UGOD Seminar | Metropolitan Areas and Local Planning, Construction, and Management from the Perspective of (Non-)Cross-City Activities: A Case Study of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area
Supporting the below United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:支持以下聯合國可持續發展目標：支持以下联合国可持续发展目标：
This presentation explores urban and local planning, construction, and management through the critical lens of both cross-city and, more uniquely, non-cross-city activities. Using the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) as a case study, it argues that while integration policies often focus on facilitating mobility and connectivity across boundaries, a significant portion of daily life and economic vitality remains within local jurisdictions. By examining these "non-cross-city" patterns, we can gain a more nuanced understanding of local challenges, including community cohesion, intra-city infrastructure demands, and place-specific service delivery. The analysis reveals that effective regional development, as exemplified by the GBA, requires a dual-track approach. It must not only foster seamless regional integration but also strengthen resilient and self-sufficient local systems. This perspective is crucial for creating balanced, sustainable, and people-centric metropolitan areas where both mobility and local attachment are valued in planning and governance.
Prof. Zhou’s research centers on the interplay between transport/transit systems and land use, with a focus on optimizing their integration. In car-dominated environments—where promoting alternative travel modes presents significant challenges—he examines usage patterns through traditional primary data sources such as surveys and interviews. Additionally, he pioneers the application of big data (e.g., mobile phone usage and smartcard transactions) to refine the excess-commuting framework, a field previously untouched by big data analytics. His work has yielded evidence-based policy recommendations to encourage sustainable travel, expanded the interdisciplinary significance of the excess-commuting framework, and introduced novel indicators to enhance its analytical depth. As of 2025, his research has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals, including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Urban Studies, and the Journal of the American Planning Association. Since 2022, Clarivate Analytics has ranked him among the top 1% most-cited researchers globally.
Prof. Zhou’s scholarly contributions have earned him influential roles in academia and beyond. He serves as Associate Editor for Travel Behaviour and Society (Elsevier, IF: 5.85), Urban Rail Transit (Springer, IF: 2.12), and Transactions in Urban Data, Science, and Technology (Sage’s newly launched refereed journal in 2022). He also sits on the editorial boards of six prominent urban planning and transport journals in both English and Chinese. Beyond Hong Kong, he holds honorary appointments with three organizations, two universities, and a municipal government.
Currently, he leads multiple research initiatives funded by the Chinese, US, and Hong Kong SAR governments, as well as foundational research grants. Through these projects, he investigates the complex relationships between physical infrastructure, land use, and travel behavior—leveraging advanced data analytics to generate novel insights that advance academic discourse and guide public policy.