Our project analysed mobilities within the framework of the European policy objectives and using the traditional geo-statistical approach of ESPON applied research. What is that attracts different collectives to some places (and away from others)? How have attraction factors been distributed in the ESPON space between different types of regions and geopolitical contexts? Does attraction always imply competitiveness, or are there significant variations in this? What is the role of policy, and how did very different places, that we studied in deep as case studies, design their attraction policies around their perceived strengths? What is likely to happen in the future, provided the right "strings" are touched? And could there be a European policy approach to mobility that fosters different place strategies so that the resulting distribution of population, talent, and economic opportunities is a desirable one from the point of view of regional cohesion? After presenting the key results of the ATTREG project focusing especially on their policy implications, this meeting will host a keynote speech by a leading international researcher into human mobilities who will contribute his personal view and experience. Afterwards, a panel including European and Regional stakeholders will engage in a round table discussion aiming at analysing the relevance of these results for their respective policy domains. It is also expected that the panellists and researchers will reply to questions coming from the audience.

Symbolically, the closure of the meeting will represent the final act of this research project handing over its results to the ESPON Coordination Unit for future capitalisation.

The programme can be downloaded here.

Specifically, ATTREG aims at exploring the importance of territorial attractiveness for both current and future European spatial development. It tests the degree to which the concept of territorial attractiveness is presently considered in spatial policy, at various levels, and how it might contribute to achieving European regional cohesion.

Download the 1st dissemination report here.

The conference is organised by two Dutch research programmes on climate change and spatial planning (Climate changes Spatial Planning and Knowledge for Climate), the city of Rotterdam and the Co-operative Programme on Water and Climate. Scientists, politicians, policymakers and practitioners are invited to share their experience and knowledge.

The overall scope of the conference is planning and investments in times of climate change. The three main goals of te conference are: 1) exchange of up-to-date top science on climate change and delta planning 2) strengthening of international cooperation between deltas and delta cities 3) exploring and strengthening the links between science, policy and practitioners at international level.

See the website for more information on the conference.

This book is the result of an international comparative study into the development of industrial tourism. Industrial tourism presents opportunities, both in terms of income and as a tool of management, for individual firms that open their doors, and consequently their local regions, to the public. But how can these opportunities be organised in a way that enables the city and the enterprise to take advantage? This book analyses the conditions for successful industrial tourism development using case studies of Wolfsburg, Cologne, Pays de la Loire, Turin, Shanghai and Rotterdam, resulting in concrete recommendations for cities and companies with ambitions in this field.

More about this book.

In large cities in developed countries, the share of manufacturing has declined drastically in the last decades and the share of service has grown as many manufacturing firms have closed or moved to lower-cost locations. The process of deindustrialization is often seen as part of the inevitable shift towards a knowledge based economy and urban economies come to rely on research and development, financial services, tourism and the creative industries. This book looks at the changing link between manufacturing and knowledge-based activities in urban regions.

The authors develop a new framework drawing on insights from organization studies and regional economic literature looking at various international case studies in Western and Eastern Europe, South America and Asia.

More about this book.

The empirical study comprehends face-to-face interviews with key informants from the private sector as well as platform organisations. Furthermore three expert meetings will be organised, inviting entrepreneus to discuss the impact of adaptation on the regional economy. The study will be carried out by Alexander Otgaar and Erwin van Tuijl, together with Willem van Winden (UrbanIQ).

Source: Erasmus Centre for Urban Management Studies

Come and learn from smart initiatives, creative minds and inspiring examples from across the globe. A sample of internationally acclaimed speakers:

• Mr. Jeremy Rifkin, President of the Foundation on Economic Trends, USA
• Mr. Winy Maas, architect/partner MVRDV
• Mrs. Sharon Nunes, Vice-President of Technology, IBM
• Mr. Alexander Rinnooy Kan, Chair International Advisory Board, Rotterdam
• Mrs. Liesbeth van der Pol, Chief Government Architect of the Netherlands
• Mr. Brent Toderian, Director of Planning City of Vancouver, Canada
• Mrs. Saskia Sassen, Professor of Sociology at Columbia University

More information: Rotterdam Global Urban Summit 2009

Jeroen Klijs, Leo van den Berg and Alexander Otgaar, photo by Sebastiaan Knot

During the symposium on the 21st of September the Partners for Healthy Cities not only presented the results of the international study, but they also announced the kick-off of a pilot project in Lombardijen, a Rotterdam neighbourhood. Under the slogan 'From ground to mouth' the Partners want to bring the production of healthy food back in the city. The pilot project was set up during a two-day workshop with representatives of the five partner organisations, other (community-based) organisations with a stake in the neighbourhood and citizens.

Apart from the report, the Partners also presented a magazine called 'Springlevend' (alive and kicking) including a summary of the study's main conclusions and information about the pilot project.

More information (in Dutch)

Ms. Rachel Xian Feng at Erasmus University Rotterdam

SECURC’s primary goal is to foster cooperation on research between the Shanghai Normal University and Erasmus University Rotterdam in the field of Urban Management. The platform allows researchers to cooperate on urban management issues, which may stimulate the development of interesting new research avenues.

Source: www.ecums.nl