Project partners

FULL PARTNERS

Leibniz-Institute for Regional Geography (IfL): IfL is the only non-university research institute for geography in Germany. It examines regional restructuring processes, their economic and social impacts, and regional policy responses in an integrated spatial perspective focussing on Central and Eastern Europe. One research focus is the production of space in the context of polarisation and peripheralisation (currently 11 transnational projects). IfL personnel are involved in training and education of ESR.

Leader:

Thilo Lang: http://www.ifl-leipzig.de/en/about-us/staff/lang-thilo.html

Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava– SPECTRA Centre of Excellence (STU): STU is the leading school for spatial planners and the leading research institution for urban and spatial planning in Slovakia. STU develops its research activities based on interdisciplinary research of issues of complex sustainable spatial development, with an emphasis on settlement structures development. The Centre conducts basic and applied research and training in the field of methods and instruments of spatial planning.

Geomedia LLC (GEO): Geomedia is a consulting and training centre providing services to public, private and the third sector. Strategic regional planning, regional policy and public governance are in the centre of Geomedia’s activities. Regional development research is another field of Geomedia’s activity.

Social Impact (SI):  The non-profit social impact GmbH (formerly iq consult) is an agency for social innovation since 1994. We develop projects in different areas: social and youth entrepreneurship, european networking and regional development. We use our expertise and our network to strongly support dissemination and development of social innovations. Norbert Kunz, founder and CEO of iq consult and social impact GmbH, is Ashoka Fellow, Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2010 Schwab Foundation, Member of Global Agenda Council on Social Innovation and Member of the European Commission Expert Group on Social Entrepreneurship.

International Advisory Centre for Municipalities (MEPCO): MEPCO is a joint venture of the Dutch VNG International and the Czech Union of Towns and Municipalities. The mission of MEPCO is to support self-government on regional and local level. MEPCO has managed and implemented projects in the area of regional development, local economic development, decentralization and good governance in Eastern and SE Europe. It possesses vast experience in coordinating analytical works, designing and delivering trainings and training modules and was involved in the drafting of Czech key documents for regional development and EU funding. In the past few years MEPCO developed several development strategies for municipalities and regions.

Research Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungarian Academy of Sciences (RCERS): RCERS is part of the only full-time research institute network in Hungary. RCERS undertakes theoretical and empirical studies in the fields of national and world economics, in regional processes and other interdisciplinary areas of social sciences. One research focus is uneven spatial development, (re)production of developing and underdeveloped regions in CEE, comparative analysis of regional policies.

Universitatea Babeș-Bolyai, Facultatea de Geografie (UBB): UBB is a teaching and advanced research university, one of the top ranked universities in Romania, according to the Romanian Ministry of Education rankings. UBB comprises 21 faculties, among them the Faculty of Geography, which has a PhD school with two programmes: Human and Regional Geography, and Physical Geography.

University of Tartu, Department of Geography (UT): The Department of Geography of the University of Tartu is the largest geographer’s environment in Estonia carrying out wide range of interdisciplinary research. One research focus is the peripheralisation phenomenon under the Estonian Targeted financing programme ‘Factors influencing spatial mobility of population and the impact on the regional development’. The Department of Geography is closely involved in policy making and has numerous applied research and consultancy projects with ministries and local authorities.

ASSOCIATED PARTNERS

Eurofutures Finland Ab (EUROFUTURES): Eurofutures Finland is a small private enterprise acting in applied research within European urban and regional development and spatial planning. It specialises in urban and regional indicators, international benchmarking of cities and regions, and measurement of well-being. Advanced utilisation of GIS is an additional core capacity.

North-West Regional Development Agency (NW-RDA): Founded in 1998, NW-RDA is in charge with elaboration and implementation of the regional development plan and a regional innovation strategy for Northern Transylvania. The Agency is the intermediary body for implementation of the Regional Operational Programme, co-financed through ERDF, supporting the development of SME, public infrastructure, urban development etc. The Agency has implemented a large number of projects on business development, innovation, regional development, cross-border cooperation, tourism, long-life learning.

University of Economics, Prague, Department of regional studies (UEP): Department of regional studies at the UEP offers interdisciplinary courses integrating economists, geographers and sociologists. Department is actively involved in policy making process, thanks to close ties to Ministry of Regional Development, Ministry of Industry and Trade and Ministry of Finance. Key research topics are regional policy, cohesion policy or competitiveness of Czech cities and regions.

University of Szeged, Department of Social and Economic Geography (USZ): The USZ is one of the leading training and research centres in Hungary. The Dept. of Economic and Social Geography specialises on housing issues, urban geography, cross-border relations, migration and regional development. Recent projects on effects of globalisation on urban development, socio-economic differentiation of urban areas. In addition to education and research, it closely cooperates with non-profit organisations and authorities, participates in societal debates and attempts to influence planning and policy making. The Department collaborates with many research institutions abroad.

Verband Deutscher Gründungsinitiativen (VDG) (National Association of German Start-Up Support Initiatives): Founded in 2004, the VDG is now an association of more than 50 start-up support Initiatives, among them iq consult (IQ). The VDG aims to promote entrepreneurship, to optimise entrepreneurial support and to shape framework conditions. Since 2007 the VDG runs an accreditation scheme for start-up advisors.