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“The Efficiency of Knowledge Based Society"

The topic „knowledge based society“ can be understandable as an overall issue that combines numerous ways and dimensions in spatial development. On its own it is a manifestation through the particular local, regional, European and global development trends in the fields of economy, work and life. The phenomenon of the knowledge based society is linked with space and time. This leads to an extensive understanding of expressions „knowledge based society“ and „spatial development“. Today the knowledge is the most important competition and development factor.

The meeting of the ARL Working group River Basins Management was held on 23th November 2004 at the Faculty of Architecture, Slovak University of Technology In Bratislava. This event was dedicated to overview of the work which has been done during previous months. The highlights of this meeting were the presentations of selected research areas in Slovakia (River basin of Morava River), Czech republic (River basin of Dyje River and Labe river) as well as Germany (River basin of Elbe) and Hungary (River basin of Tisza river).

The conference Competition of Cities: Chances and Risks of Cooperation has been held on the 3 rd and 4 th of March 2005 in Bratislava and was organised by SPECTRA, Centre of Excellence. Competition of the Cities is the title of one of the working groups of ARL, led by prof. Rudolf Giffinger from TU Vienna. This event was an outstanding opportunity to present current research results of the above mentioned working group, as well as contributions from other experts. Each paper presented on the conference was evaluated and commented by independent evaluator. The monography dedicated to Competition and cooperation of the cities is supposed to be released in this year.

The Training Division was established in Poprad on October 1st 2006 as corporate division of The Instutute of Urbanism, The Institute of Design and SPECTRA – Centre of Ecellence at the Faculty of Architecture. The Division became an administrative part of SPECTRA.

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.

There is a long and rich tradition and history in the research of spatial development in Bratislava, represented before all by the Faculty of Architecture STU and the URBION Institute. URBION, already in the times of the former CSSR, belonged to the outstanding research units in the field of urbanism and town and country planning which can be proved by missions of its professionals in the countries of Europe, Africa and Central America. Many of its staff collaborated with the FA STU, thus strengthening its research potential.

The Spectra, Centre of Excellence, is a training and research Centre, focused on generating and transfer of know-how and professional training in the field of spatial planning

Efficient and successful research of the SPECTRA Centre on the main current problems in the field of spatial development in the European context will be supported not only via bilateral collaboration but via integration in the existing and establishing of new networks. This allows the integration in the common interrelated databases for information exchange in the collaboration with the partnership institutions providing information and experience with launching similar databases, virtual and real face-to-face communication via mutual participation of the experts in the research projects, participation on networking events – conferences, workshops, elaboration of joint research projects or creating the networks of excellence.

One of the basic conditions for successful integration of the SPECTRA Centre into the common European research space in accordance with the goals of the SPECTRA PERSEUS project is the assurance of the quality and efficiency of its work. That is why the elaboration of the complex quality assurance system and its implementation became a part of this project.

Spa-ce.net is a self-interest network integrating Central and Eastern European institutes and organisations active in the field of spatial research and planning. Each member institute is represented by its director and/or delegated persons. The network is continuously growing and is open to adopt new members.