Corporate Mission
The Centre with its activities contributes to economic, social and cultural integration in Europe. By permanent research and proposals of the solutions for optimisation of spatial structures of settlements it helps to meet the objectives of sustainable spatial development, management and planning as well as to balancing regional disparities, improving quality of life and strengthening of social equity in Europe.
Implementation of the achievements of research and development activities of the Centre in the field of empiric research, predictions, methodology and development of the planning instruments and in particular the participative planning in the processes of management of spatial development is highly important for effectiveness of economic processes, for business development, spread of know-how as well as for increasing of social product and creation of new jobs.
Activities of the Centre are of unambiguous impact on the sphere of human environment, management of natural resources and optimisation of sustainable spatial development that includes social, cultural, economic and ecological dimension. The Centre integrates several hierarchic tiers of the settlement system development, from architectural to zonal, regional up to continental. Horizontal and vertical integration and supranational dimension of research and training activities of the centre represent its unique features.
Bio-environmental sustainability, economic vitality, social cohesion and equality, cultural identity represent the objectives followed by the agenda of the Centre in the field of efficient utilisation of space, based on integrated regional and urban management, public participation and optimisation of urban structure. Multidisciplinary approach based on integration of economic, technical, natural and social dimensions applied in the Centre, creates background for solution of the pressing problems of spatial development.
One of the objectives of the Centre is to ensure continual transfer of know-how into practice by utilizing the system of life-long professional education, publication activities, education and integration of young researchers and PhD students in the work of the Centre and the support to the partnership with the public. Training activities of the Centre are focused on spread of know-how, with the emphasis on information technology development, on the processes of European integration and EU enlargement as well as on the increase of environmental awareness. The role of the Centre is not only in the spread of know-how but in ensuring its transfer from the top research centres abroad and supporting its adaptation under the specific conditions of the regions.
A particular role of the Centre is in the field of development of instruments and methods of public participation in decision-making processes, as part of the progress towards democratic society. Integration of the Centre in the European network of research and other academic institutions in Europe and worldwide supports creation of network for cooperation between various cities in Europe and worldwide, strengthening of transfer of experience and efficient utilisation of research and development potential and practical experience in the field of spatial development policy.
The aims of the SPECTRA-PERSEUS Centre can be characterised at three levels:
A) At the national and international levels:
• To contribute to the quality of the policy of spatial development and practice of spatial planning by effective research and transfer of know-how,
• To support optimisation of the processes of spatial development and minimisation of the negatively affecting spatial disparities in newly associated countries by research results in order to reach sustainable economic, environmental and social and cultural development in the central European region
• To support optimisation of the processes of European spatial development, optimal utilisation of the potentials of European space and thus increasing its competitiveness and social equity,
• To contribute to integration processes in Europe by research activities, know-how transfer and publishing and educating,
• To maintain permanent systematic large-scale monitoring and research on spatial aspects of EU enlargement and information society advancement,
• To contribute to better utilisation of the EU financial means to balance spatial disparities and regional development in Europe (mainly the EU structural funds and the funds ISPA, SAPARD, PHARE, INTERREG and others) by establishment of international scientific and professional basis for guidance of spatial development,
• To increase the competitiveness of European research area by research, publications and educational activities,
• To educate a new type of spatial planner, prepared to solve the tasks following from European integration processes and transformation of society toward an information society, by educational and publishing activities and by dissemination of knowledge,
B) At the local and regional levels
• To contribute to optimisation of spatial development toward utilisation of the local and site potentials and the potentials of individual regions and settlements by research activities of the basic and applied research in order to diminish the negatively affecting spatial disparities,
• To support efficacy and quality of regional and local management by education, publishing, expertise and consultations,
• To ensure efficient and effective transfer of spatial planning know-how to regional and local levels,
C) At the academic level
• To integrate and make efficient use of the synergies of interdisciplinary potential of universities,
• To contribute to improvement of education of future planners as well as of the participating professionals from other scientific and technological fields and prepare them for co-operation with planners under the new conditions of European integration,
• To contribute to international reputation of the university and its research potential.