Thinking Critically and Building Connections: Christy Chiu’s Journey Through the MUI Program
Cities today are facing increasingly complex challenges, from urban development to climate change. These are the types of issues that creative designers and innovators like Christy Chiu (Class of 2025) are working to address. Last winter, I sat down with Christy to learn more about her experience in the Master of Urban Innovation (MUI) program with the Institute for Management and Innovation (IMI) at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM).
Coming from a background in social innovation consultancy in Hong Kong, Christy joined UTM after obtaining a Bachelor of Arts at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She described this transition as one of the biggest challenges she had faced, as the courses were heavily localized with a strong focus on Canada and North America—a regional context she was still getting acquainted with. However, she did not let unknown terrain stop her from achieving her goals. “My approach was to stay on top of the readings and actively ask questions. I really appreciated how accessible the professors were. I enjoyed speaking with them and learning from their experience."
Reflecting on her time in the MUI program, Christy highlighted MUI 1060H – Local and Regional Government as a course that helped shape her understanding. “This course gave me a lot of hands-on experience with policy work. We worked on policy writing and research methods, including jurisdictional scans, environmental scans, and writing full policy reports. It was one of the most practical courses I’ve taken,” Christy explained. The overall goal of the course is to help students understand how cities are formally governed, in the hopes of inspiring new ideas to improve communities and everyday life. Christy also highlighted MUI 1030H – Urban and Regional Economic Development Theory as well as MUI 1050H – Urban Politics as courses she found insightful and would recommend to future MUI students. “I especially enjoyed these two courses because they pushed me to think critically and engage with theory in a meaningful way. The discussions and frameworks helped me better understand how policy decisions are shaped,” Christy said.
Beyond the plethora of knowledge and experience she gained through the MUI program, Christy also had the opportunity to build relationships with professors and connect with industry professionals. “I would emphasize that it’s not only about the connections themselves, but also about having people to discuss ideas with and exchange perspectives on social and environmental challenges,” she explained. Her words serve as a reminder that engaging with diverse perspectives pushes all of us to think more critically about our own views.
After graduating from the MUI program in 2025, Christy is currently working as an Urban Fellow for the city of Toronto, where she applies the skills and knowledge gained from her master’s degree to advance climate action, social sustainability, and urban innovation.
