From June 23-27, 2025, Texas State University partnered with the University of Westminster in London for the JUST STREETS Summer School program. According to Westminster, “the week-long international [program] brought together undergraduate and postgraduate students to explore themes of urban justice, sustainability and inclusive street design.” Dr. Billy Fields, program faculty in the Political Science Department, and Dr. Rosie Ray from the Department of Geography joined the initiative alongside 14 TXST students.
The program was hosted by the School of Architecture + Cities and included visits to key locations across London where researchers were engaging with local partners. Students worked in interdisciplinary and multicultural teams, which included architects, planners, environmental scientists, and transport specialists. The purpose was to analyze London street redesign schemes and propose development ideas for different sites throughout the city.
The JUST STREETS project is an €11 million initiative that involves 32 international partners across the private and public sectors. It aims to create streets that are safer, greener, and more inclusive for all while supporting climate action and sustainable mobility goals. Students and faculty alike emphasized the project’s value in sparking creative and community-focused design ideas, helping them envision streets that support climate resilience and human connection. Aligning with multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the project highlights the universities’ broader strategies of grounding their teaching and research in sustainability, equity, and inclusion.
Dr. Fields said, “The program explored real world challenges to make streets safer in 3 areas of London and resulted in a set of recommendations by the student teams. After working in London, the students traveled to work with the University of Amsterdam to continue work on the Just Streets project. The students produced a series of videos compiling lessons learned from London and Amsterdam. After an intense two weeks, students returned home and compiled a report on best practices targeted to help the City of San Marcos’ green alley program.”
Students interested in participating next year are urged to contact Dr. Fields (wf16@txstate.edu) or Dr. Ray (wsj17@txstate.edu) for more information. Read more on Westminster’s webpage here.
