EURINT 2015: Regional development and integration. New challenges for the EU
21 - 23 May 2015
“Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iaşi - Centre for European Studies, Romania
The purpose of this 3
rd
edition of EURINT international conference entitled Regional development and integration. New challenges
for the EU was to provide a proper context for mutual dialogue, joint knowledge and a better understanding of the challenges the EU is
facing the current European milieu marked by a gradual regionalization process. Since becoming members of the EU the Central and
Eastern European countries (CEECs) have experienced an ongoing process of decentralization, devolution and regionalization which,
in turn, brought about different ways of envisaging regional development. By and large, regional development can be seen as a general
effort to reduce regional economic disparities by supporting several economic activities in the less development regions. Main
objectives have been large-scale infrastructure development, creating opportunities for inward investment, policies to enhance social
cohesion and other top-down and bottom-up initiatives meant to help regions to catch-up and to establish economic clusters of
development.
According to this line, the conference seeks to bring additional insights into the EU policies aimed at correcting the imbalances between
regions and also to come up with valuable ideas which could contribute to framing the provision of aid and assistance to the less
economically developed regions in a tailored approach. Focusing on the European context, in general, and on the Central Eastern
Europe, in particular (including the Eastern Partnership states and Russia), EURINT 2015 conference will generate impact from a triple
perspective: theoretical, empirical, and policy-making.
Theoretically, this conference seeks to fill the gaps in the current literature by generating novel ideas.
Empirically, our conference will lay a fertile ground for testing new methodological tools employed in the study of regional development.
Our Centre for European Studies is member of the UACES (The Academic Association for Contemporary European Studies) and RSA
(Regional Studies Association). Pooling and combining their contribution and expertise would essentially ensure a sound academic
level for our conference.
From the perspective of the policy-making impact, this project will come up with empirical results about the factors that drive regional
development. Such knowledge will help the EU policy-makers and practitioners to better select and implement modes of implementing
their policies on the ground.
Moreover, this conference will also represent a basis for stronger and more effective future partnerships and cooperation opportunities.
In this regard, we want to lay the foundations of a strong network of young researchers and specialists who will hopefully make positive
changes in the future of the EU integration, particularly with regards to regional development.
The programme is structured around four scientific sessions with the aim of providing participants with a comprehensive understanding
of the implications of regional development. The conference will comprise lectures delivered by international academic experts, which
will be followed, after short brakes, by round tables and presentations of participants' recent research. Participants will be encouraged
to take the floor with speakers and challenge them with their own views and reflections of the topic in a much more interactive way. This
is your chance to present a topic that interests you and to take the role of speaker or moderator.
The conference welcomes contributions on the following topics:
•
The EU as Regional and Global player
•
European Economic Governance: achievements and prospects
•
Economy and Regional Development in the EU
•
The European Union as a Model for Regional Integration