Ulrich's Bio and CV

Ulrich's Curriculum Vitae CV

Find here: Ulrich's CV, logos of employers, clients and partners, and a Picture Gallery

CV of Ulrich Graute

Summary

Strategic advisor with over 30 years of experience in international affairs, specializing in urban development, governance, and sustainability. Extensive track record in leading high-impact projects for global organizations, including the United Nations, World Bank, and European Union. Expert in policy development, capacity building, and cross-sector collaboration. Proven ability to drive complex initiatives in diverse cultural contexts, delivering tangible results.

Professional Experience
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.

Senior Consultant, World Bank Group (2014 - March 2024): Driving local governance and climate resilience projects in Jordan.

Developed operational frameworks for UN strategies and National Urban Policies across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
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)

Senior Advisor | United Nations DESA
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)

Country Profile Belarus, UNECE, 2019

Languages

    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 - )

1989 - 2024 Clients, partners and employers
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2024 Home Office
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Ulrich at an ISOCARP and RTPI webinar on 19 January 2024
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2018 Myanmar National Urban Policy Conference in May Pyi Taw
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2015 Meeting of the Mayor of Berlin with the Executive Director of UN-Habitat
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2019 Retreat of the Urban Planning and Design Branch at Mount Kenya
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2023 Team meeting of the Quality of Life Initiative of UN-Habitat
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2023 Quality of Life side event at the United Nations (HLPF) in July 2023 in New York
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2023 Discussing climate resilience with Ahmad h. Otoo, mayor of Jerash in Jordan
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2023 Moderating two workshops at Wroclaw University of Science and Technology
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2023 The new ISOCARP Scientific Committee
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2023 Scientific Commitee Chair and Members at ISOCARP and Urban Economy Forum joint congress in Toronto, Canada
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2022 President Pietro Elisei at ISOCARP's World Planning Congress in Brussels
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2022 With Frank d'Hondt, ISOCARP Secretary General
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2022 Transformative training on sustainable urban planning in Riyadh
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2022 Walking with planners in June in Riyadh to experience the challenge of sustainable urban development
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2022 Workshop trainer at World Urban Forum UF11

At the 11th World Urban Forum in Kattowice, Poland in June 2022 Ulrich was one of the trainers of a wokrshop organized by ISOCARP
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2020 private sector workshop on sustainable development during Corona
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Meeting the Executive Director of UN-Habitat

Ulrich Graute with the Executive Director of UN-Habitat Mme Maymunah Mohd Sharif in Nairobi, January 2019
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2019 National Assembly of Belarus

Chairpersons of Commisssions atending the workshop on 25 June 2019 in Minsk. 50 Deputies and representatives of local authorities participated at this UNDP organized workshop
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UN-Habitat Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya

The staff of UN-Habitat and the Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif in January 2018 in Nairobi, Kenya (© UN-Habitat)

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2018 UNDP workshop in Grodno, Belarus

On 1 June 2018 my presentation on national urban policies was followed by a three hours discussion with governmental representatives on itegrative and participative planning.
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2017 and 2018 Kabul: Ministry of Urban Development and Housing

UN-Habitat delegation meeting with HE S.Sadat Mansoor Naderi, Minister of Urban Development and Housing of Afghanistan
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2018 Minister opens workshop in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar

Consultation Workshop on 4 June 2018 on the National Urban Policy-Frameworked official photo with the mnister of Construction
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2017 and 2018 UNECE and UN-Habitat delegation in Minsk

Discussing urban and territorial planning with Alexander Kruchanov, First Vice Minister of Architecture and Construction of Belarus

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2015 Metropolis Initiative of the City of Berlin

Barbara Berninger and the Team of the Berlin Metropolis Initiative attending the Metropolis world conference in Hyderabad, India
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2016 The UN Habitat Country Team in Saudi Arabia

Together with the Executive Director of UN Habitat and the Country Team in Saudi Arabia at the Saudi Urban Forum
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2008-2013 UNDESA with UNDP Country Team in Chad

Capacity building with the UN Resident Coordinator Thomas Gurtner and the UNDP country team
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2015 Buraydah Date Festival, Saudi Arabia

Field trip with partners of the Minstry of Urban and Rural Affairs (MoMRA) and the United Nations (U-Habitat), to review the system of regional planning in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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2015 United Nations General Assembly Hall

Invited by the UN Secretariat Ulrich spoke on behalf of the Regional Studies Association at the SDG Preparatory Forum for Major Groups, including Academia and other Civil Society in New York 2015.

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2014 GIZ Eschborn, Germany

Meeting with GIZ staff for a presentation of the results of a study, which I had just finished on Local Agenda 21 initiatives and on the actor constellation at the beginning of the Habitat III process
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AcSS workshop at Oxford University

At a discussion with Michael Vassiliadis, President IndustryAll, at a workshop of the Academy of Social Sciences organized by prof Ulrich Hilpert.
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UN DESA 2008-2013 With Julius Muia (l.) and his Team preparing a Knewledge Management Workshop in Nairobi

Preparing a Knowledge Management Workshop with National Economic and Social Council NESC for African Economic and Social Councils UESC
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UN DESA 2008-2013 Reviewing the observatory for sustainable human development in Bamako, Mali

Forward Looking Evaluation with the Team of the Observatoire du Développement Humain Durable et de la Lutte Contre la Pauvreté au Mali (ODHD/LCP)
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2008-2013 UN DESA Division of Public Administration and Development Management

New Director Hayian Qian with members of the division. She passed away in 2013.
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UN DESA 2008-2013 National and parliamentary development: Consultation with Members of Parliament in N'jamena, Chad

Steering group meeting in N'jamena to develop a capacity building project for the parliament of Chad
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UN DESA 2008 - 2013 Knowledge management workshop with Economic and Social Councils from Benin, Senegal, Guinea and Kenia

Participants of African ESC and of the International Association of ESC AICESIS
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UN DESA 2008-2013 Renforcement des Capacites des Structures Nationales dans la mise en reuvre des OMD

Wrap-up meeting with UN DESA field staff working at the premises of the Ministry of Economy and Planning in N'jamena, Chad
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UN DESA 2008-2013 Perspectives for Saudi Arabian development beyond petrol

At a working meeting with the Chief Economist of the Ministry of the Economy and Planning in Riyadh
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2007 and 2008 EU Programming Steering Group in Sinaia, Romania

Members of the Steering Group for the development of a new EU Community Initiative for Siuth Eastern Europe met regularly. Sinaia was one of the most important meetings discussing the draft programme.
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2002 -2008 EU Community Initiative INTERREG III B CADSES

Director and staff members of the Joint Technical Secretariat in Dresden, Germany
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Co-chairing an international Black Sea Confernce in Odessa, Ukraine in 1996
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Ulrich with his doctoral cap at a celebration of his PhD
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Fellow and PhD candiate at the Leibniz Institute of Sustainable Urban and Regional Development IÖR in Dresden 1993- 2002
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1989-1992 Supporting institution building in the newly established Free State of Saxony, Germany
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Ulrich meeting former US President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn

In Plains, Georgia, USA in October 1984
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My professional life began in 1985-86 with farming
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Gardening
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Child care junior expert at Koinonia's nursery
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One of the Volunteers at Koinonia Partners in Americus, Georgia, USA 1985-1986
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