2021 #EURegionsWeekCollege

Summary

The European Week of Regions and Cities (#EURegionsWeek) is the biggest annual Brussels-based event dedicated to regional policy. This event serves as a platform for discussing and showcasing the development of EU cohesion policy and making decision-makers more aware of the importance of regions and cities in EU policymaking. More info: https://europa.eu/regions-and-cities/home_en Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the event will take place virtually.

Under the slogan “Together for recovery”, the #EURegionsWeek 2021 will be centred on four topics:

• Green Transition: for a sustainable and green recovery
• Cohesion: from emergency to resilience
• Digital Transition: for people
• Citizens' engagement: for an inclusive, participative and fair recovery

The College sessions are organised by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO)and the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) advised by the Regional Studies Association European Foundation (RSA Europe) and with the cooperation of the European Regional Science Association (ERSA) and the Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP).

The following sessions are open to early career researchers and PhD students and they run as part of the 2021 #EURegionsWeek - College Sessions:

Cohesion Policy and Academic Debate, 12/10/2021, 11:30 - 13:00 CEST

This webinar brings together EU officials and academic researchers to discuss the contribution of EU Cohesion Policy to the post-pandemic recovery. It will present the key actions and challenges involved in overcoming current issues and provide an opportunity for discussion and debate between the participants and presenters.

The recording of this session is now available on the event web: https://vimeo.com/636574548 

A Conversation with…. – Discussion on European Cohesion Policy with PhD Students and Early Career Researchers, 13/10/2021, 14:30 - 16:00, CEST

A debate by senior EU officials talking about the European Recovery Plan and Cohesion Policy with Marc Lemaître, Director-General, Directorate General for Regional and Urban Policy, European Commission, Belgium, EU Officials and John Bachtler (moderator), Head European Policies Research Centre, University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom.

Research for Policy Impact: The European Parliament, 13/10/2021, 11:30 - 13:00 CEST

A session organised in partnership with the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS). In this webinar, colleagues from the European Parliament will discuss how research on Cohesion Policy is used in the work of the Parliament. They will explain how expertise and advice is used by MEPs and in the various Committees, and will suggest ways in which academic researchers can become more closely involved in the process. Attendees will learn about the different forms of communication, speed of delivery and other lessons and hints on how to communicate research to policy makers in the most effective way. An outline of where academic research is already commissioned and sought will be included.

The recording of this session is now available on the event web: https://vimeo.com/637157068 

Forward Challenges for Cohesion Policy 2021 – 2027: A view from Commissioner Elisa Ferreira, 12/10/2021, 15:00 - 16:00 CEST (closed session)

In this closed session a small number of shortlisted participants (PhD students & early career researchers) will have the opportunity to learn about future challenges of the cohesion policy and have the opportunity to engage and network with the Commissioner Elisa Ferreira.

This session will address the challenges of the Cohesion Policy 2021 – 2027 including discussions on the key questions in achieving digital and green transitions, how to optimise results from the changing institutional landscape within the EU Institutions and other topics to be mutually agreed. The session seeks to identify gaps in knowledge and seeks to better articulated knowledge mobilisation in the future and opportunities.