CITIES 2025
CITIES UNDER PRESSURE:
MANAGING COMPLEXITY TOWARD ADAPTIVE AND INTELLIGENT URBAN FUTURES
Will be held on October 22, 2025 at City of Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
CITIES International Conference is an annual international conference continually held by the Urban and Planning Regional Department of Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS Surabaya). With its debut conference in 2005, CITIES was and has been designated as a vessel for researchers, academics, and practitioners to present, disseminate, and discuss research results and scientific analyses in urban and regional research areas. Through the dedicated endeavors of every party, CITIES, which was once national-scoped in its early years, has transformed into an international-scoped conference since 2013. Thus, the diversity of speakers and participants has expanded to a worldwide audience, be it from the Asian, European, Australian, or American Continent.
| Year | Conference Theme | Conference Date | Method of Event |
| 2015 | Intelligent planning Towards Smart Cities | November 3-4, 2015 | Offline |
| 2016 | Coastal Planning for Sustainable Development | October 18, 2016 | Offline |
| 2017 | Multi Perspectives on Peri-Urban Dynamics Towards Sustainable Development | October 18, 2017 | Offline |
| 2018 | Spatial Economic Transport Interaction for Sustainable Development | October 24-25, 2018 | Offline |
| 2019 | Spatial Planning in the Digital Age to Achieve Sustainable Development | October 16, 2019 | Offline |
| 2020 | Bridging the Past and the Future of Urban Landscape in Asia Pacific | October 15, 2020 | Online (virtual conference) |
| 2021 | Post Pandemic Cities : A Paradigm Shift? | October 20, 2021 | Online (virtual conference) |
| 2022 | Future Challenge of the System of Cities | August 30, 2022 | Hybrid |
| 2023 | Unleashing Smart Infrastructure Planning: integrating new technologies into urban development | October 25-26, 2023 | Hybrid |
| 2024 | Integrated Land-Coastal Planning System: Navigating Sustainable Development in the Digital Intelligence Transformation Era | October 10-11, 2024 | Hybrid |
| 2025 | Cities Under Pressure: Managing Complexity Toward Adaptive and Intelligent Urban Futures | October 22, 2025 | Hybrid |
For over a decade, the CITIES conference series has provided a platform to engage in timely discussions on contemporary urban and regional planning issues. Previous themes have examined topics such as smart cities, peri-urban transformations, spatial and economic interactions, and the role of digitalization in planning. In 2024, the conference highlighted the importance of integrated land and coastal planning in the context of digital intelligence. Building upon that foundation, the 2025 conference broadens its perspective to address the core issue of urban complexity and how cities under increasing pressure can be steered toward futures that are more adaptive and intelligent.
The concept of complexity in CITIES 2025 theme refers to the interlinked, dynamic, and often unpredictable nature of urban challenges. Issues such as housing provision, environmental protection, disaster risk, infrastructure demand, and informal urbanization frequently overlap and interact, requiring integrated and interdisciplinary solutions. In this context, adaptiveness emerges as a critical quality in urban planning. It encompasses the ability of cities to respond to shocks, learn from past experiences, and adjust strategies in line with changing conditions. Adaptive planning promotes flexibility, resilience, and responsiveness within governance and spatial development processes.
The notion of intelligent urban futures emphasizes the strategic use of data, digital platforms, and technological tools to enhance urban management and planning effectiveness. Innovations in artificial intelligence, big data analytics, geographic information systems, remote sensing, and the Internet of Things enable planners to better model urban systems, simulate future scenarios, and support evidence-based decision-making. However, the integration of these technologies must also be inclusive, participatory, and context-sensitive, ensuring that the benefits of digital innovation are accessible to diverse stakeholders and do not exacerbate existing inequalities.