Profile

The ILS – Research Institute for Regional and Urban Development is a non-university urban research institute which explores the dynamics and diversity of urban change in international comparison. The aim of our application-oriented basic research is a better understanding of recent urbanisation processes, in order to gain inter- and transdisciplinary insights into the socially, ecologically and economically sustainable transformation and design of urban spaces at different spatial scales, and we do this in active dialogue with practitioners, policy-makers and societal stakeholders.

ILS is a founding member of the Johannes-Rau-Forschungsgemeinschaft. We actively participate in the research network “Spatial Knowledge for Society and Environment – Leibniz R“ as well as in other regional, national and international cooperations and networks, and consider us an important node in spatial scientific research in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and Europe.

In January 2022, the ILS founded an affiliate, the non-profit ILS Research gGmbH. With this, the third-party funding area of the institute was organizationally separated out.

ILS is based in Dortmund. It is a non-profit limited company. The shareholder is the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

(Stand: 2021)