1. Socio-economic and Political Responses to Regional Polarisation in Central and Eastern Europe
RegPol²

2. Project background
New patterns of regional disparities in CEE on multiple scales
Strong socio-economic spatial polarisation between metropolised core regions and remaining parts of CEE countries
High demand throughout EU for professionals dealing with these issues

3. Aim of the project Research on … Training of young researchers in …
socio-economic forms of regional polarisation
their wider impacts on society
the responses conveyed by social, economic and political actors
Training of young researchers in …
better understanding of regional polarisation and interrelated policymaking processes in different contexts
communicating relevant information for decision making
academic and private sector

4. Network Partners from 7 different countries
8 full and 5 associated partners
8 academic and 5 private partners
13 PhD students and 3 PostDocs with 11 different nationalities
Individual interlinked research projects
Joint research and training programme
Countries: Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Estonia, Finland
Full partners: IfL (Leibniz-Institute for Regional Geography in Leipzig), STU (Slovak University of Technology – SPECTRA Centre of Excellence in Bratislava), CERS-HAS (Centre for Economic and Regional Studies of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Békéscsaba), UT (University of Tartu), UBB (University Babes-Bolyai in Cluj-Napoca), Social Impact (Potsdam), Geomedia (Tartu), MEPCO (International Advisory Centre for Municipalities in Prague)
Associated Partners: Eurofutures (Karis/Finland), UEP (University of Economics in Prague), USZ (University of Szeged), NW-RDA (North-West Regional Development Agency in Comuna Baciu, Cluj), VdG (Verband deutscher Gründungsinitiativen – Association of German Start-up initiatives, Berlin)
Nationalities of fellows: Austrian, Canadian, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Latvian, Moldovan, Romanian, Swedish

5. Work packages Work Package Work Package Title Type of Activity WP1
Evolution, Reproduction and Persistence of Centrality and Peripherality
Research
WP2
Governance of Core-Periphery Relations
WP3
Adaptation, Strategies and Potentials
WP4
Research Training Programme
Training
WP5
External Communication
Outreach
WP6
Project Management
Management

6. Work packages
WP1: Evolution, Reproduction and Persistence of Centrality and Peripherality
Territorial mobility and socio-spatial polarisation in Romania and Hungary
Fuzziness and softness in spatial patterns of regional policies. The example of the Slovak Republic, the Czech Republic and Germany
European and national regional and innovation policies reproducing peripheries? – A critical analysis
Production of core-periphery relations through the social nexuses of economic agents settled in backward regions
Development perspectives of village communities in rural Estonia
The formation and (re-)production of spatial social and economic polarisation

7. Work packages WP 2: Governance of Core-Periphery Relations
Leadership and institutional change in peripheralised municipalities
Path-contingency and path-innovation of regional policies in old and new economy locations. The examples of Czech Republic, Hungary and Estonia
The role of policy paradigms for the governance of core-periphery relations in Germany and Romania
Multilevel governance for balanced development between core and peripheral spaces. A regional comparison between the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany
Theoretical foundations for transnational comparative research on the governance of core-periphery relations

8. Work packages WP 3: Adaptation, Strategies and Potentials
Everyday practices of adaption and resistance to peripheralisation at household scale
The role of social innovation, social entrepreneurship and social business in regional development. A comparative study between Germany and Hungary
The role of business innovation in the development of “peripheral” and “backward” regions” in East Germany and peripheral Estonia
The role of renewable energy in the development of peripheral rural areas in North-West Romania
Theoretical and conceptual thoughts around the ways of adaptation, the formation of strategies and the potentials for new developments

9. WPs and cross-cutting themes as theoretical framework

10. Secondments Secondments as key elements of training programme
Intersectoral and transnational secondments
Support collaboration along cross-cutting theoretical themes
Fig. 3: Location, order and duration of secondments

11. Network-wide training events
Date
Main Training Events & Conferences
Place
11/2014
RegPol² Introductory Event “Basic Understanding on core-periphery relations in Central and Eastern Europe: Implications for research and methodology”
Bratislava
02/2015
1st RegPol² School “Scientific concepts of and policy approaches towards polarisation processes in Central and Eastern Europe”
Tartu
05/2015
Training event for complementary methodological skills
Leipzig
10/2015
2nd RegPol² School “Empirical perspectives on Central and Eastern European polarisation processes and their analysis” (Mid-Term Review)
09/2016
3rd RegPol² School “Beyond disparities: strategies towards a balanced spatial development”
12/2016
RegPol² Work Package Meeting
Cluj-Napoca
06/2017
RegPol² Final Training “Policy implications and communication of research results”
Békéscsaba
08/2017
International Conference “Socio-economic and Political Responses to Regional Polarisation in CEE”

12. Supervisory Board (SB) Project Management Group (PMG)
Quality Manager
Organisation – RegPol² flow
Equal Opportunity Commissioner
Ethics Commissioner
Research Executive Agency (REA)
Supervisory Board (SB)
1 representative per full and associated partner + Junior Coordinator
Project
Coordinator
Project Office
Project Management Assistant, Financial Management Assistant
Project Management Group (PMG)
Work Package Leaders (WPL)
WP 1
WPL: CERSHAS
ESR 1-5, ER 1
WP 2
WPL: UT
ESR 6-9, ER 2
WP 3
WPL: IfL
ESR 10-13, ER 3
WP 4
WPL: STU
WP 5
WPL: MEPCO
WP 6
WPL: IfL

13. ITN in Horizon 2020
Innovative Training Networks are part of Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions
Training of PhD students with a full-time employment contract according to MSC rules
Fellows can be of any nationality but must follow the mobility rule (≤ 12 months during the last 3 years in country of recruitment)
Involvement of academic and private partners
Secondments are integral part of projects
Job advertisements e.g. on EURAXESS

14. Thank you for your attention!