This month we got together with Mr. Doan Quang Cuong, a PhD candidate at the Department of Urban Planning and Design, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. We learned a lot about transit-oriented development and much more.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Doan Quang Cuong specializes in urban planning and land management, with research interests spanning urban vitality, transit-oriented development, and urban economics. Currently a PhD student in the Department of Urban Planning and Design, The University of Hong Kong. Cuong is the recipient of the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship and HKU Presidential Scholarship. Cuong previously served as a lecturer at the Faculty of Geography, Vietnam National University. He holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Land Management from the University of Science, Vietnam National University. Cuong has published several papers in journals such as Landscape and Urban Planning, Journal of Cleaner Production, Land Use Policy, and Socio-Economic Planning Sciences. In 2024, Cuong was awarded the HKU Foundation Publication Award for research postgraduate students.

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about promoting transit-oriented development (TOD) in developing countries, focusing on urban rail transit and walking behaviour. I am especially interested in addressing the severe traffic congestion challenges developing countries face through the lens of public transportation, particularly in Vietnam. While developing an effective public transportation system is critical to solving these issues, it is a complicated task for developing nations due to challenges such as land acquisition and financial constraints. As an academic, I believe that understanding why planning and strategies fail is crucial to driving meaningful progress.

What are you working on these days?

I am currently working on a project titled “Disentangling Barriers to Transit-Oriented Development in Vietnam.” While transit-oriented development (TOD) is a highly effective planning concept that integrates land use with transportation in urban development, its implementation often faces challenges such as financial constraints and limited resident cooperation. Using Hanoi as a case study, I am exploring how to advance TOD in a medium-sized city within a developing context by examining barriers related to public participation, economic factors, and policy frameworks

For example, I have analyzed citizens’ intention to cede land use rights for urban rail transit (URT) development. I employed two models: the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and an extended model incorporating dimensions such as inequity, satisfaction, moral perception, government action, and policy perception. The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers, helping them understand why communities may object to URT and TOD projects, and providing local authorities with tools to avoid delays or refusals in planning consent.

My research employs both quantitative and qualitative methodologies for comprehensive analysis. My study aims to contribute to transportation development literature and provide new insights for addressing TOD challenges in developing countries, with a particular focus on Vietnam.

What brings you to PLPR?

My PhD journey is ongoing at The University of Hong Kong, where I have had the opportunity to engage with several active members of PLPR, including Prof. Chris Webster and Mr. Dongsheng He (HKU). I joined PLPR at the recommendation of my supervisor, Prof. Xiaohu Zhang. I have learned that many fascinating papers related to my research interests have been presented at PLPR. As a PhD student working on mixed methods to recommend regulations and planning practices, I believe the PLPR conference will be an excellent learning and knowledge exchange platform