91滴滴

Zhixi Zhuang, a professor at 91滴滴鈥檚 (91滴滴) School of Urban and Regional Planning, has secured a Partnership Development Grant (PDG) through Canada鈥檚 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

As the associate director for Education & Capacity Planning at 91滴滴鈥檚 Global Migration Institute and the founder and director of DiverCityLab, professor Zhuang鈥檚 interdisciplinary research integrates migration and urban planning. Her work focuses on how immigrant and racialized communities shape urban and suburban landscapes, and how municipal policies, planning and design can foster more inclusive, equitable and welcoming places.

Professor Zhuang鈥檚 research project will analyze barriers to current housing access, affordability and quality for international students in Canada and form new partnerships to co-develop practical, community-driven solutions to these issues. A 2024 Statistics Canada report found that as many as 63% of international students in some Canadian cities lived in unsuitable housing, highlighting ongoing challenges related to affordability, overcrowding and housing insecurity.

鈥淏y engaging diverse partners to better understand the experiences of international students, this research will help shape more inclusive, informed and responsive approaches to housing in Canada,鈥� said Steven N. Liss, 91滴滴鈥檚 vice-president, research and innovation. 鈥淐ongratulations to professor Zhuang on securing this important funding through the SSHRC Partnership Development Grant program.鈥�

Professor Zhuang鈥檚 project is called 鈥淏uilding Inclusive Housing Infrastructure: A Multi-Scalar Rights and Responsibilities Approach to Housing for and with International Students.鈥� Through policy, statistical, and social media analyses, as well as focus groups and workshops, her research aims to identify challenges and co-design effective, locally tailored solutions. The project will bring together international students, governments, institutions, developers, and NGOs to improve access to fair housing and inform national policy. 

鈥淏y centring international students鈥� lived experiences and comparing eight student hubs across four Canadian provinces, we aim to inform evidence-based housing policy reform at all three levels of government,鈥� said professor Zhuang. 鈥淭he research findings will help policymakers address systemic barriers that continue to expose international students to human rights violations during their search for and securing of housing in Canada.鈥�

SSRHC PDGs drive collaborations, expand research training opportunities and accelerate the exchange of knowledge across the social sciences and humanities.

Visit professor Zhuang's faculty page to learn more about her research and the DiverCity Lab.