Call for Papers: RSA Workshop on the EU Cohesion Policy

EU Cohesion Policy: Focus on The Territorial Dimension

(5th-6th November, 2015 @ The Centre for Geographical Studies, IGOT, Lisbon University)


In just 24 years (1989-2013), the EU Cohesion Policy has shifted its main strategic intervention goals several times. In short, while in earlier times a stronger focus was put on (i) improving human capital; (ii) supporting companies; and (iii) building and modernizing physical infrastructures, the present development paradigm, expressed in the Europe 2020 Strategy (smart, sustainable and inclusive growth), highlights the need to develop a greener and more competitive economy, based on knowledge and innovation, while fostering a high-employment economy, which delivers social and territorial cohesion.
This also reflects the Lisbon Treaty’s recognition that the European Union needs not only to promote social and economic cohesion, but also ‘territorial cohesion’. Yet, as the Territorial Agenda (TA2020) from 2011 expresses, ‘the Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth can only be achieved if the territorial dimension of the strategy is taken into account, as the development opportunities of the different regions vary’.
The same document (TA2020), highlights the need to deepen the territorial dimension of EU Cohesion Policy by ‘strengthening mechanisms which can ensure the territorial coordination of its interventions; improving the territorial dimension of all steps of strategic programming, evaluation and monitoring activities; ensuring scope for integrated place-based programmes and projects, and integrating different funds in regional strategies’. Achieving this, however, remains a major challenge. This workshop aims to further discuss this question and shed new light on three of the main aspects associated with the Territorial Dimension of the EU Cohesion Policy, for the next programming cycle (2014-2020).


SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT

We invite all those interested to submit abstracts for research papers which should include a description of the conceptual framework, research questions, methods, and a statement on the main findings and contribution to knowledge related with the topics of the Workshop.

  • Abstracts of up to 1000 words should be submitted to: jornadasmopt@campus.ul.pt.
  • Abstract should include: Title, names of all the authors, affiliation and full contact details
  • Open: September 7, 2015
  • Close: September 25, 2015
  • Acceptance notification: October 1, 2015
  • Final programme: October 5, 2015
  • For any question on the submission, please contact eduarda.costa@campus.ul.pt or emedeiros@campus.ul.pt

WORKSHOP TOPICS

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[toggle title=”1.  Assessing territorial impacts at the various spatial levels“]How to effectively implement TIA (Territorial Impact Assessment) procedures in the EU Member States, in order to achieve the goal of the present EU Cohesion Cycle in putting more emphasis in assessing the results of the implemented projects/programmes? What can be the role of ESPON in perfecting and unifying the existing TIA methods and techniques? What is the importance of the urban dimension in the evaluation of the EU Cohesion Policy, considering that urban areas absorb the lions-part of the EU structural funds?[/toggle]
[toggle title=”2. Implementing the Territorial Agenda and the European Spatial Development Perspective“]How can the EU Cohesion Policy be an effective vehicle in implementing the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP) and the Territorial Agenda priorities of promoting a more polycentric and balanced territorial development? Are the Territorial Agenda’s main goals being included within the territorial development strategies of the EU Member States? What are the different storylines and experiences in implementing place-based strategies in Europe?[/toggle]
[toggle title=”3. Achieving territorial cohesion in the EU“]The Lisbon treaty goal of promoting ‘economic, social and territorial cohesion, and solidarity among Member States’ is still a far cry from the reality. How can the EU Cohesion Policy be more effective in contributing to the achievement of this ultimate goal of territorial development? What can be the role of Territorial Cooperation in this endeavour? How to make the most out of EU Cohesion Policy interventions in less developed regions, particularly in times of financial and economic crisis?[/toggle]
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For more information visit VISIT HERE, or click the drop-down links below…
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5 November 2015

14:00 Registration and coffee
– 14.30 Welcome Introduction, Eduardo Medeiros (CEG) / Eduarda Costa (CEG), Mário Vale (Director of CEG-UL)
15:00 Exploring the Territorial Dimension of EU Cohesion Policy 2014-2020:
Keynote Speaker
Andreas Faludi, Delft Univ., (The territorial dimension of the EU Cohesion Policy)
Wolfgang Petzold, Committee of the Regions., (The role of the Regions in the EU Cohesion Policy)
Chair
João Ferrão (ICS) – To be confirmed
– 16:15  – Coffee Break
– 16.45 – Books Presentation: Andreas Faludi (Delft Univ.) and Daniel Rauhut (Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research, NIBR): presentation of the book Services of general interest: European perspectives and national insights, eds. Heinz Fassmann, Daniel Rauhut, Eduarda Marques da Costa, Alois Humer
Luís Moreno (CEG – Lisbon Univ.) – presentation of the book Territorial Impact Assessment, ed. Eduardo Medeiros
– 17.30 – Closing session

6 November 2015

09:00 Session I – Implementing the Territorial Agenda and the ESDP:
Keynote Speaker

Jacek Zaucha (University of Gdansk)

– Speaker 1
– Speaker 2
Chair
(Agency for Development and Cohesion)
11:00 – Coffee Break
– 11.30 Session II – Assessing territorial impacts at the various spatial levels:
Keynote Speaker
Kai Böhme (Spatial Foresight GmbH)
– Speaker 1
– Speaker 2
Chair
Eduardo Medeiros (CEG-IGOT – Lisbon University)
13:30 – Lunch
14:30 Session III – Achieving territorial cohesion in the EU:
Keynote Speaker

Maria Prezioso (University of Rome – Tor Vergata)

– Speaker 1
– Speaker 2
Chair
Eduarda Costa (CEG-IGOT – Lisbon University)
16:30 Closing Session
– Eduardo Medeiros (CEG) / Eduarda Costa (CEG)
– General Direction of Territory
– Maria Lucinda Fonseca (IGOT Director)
– 17.00 End of session
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Prof. Andreas Faludi
Em.Prof. of Spatial Policy Systems in Europe, Delft University of Technology, NL.Studied architecture and planning at the Vienna University of Technology and did his PhD there as well. His academic career started at what is now Oxford Brooks University, followed by chairs at Delft University of Technology, the University of Amsterdam and at Radboud University Nijmegen, and since 2005 back at Delft where he is now emeritus professor. He also holds occasional teaching assignments at Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden where he was awarded an honorary doctorate. He specialized at planning theory and methodology. He was a British Council Scholar, an Australian-European Fellow, a Fulbright Scholar, a Fellow of the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in Social Science and the Humanities, a European Fulbright Scholar and a Fellow of the Bellagio Rockefeller Center and has been visiting professor at several Universities. He has a large number of reference publications in European and world context. He is an Honorary Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Association of European Schools of Planning.
Prof. Kai Böhme                                                                                      
Dr Kai Böhme is director of Spatial Foresight GmbH. He specialises in European regional and territorial research and policies, international comparative studies in the fields of regional development policies, spatial planning, and in the territorial impacts of sector policies. He has a truly European background and considerable experience in policy advice at the European and national level as well as in the management of international applied research and consultancy projects.
Prof. Jacek Zaucha
Professor of Economic of University of Gdańsk, research fellow of the Maritime Institute in Gdańsk, founder of the Development Institute, former Deputy Secretary of the intergovernmental co-operation „Visions and Strategies around the Baltic Sea VASAB 2010”, former Chairman of the VASAB working group on ICZM and Maritime Spatial Planning, former member of the Senior official group of the Baltic Agenda 21, member of the team of the Scientific Advisers to the Polish Ministry of the Regional Development responsible for preparation of the first draft of the National Spatial Development Concept, member of the drafting team for updating EU Territorial Agenda, author of two pilot maritime spatial plans in Poland, author of more than one hundred scientific publications.
Prof. Maria Prezioso
Maria Prezioso is Full professor of Economic Geography and Economics and Territory at Faculty of Economics University of Rome Tor Vergata. From 2000, she is European partner and Lead of several European project (ESPON, Urbact, ENPI CiBMed, Cadzis, UERA, etc.) by a network of academic research bodies as expert in sustainability and cohesive spatial planning, territorial competiveness, regional and municipality development by patented TIA and SEA processes (STeMA) and GIS. She is author and editor of more than 250 national and international publications and handbooks and board of US Social Sciences journal. She was Rector Responsibility person for Integrated Strategic Assessment; is member of the Italian Association of Geographers, expert member of the Italian National Council of Public Works and scientific expert and National Contact Point for the ESPON Programme 2013 and 2020 under the Italian Ministry of Infrastructures and Transports. Actually she is teaching to bachelor degree and master degree courses, and PhD School in Political Geography and PhD School in Management and Local Development; is Director of Academic Spin-off ‘STeMA project and of II Level Master MEPE (European Economics and planning for sustainable territorial development) and STeMA-GIS Laboratory.
Wolfgang Petzold
Wolfgang Petzold is head of unit in the communication department of the European Committee of the Regions, the EU’s assembly of regional and local representatives in Brussels since 2008. Before, he worked for ten years for the European Commission’s Regional Policy and Employment and Social Affairs Directorate-Generals. Being a sociologist, Wolfgang graduated from the University of Bremen in 1983 and began his career in the field of adults’ education and continued with EU programme management in a regional ministry for economic and European affairs. He published several books and articles on EU cohesion policy and lectures at the University of Applied Sciences in Bremen since 1999. He is member of the German branch of the EU Studies Association (AEI), the Regional Studies Association (RSA) and its research committee, as well as of the editorial board of the journal European Structural and Investment Funds (EStIF).
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[toggle title=”Venue“] Conference room of the Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning. (IGOT) – University of Lisbon Campus (Avenida Professor Anibal Bettencourt; Metro station: Cidade Universitária or Entrecampos) [/toggle]
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The RSA research network on EU cohesion policy:
The Regional Studies Association (RSA) Research Network on EU Cohesion Policy aims at providing a forum for debating EU cohesion policy, its effectiveness, impacts, paradoxes, and its future. Through the organisation of six highly successful international workshops and of several special sessions at the recent RSA conferences, since 2011, the Network has succeeded in bringing together academics investigating EU cohesion policy as well as practitioners working with this policy at the EU, national and regional levels. The workshops addressed the key issues structuring the debate on the assessment of the effectiveness and impacts of EU cohesion policy as well as its reform in the run-up to the 2014-2020 period. The Network creates opportunities for inspiring exchanges of ideas, has helped to foster new research collaborations and has led to joint publications.
The Institution:
The Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning (IGOT) – University of Lisbon was created in 2009 and aims at promoting geography and planning higher education, advanced training and research. The Centre of Geographical Studies (CEG) is the research unit of IGOT. The Centre of Geographical Studies (CEG) is the research unit of IGOT. Established in 1943, CEG is the main Portuguese institution conducting research in the field of Geography. The research environment at CEG –IGOT benefits from belonging to the Universidade de Lisboa, which is the largest and one of the most prestigious universities in Portugal.
CEG is organised in three Thematic Lines, which coordinate the activities of 7 Research Groups. Currently, around 200 researchers, of which 78 PhD graduates, work at CEG. CEG work is global in scope and addresses cutting-edge subjects of contemporary Human and Physical Geography and Planning inquiries, aiming at contributing to theoretical, methodological and empirical knowledge on the field. CEG owns and publishes continuously since 1965 the prestigious journal Finisterra. CEG is involved in several collaborative research partnerships and networking activities, both at international and national scales. It also has a high quality of research environment and facilities, such as a specialized library and a vast Map Collection. Local Organizers: Eduardo Medeiros and Eduarda Costa.

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