Peter Schmitt

Peter Schmitt is a Professor in Human Geography specializing in Urban and Regional Planning at Stockholm University's Department of Human Geography. He serves as Director for the Master's Programme in Urban and Regional Planning (120 ECTS) and has held academic positions at the university since 2016, progressing from Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor to Full Professor in 2023. His work bridges urban geography, governance theory, and EU integration studies with a focus on understanding planning processes through procedural perspectives.

Dr. Schmitt's research interests center on governance, politics and practices of regional planning; the role of EU territorial cohesion policies; mobility of normative concepts in planning trajectories; shifts in spatial planning systems through international comparative perspectives; and education of urban and regional planners. His work examines how planning processes navigate complexity, uncertainty, and diverse knowledge claims within contemporary governance frameworks.

His recent publications reveal a strong focus on spatial justice, non-statutory planning mechanisms (particularly in Sweden), the integration of climate action into planning education, and comparative analyses of European spatial planning systems. His research demonstrates increasing attention to the relationship between procedural and distributive justice in planning practice, as well as the challenges of implementing sustainable development through regional planning frameworks across diverse European contexts.

Dr. Schmitt leads or participates in multiple significant research projects including STARTUP (HORIZON EUROPE, 2025-2028), Planners' Forum for land-based spatial planning across the Baltic Sea Region (Swedish Institute, 2024-2026), and Regional planning cultures (FORMAS, 2024-2026). He serves on the editorial boards of the European Journal of Spatial Development and Planning Practice & Research, and is an active member of the International Geographic Union's Geography of Governance commission.

His academic journey began with a human geography degree from the University of Münster (1998), followed by EU-funded research at ILS Dortmund, a PhD from TU Dortmund University, and a decade as Senior Research Fellow at Nordregio before joining Stockholm University. This trajectory reflects his deep engagement with both theoretical and applied dimensions of spatial planning across European contexts.