Special Theme: Local Governance and Urban Planning and Management System; Opportunities and Challenges

1) Conceptual and Theoretical Changes, and Historical Evolutions in Local Governance

• Local Governance; Philosophy and Key Indicators

• The role of transparency in urban governance
• The role of accountability in local governance
• The role of trust in local governance
• The role of the rule of law in local governance
• The role of responsibility in local governance
• The role of social inclusion in urban governance
• The role of participation in urban governance
• The role of social and political security in local governance
• The role of social monitoring in reducing administrative corruption

• Good Local Governance and Urban Prosperity

2) Comparative Analysis of Local Governance in Iran and Worldwide

• Global experiences with local parliaments
• Civil society and urban governance
• Futures studies on local governance in Iranian cities

3) Analysis and Pathological Evaluation of Local Governance Capacities and Realities in Iran (from a Council System Perspective)

• The position of local governance in the Iranian Constitution
• Pathological Evaluation of urban management system in Iran
• Political approaches and urban management system
• Performance evaluation of city councils in achieving urban governance
• Councils and the electoral system in Iran
• The role of supra-councils in local and national governance

4) Institutional-Managerial, Political, and Legal Dimensions of Local Governance

• Local governance models and the ideal council system for Iranian cities
• Council systems: Scope of duties and powers
• Council system and unified, integrated, or coordinated urban management
• Council system; transparency, accountability, and responsibility
• The role of academic and research centers in the council system
• Legal challenges in council system and the mutual rights and obligations of councils, municipalities, and citizens
• Pattern identification of resolving conflicts between council system and urban management
• The role of councils in achieving smart local governance system
• Artificial intelligence and the future of local governance system

5) Economic Dimensions of Local Governance

• Local governance and sustainable urban revenues
• Local governance and financial-physical balance in urban development projects
• Local governance and innovative methods for financing and investment in cities
• Local governance and urban renaissance
• The efficiency and effectiveness of local governance
• Council system and operational budgeting
• Facilitating foreign investment in urban development

6) Social-Cultural Dimensions of Local Governance

• Local governance and social resilience
• Local governance and citizen rights
• Social capital and local governance
• Participation and local governance
• Happy cities and local governance
• Local governance and tourism development
• Local governance and urban poverty alleviation
• Local governance and the reduction of urban social harms
• The role of citizens, neighborhood councils, and NGOs in local governance system
• Council system and urban identity
• New dimensions of endowment in urban management

7) Physical-Spatial Dimensions of Local Governance

• Councils and spatial justice
• The role of urban management in city planning
• Council system and the implementation of urban development plans
• Local governance and pattern for achieving an Islamic Revolution-Aligned city
• Local governance and the necessity of separating local from national affairs
• Local governance and passive defense
• Urban governance in 15-minute cities
• Child-friendly, women-friendly, disability-friendly, and elder-friendly cities in proper governance system
• Local governance and managing urban deteriorated fabrics

8) Environmental Dimensions of Local Governance

• Local governance and city livability
• Local governance and climate change
• Local governance and urban resilience

9) Dimensions of Urban Innovations in Local Governance System

• Local governance and creative industries
• Local governance and modern, knowledge-based technologies
• Local governance and urban innovation
• Local governance and artificial intelligence (opportunities and challenges)

10) Special Issues in the Metropolis of Mashhad

• Mashhad in the future and its vision
• Smart management
• Religious tourism and pilgrimage
• Urban crisis management
• Urban transportation with a focus on Mashhad's central traffic
• Urban diplomacy
• Informal settlements in Mashhad
• Endowment and the future of Mashhad as a metropolis
• Foreign nationals and migrants: Opportunities and challenges ahead