Ulrich's Curriculum Vitae CV
Principal Consultant | International Affairs Consultancy
Berlin, Germany | 2014 - Present
Governance Advisor, SWECO International AB (2024 - Present): Regional planning project.
Consultant, UN-Habitat (2022 - May 2024): Leading the Institutional Team for the Saudi Arabia Quality of Life Initiative. Delivered transformative urban development training for Saudi urban planners.
Consultant, City of Berlin (2014 - 2017): Advised on the UN Habitat III process, enhancing Berlin's global positioning in urban development networks.
Cities Alliance, Independent Tecnical Assessor and Evaluator (2015-Present)
New York, USA | 2008 - 2013
Provided high-level advisory services across 22 countries, focusing on participative governance, national strategies, and sustainable development.
Played a pivotal role in shaping the UN's Agenda 2030, contributing to the formulation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Programme Director | EU INTERREG Programmes
Dresden, Germany | 2002 - 2008
Directed the Joint Technical Secretariat for transnational cooperation across 18 countries, overseeing a portfolio of territorial development projects.
Facilitated international negotiations and secured significant EU funding for regional development initiatives.
Academic & Professional Engagements
Fellow, Academy of Social Sciences, UK (2011 - Present)
Chair, Scientific Committee, ISOCARP (2023 - 2025)
Board Member, Regional Studies Association, UK (2010-2015)
Education
Ph.D. in Philosophy, FernUniversität Hagen, Germany (2001)
Thesis: Multi-level Co-operation in European Territorial Development
M.A., Universities of Hamburg, Bochum, and Tübingen (1989)
Selected Publications
State of the Yemeni Cities 2020, UN-Habitat (2022)
International Guidelines on Urban and Territorial Planning Handbook, UN-Habitat (2018)
Saudi Cities Report 2019. Urban Development in Saudi Arabia, UN-Habitat (2019)
German (Native)
English (Fluent)
French (Intermediate)
Professional Training
World Bank Group: The Future of Work: Preparing for Disruption (2019) and three other trainings
UN Management Development Programme (2011)
On Ulrich's Bio
Ulrich is an internationally esteemed Senior Advisor, Team Leader and Blogger
with a keen interest in sustainable development through national and international policies on integrated urban and regional development and capacity building. He is a social scientist by profession, program manager by experience and inspiring team leader with 30+ years of experience. Currently, one of his main assignments includes the function as Senior Institutions and Governance Expert on UN-Habitat's Quality of Life Initiative.
Ulrich successfully manages urban and regional development programs including multi-country and multi-annual programs with 1000+ partners and a budget of 250+ million €. His work is demand driven, tailor made and often covers all phases of the program and project lifecycle from visioning, diagnosis, goal setting and policy formulation to implementation, reporting, monitoring and review.
In recent years Ulrich works as developer and reviewer of national and subnational policies and planning systems with a focus on their suitability to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Paris Agreement, New Urban Agenda, Leipzig Charter, European Urban Agenda and other internationally development agendas relevant for an enabling environment as needed for successful local and regional planning and goal achievement.
With 30+ years of experience Ulrich is more and more in demand as capacity developer, mentor and leadership advisor. For UN-Habitat Ulrich acted as the main author of the handbook on the ‘International Guidelines on Urban and Territorial Planning’ as well as learning materials and was a trainer at a first five days transformative workshop for integrated and participatory planning. He is well familiar with peer-to-peer learning, leadership advisory, advocacy and author of the blog 'World and City' (ugraute.de/blog-1).

Ulrich's employers, clients and partners (selection from past and present)
Photo Gallery: Ulrich as Team Leader and Team Member (2000 - )
Ulrich on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/feed/
and
Ulrich's CV in pictures (1985-2024): https://www.ugraute.de/picture-gallery-ulich-1985-2024