolitan Research Institute, Budapest, Hungary

1988-1989 Research Fellow, Institute of Sociology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences

1983-1988 Research Fellow, Institute for Building Economy and Organization (ÉGSZI), Budapest.

1975-1982 Sociologist, Planning Institute for Budapest (BUVÁTI)

MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL BODIES

Vice chair and member of executive committee of the European Network for Housing Research (ENHR)
Member of Board of the European Urban Research Association (EURA)
Member of the HS-NET Advisory Board to UN-HABITAT (until 2016)
Policy Editor of the journal ‘Urban Research and Practice’
Member of the editorial advisory board of Housing Studies
Member of the editorial advisory board of the Journal of Housing and the Built Environment

SELECTED EXPERIENCE

URBACT: Thematic Pole Manager in sustainable urban development issues (2011-ongoing). Member of the Expert Panel, Lead Expert for the METROGOV (Between the nation state and local government) URBACT I programme (2007-2008) and Lead Expert for the NODUS (Linking urban renewal and regional spatial planning) URBACT II programme (2008-2010)

EUROPEAN COMMISSION: Working for DG Regio in the Cities of Tomorrow programme, preparing issue paper on ‘Governance challenges and models for the cities of tomorrow’ (2009-2011)

ESPON: consortium partner in theSGPTD: Second Tier Cities in Territorial Development in Europe: Performance, Policies and Prospects project, responsible for the preparation of the East Central European background study and for the case studies on Katowice (Poland) and Timisoara (Romania) (2010-2012)

UN-HABITAT: State of the European Cities in Transition Report, organized by UN Habitat, Nairobi. In cooperation with the Institute of Urban Development (IRM) Krakow MRI was responsible for the study of the study on the Western subregion (2010-2012)

INTERREG IVC CATCH_MR Cooperative approaches to transport challenges in Metropolitan Regions. Expert involved from the side of Budapest in the project (lead partner Berlin-Brandenburg) which surveys sustainable transport solutions in 7 European Metropolitan Regions: Oslo/Akershus (NO), Gothenburg (SE), Berlin-Brandenburg (DE), Vienna-Lower Austria (AU), Budapest-Central Hungarian Region (HU), Ljubljana Urban Region (SI), Rome-Lazio Region (IT). (2010-2012)

EUROCITIES: represented the city of Budapest, coordinated the work of Budapest as chair of the Economic Development Forum (Earlier Economic Development and Urban Reconstruction Committee) for 2007 and 2008 and as member of the Executive Committee since 2009 (1996-2010)

European Community 6th Framework Programme, PLUREL (Peri-urban land use relationships – Strategies and sustainability assessment tools for urban-rural linkages’): dealing with elaborating planning and urban governance types across EU countriesw, and with social indicators connected to land use change processes. (2008- 2011)

European Community 5th Framework Programme, RESTATE (Restructuring Large-scale Housing Estates in European Cities: Good Practices and New Visions for Sustainable Neighborhoods and Cities): represented the case of Budapest and Nyíregyháza (Hungary) in a research project surveying the problems of the large post-WWII housing estates with the aim to find evidence-based potential solutions for sustainable future development of these areas (2002-2005)

European Community 5th Framework Programme, CUHP (Constructing Understandings of Homeless Populations): represented the case of Budapest and Hungary in a research project surveying the definition, methodology, etc. of homelessness (2003-2005)

European Community 5^th Framework Programme, INTERACT (Urban Governance in Practice): represented the city of Budapest in a research project dealing with the implementation of strategic development programmes in European cities (2002-2004)

European Community 5^th Framework Programme, REGENERA (Urban Regeneration In Europe): represented the city of Budapest in a research project dealing with urban regeneration strategies for European cities (2005-2007)

Council of Europe: Editorial Group of Access to Social Rights (CS-ASR): Worked as expert for housing (2001-2002).

Council of Europe: Group of Specialists on Access to Housing (CS-LO): Worked as expert for the group, prepared a report on Access to housing for vulnerable persons (1999-2001)

Council of Europe: “Making South-Eastern Europe a Region of Social Cohesion”. His responsibility was to consult five South-Eastern European countries in the framework of Thematic Network 5: Housing problems in South-Eastern Europe

European Community Non-Twinning Special Preparatory Programme for the Structural Funds in Hungary. Prepared an assessment of current management capacities of the Regional Development Councils and Regional Development Agencies

European Community 5^th Framework Programme, UGIS: represented the case of Budapest and Szeged in a research project surveying the consequences of urban development plans

The European Federation of National Organisations working with the Homeless (FEANTSA): prepared the Eastern and Central European part of the study on Strategies to combat homelessness in western and Eastern Europe

UN Habitat: Urban Indicators Project Managed the project in Hungary and led the collection of Central-East European Urban Indicators

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Government of Hungary: prepared an overview and evaluation of the European Community Initiative URBAN

Budapest Municipality, Office of European Affairs and International Relations: advisor in EU related matters, representing Budapest in several seminars, conferences

Budapest Municipality, Office of the Mayor: participant in an consortium developing the Urban Transport Development Plan of Budapest

Budapest Municipality: Strategic Development Concept and Program of Budapest Worked as the head of a consultant team elaborating a new medium and long-term development concept for the Capital city. Analyzed the suburbanization trends, the housing problems in the city and the fiscal relations between the national and the local government.

Budapest Municipality: Rehabilitation Concept and Program for Budapest Worked out a financial and organizational concept for the renovation of deteriorated inner city and old industrial areas. Proposed a new subsidy system to the Capital to assist condominium owners with the rehabilitation of their newly privatized buildings

ENHR: International Housing Conference in 1993 (300 participants) and 1999 (150 participants) Worked as the leader of the organizing committee. Prepared the topics of the workshops, invited workshop leaders and key note speakers.

USAID: Housing Sector in Hungary: recommendation towards a new subsidy system Analyzed the changes in the housing sector between 1990-1995

World Bank, UN Habitat, USAID: Housing Indicators Project Managed the project in Hungary and led the comparative work on Central-East European Housing Indicators. Designed and prepared national housing indicators which served as input data in an international comparative research project which was presented at the Habitat II Conference.

USAID: Housing Concept for Szolnok Managed the project.Designed a survey and analyzed data on housing mobility in the city. Worked out a complex housing strategy including a housing allowance system and an alternative rent system for the city. Provided technical assistance in the administrative processing system for the housing allowance.

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Sociology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1994

MA, Sociology, Loránd Eötvös University, Budapest 1983

MS, Mathematics, Attila József University, Szeged, 1975

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Under- and postgraduate courses on housing and urban development policy in Hungarian universities

University of Pécs, Department of Political Studies, Doctoral School, since 2008 (ongoing)
Széchenyi Kollégium (students of the Budapest Corvinus University in Economics and the Budapest Eötvös Loránd University), since 2003
Central European University, intensive 2-week long summer courses for international participants (2001, 2002)
Eötvös Lóránd University, Institute for Social Policy, 1994-2004: The sociology of housing and urban development
Budapest Technical University, Center for Urban Studies, 1992-1998: Urban development and restructuring in East-Central Europe

Guest lecturer on urban regeneration and urban development issues in different European universities

Paris School of Urban Planning, Université Gustave Eiffel Planning For The Post-Covid City. 2021 International Week, 17 February 2021
Politecnico Milano Exploring and transforming post-metropolitan territories in Europe. 26 October 2020 Online seminar
Université “Jean Monnet” (Saint-Etienne) and Sciences Po Lyon. Cities And The European Union. M2 VEU – Altervilles 2017/2018, 2018/2019, 2019/2020
Università Iuav di Venezia, U-RISE Master Course, 2018. Innovative Policies and Local Practices To Regenerate Deprived Urban Areas. Urban regeneration and social innovation
University of Vienna, Research Lab New Social Housing, Summer School 2018. Transformations of Large Scale Housing Estates. 17-23 September 2018
The University of Hong Kong, Department of Urban Planning and Design, Master course on urban and housing development in transitional cities 2015. Post-Socialist Countries 25 Years After: The Development Path Of The East Of Europe
University of Paris-Est-Créteil, Institut d’Urbanisme de Paris, Seminar: “Urban renewal projects in Europe” 2013
Technical University, Vienna. Course on Perspektiven der Stadterneuerung und Stadtentwicklung 2013. “Urban regeneration and neighborhood renewal in European cities”
Masaryk University, Brno “Cities in Europe and Cities in the World”, 2013. Urban restructuring in Eastern Europe: the past, present and future of post-socialist cities
Technical University, Vienna. Ökonomische Wirkungen stadtentwicklungspolitischer Instrumente, 2012. Restructuring large pre-fabricated housing estates in Hungary and other CEE countries

LANGUAGES

Hungarian (native), English (fluent), German (fluent)

MOST IMPORTANT PUBLICATIONS IN ENGLISH

Tosics, I. – Colini, L. (2022). Territorial effects of EU policies: which social outcomes at the local level? In: Kazepov, Y. – Barberis, E. – Cucca, R. – Mocca, E. (eds), Handbook on Urban Social Policies. International Perspectives on Multilevel Governance and Local Welfare. Research Handbooks in Urban Studies series. Cheltenham, UK – Northampton: Edward Elgar Publishing, pp. 308–324. Ebook sample

Tosics, I. (2022). Governance models and development ideas for metropolitan areas. Metrolab Magazine Vienna – Program on the new role of metropolitan areas. May 2022. Download

Tosics, I. (2021). Urban agendas in the European context. In: European Public Mosaic 15: Urban Agendas, pp. 42–61. Download

Tosics, I. – Tulumello, S. (2021). Between markets and social rights: confused EU housing policies. In: Daniel Rauhut – Franziska Sielker – Alois Humer (eds), EU Cohesion Policy and Spatial Governance. Territorial, Social and Economic Challenges. Cheltenham, UK – Northampton: Edward Elgar Publishing, pp. 244–259. Download

Atkinson, Rob – de Gregorio Hurtado, Sonia – Larsen, Jacob Norvig – Rossignolo, Cristiana – Russel, Paula – Stănuș, Cristina – Tosics, Iván – Zimmermann Karsten (2021). Editorial. Urban Research & Practice 14/2, pp. 111–116. https://doi.org/10.1080/17535069.2021.1896203

Tosics, I. (2020). Cities against the pandemic. FEPS COVID Response Papers 6, July 2020. Download

Tosics, I. (2019). Post-Socialist City. In: Anthony M Orum (ed.), The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Urban and Regional Studies. John Wiley & Sons, April 2019. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118568446.eurs0245

Tosics, I. (2018). New urban planning: long-lasting innovation or just a temporary illusion? / Planification urbaine innovante: innovation longue durée, ou bien simple illusion temporaire? La revue urbanisme 66, pp. 69–72. Download

Tosics, I. (2018). Local Governance under Centralisation and Shrinking Democracy – the Case of Budapest In: Restless Cities: Lessons from Central Europe. Based on the training Enhancing Sustainable Urban Development in Local Politics. Prague: Heinrich Böll Stiftung. Download

Tosics, I. (2017). Dilemmas around Urban Growth and Density? A Focus on Vienna’s Aspern Seestadt. In: Batista, A. – Kovács, Sz. – Lesky, C. (eds), Rethinking Density. Art, Culture and Urban Practices. Publication Series of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Vol 20. Berlin: Sternberg Press, pp. 122–133. Download

Tosics, I. (2017). Hungary. In: M. Pareja – N. Winston (eds), Sustainable Communities and Urban Housing: A Comparative European Perspective. London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315692630

Tosics, I, 2016: Integrated Territorial Investment – A Missed Opportunity? In: Bachtler, J – Berkowitz, P – Hardy, S – Muravska, T (eds) EU Cohesion Policy. Reassessing performance and direction. London: Routledge. pp 284-296 http://www.tandfebooks.com/doi/view/10.4324/9781315401867

Tosics, I (2015). Housing renewal in Hungary: from socialist non-renovation through individual market actions to area-based public intervention. In: Turkington, R. – Watson, C. (eds), Renewing Europe’s Housing. Bristol – Chicago: Policy Press, pp. 161–186. Download Pt1 Download Pt2 [references]

Kovács, Z. – Tosics, I. (2014). Urban Sprawl On The Danube: The Impacts Of Suburbanization In Budapest. In: Stanilov, K. – Sykora, L. (eds), Confronting Suburbanisation: Urban Decentralization in Post-Socialist Central and Eastern Europe. Studies in Urban and Social Change. Wiley Blackwell Publishing, pp. 33–64. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118295861.ch2

Tosics, I. (2013). From Socialism to Capitalism: The Social Outcomes of the Restructuring of Cities. In: N. Carmon – S. Fainstein (eds), Policy, Planning, and People. Promoting Justice in Urban Development. Philadelphia:University of Pennsylvania Press, pp. 75–100. Download

Colini, L. – Czischke, D. – Güntner, S. – Tosics, I. – Ramsden, P. (2013). Against divided cities in Europe. Cities of Tomorrow – Action Today. URBACT II Capitalisation.

Gerőházi, É. – Hegedüs, J. – Szemző, H. – Tomay, K. – Tosics, I. (2012). The impact of European demographic trends on regional and urban development. In: Cristina Martinez-Fernandez, C. – Kubo, N. – Noya, A. – Weyman, T. (eds), Demographic Change and Local Development: Shrinkage, Regeneration and Social Dynamics. OECD Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Working Paper Series, pp. 281–290. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264180468-en Download

Tosics, I. (2011). Multilevel government systems in urban areas. Differences in administrative-government systems between member states. In: Grisel, M. – van de Waart, F. (eds), Multilevel Urban Governance or the Art of Working Together. EUKN, pp. 26–35. Download