Victoria Banchiri Kennedy’s career in urban planning has grown through a mix of professional practice, teaching and continued learning. In Kenya, she has worked as an urban planning professional and educator, contributing to training, curriculum development and spatial planning.
With support from the EASTRIP-TVET Scholarship, a partnership between Inter-University Council for East Africa through the East Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP), the World Bank and the People’ Republic of China through the China Scholarship Council (CSC) and EASTRIP, she pursued a Master’s Degree in Urban and Rural Planning at Beijing Jiaotong University.
During her studies, she strengthened her skills in GIS-based spatial analysis, integrated land-use and transport planning, comparative policy analysis and evidence-based decision-making. Her research on balance between job-housing and commuting time also gave her a stronger understanding of how planning decisions affect mobility and the way cities function.
Since returning to Kenya, she has started applying these skills in her work as a trainer and through practical involvement in spatial planning. The scholarship has also influenced the direction she wants her career to take. She plans to pursue a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning and hopes to combine teaching, research and policy advisory work in the future.
In this edition of the EASTRIP Skills Bulletin, she shares how the scholarship shaped her professional development, what she learnt from studying in China, and how she hopes to contribute to better planned cities in Kenya and across East Africa.
Motivation and Scholarship Journey
I’m an urban planning professional and educator from Kenya. Driven by a commitment to advancing sustainable development within the East African context, I applied for the EASTRIP-China TVET Scholarship to bridge the gap between theoretical planning and global best practices.
I chose Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU) as my host institution specifically for its reputation in integrated planning and its location within a nation that has defined modern, rapid urbanization.
Achievements and Skills Gained
This scholarship provided a unique vantage point to study how integrated transport networks and land-use policies can coexist to create resilient urban environments.
During my time at Beijing Jiaotong University, I immersed myself in a rigorous academic environment that emphasized data-driven decision-making and comparative policy analysis.
A defining moment of my journey was collaborating with an international cohort on a simulated planning project for a mid-sized metropolitan area. This experience forced me to reconcile diverse perspectives on zoning, infrastructure, and housing, ultimately refining my ability to lead multicultural teams under complex technical constraints. Academically, my focus culminated in a research project titled “Job-Housing Balance and its impact on commuting time,” where I utilized GIS-based spatial analysis to examine the correlation between commuting patterns and land-use efficiency.
This work was notably recognized by the faculty panel for its methodological rigor and practical applicability to emerging economies. In addition, I developed strong leadership skills by leading a multicultural team during a semester-long planning studio, while also improving my cross-cultural communication, academic writing, and presentation abilities.
Impact of the scholarship
The scholarship has been transformative, fundamentally shifting my perspective from traditional planning to a more empirical, evidence-based approach. Since returning to Kenya, I have actively integrated these insights as a trainer contributing to curriculum development. Beyond the classroom, I am currently volunteering with a planning company in creating spatial plans. By advocating for integrated planning, I aim to mitigate the urban sprawl and infrastructure gaps that often characterize emerging African cities.
Future Plans
Looking forward, I aspire to pursue a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning, with a specialized research focus on land use-transport interaction within African mid-sized cities. My long-term goal is to serve as both a university lecturer and a strategic policy advisor.
I am dedicated to shaping a future where urban growth in Kenya and East Africa is not only balanced and inclusive but also grounded in the technical excellence and cross-cultural insights I gained through the EASTRIP scholarship.
