13th European Week of Regions and Cities

Brussels
12 - 15 October 2015

OPEN DAYS University

Master Class

Proceedings
Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Welcome 1

Thematic discussion 1 2

OPEN DAYS opening session 2

EU Cohesion Policy 2014-2020: the state of play 2

Thematic discussion 2 4

Current and future research on EU Cohesion Policy 4

OPEN DAYS official reception 5

Smart (city) governance 5

Reflecting on the reform of cohesion policy for 2014-2020 6

World Café session 7

Feedback and evaluation 9

List of Master Class 2015 participants 10

List of Master Class 2015 speakers, moderators and organisers 13

OPEN DAYS 2015 - European Week of Regions and Cities

Introduction
From 12 to 15 October 2015, the OPEN DAYS was accompanied ºº EU Cohesion Policy and the Europe 2020 strategy for smart,
for the third time by a Master Class aiming to improve the sustainable and inclusive growth;
understanding of EU Cohesion Policy and its research potential.
Organised by the European Commission’s DG for Regional and ºº Institutional relations, governance and EU Cohesion Policy;
Urban Policy (DG REGIO), the Committee of the Regions (CoR)
ºº Places and spaces: the contribution of EU Cohesion Policy to
and the Regional Studies Association (RSA), together with the
integrated urban, rural and territorial development.
European Regional Science Association (ERSA) and the Association
of European Schools of Planning (AESOP), the Master Class focused 30 speakers and moderators from the partnering institutions were
on PhD students and early career researchers from all over Europe involved and the selected participants attended the different
and aimed at: modules of the Master Class: lectures and networking sessions,
OPEN DAYS opening session, in the European Commission,
ºº present recent research on European regional and urban interactive debates, world café session and social events. This
development and EU Cohesion Policy; report presents short accounts of these sessions in chronological
order, together with the results of a feedback exercise and an
ºº enable PhD students and early-career researchers to exchange
online evaluation.
views with EU politicians, officials and senior academics;

ºº facilitate networking among participants from different The organisers would like to thank all participants and speakers for
countries and with the wider EU policy and academic their active involvement.
communities; and
Brussels, January 2016
ºº raise awareness and understanding of the research potential
in the field of EU Cohesion Policy.

Based on a call for paper proposals, 24 participants from universities

in 15 EU Member States and three non-EU countries attended the
Master Class and discuss three themes in particular:

Welcome
The Master Class started on the morning of Monday, 12 October the increasing importance of the OPEN DAYS as a meeting point
2015, with a two-hour city walk, guiding by Stefan De Corte, for leading academics. Richard Kelly, European Regional Science
academic coordinator of the Master’s Programme on “Urban and Association (ERSA), and Izabela Mironowicz, Association of
spatial planning” and associate director of Cosmopolis, the Centre European Schools of Planning (AESOP), both appreciated the
for Urban research – Free University of Brussels. Participants were good cooperation during the preparation of the Master Class
given the opportunity to walk around and view some of the main and confirmed their interest in deepening it in the future. Tony
sights in the centre of Brussels and to understand them from a Lockett, European Commission, DG for Regional and Urban
spatial and urban development perspective, taking the city’s Policy (DG REGIO), mentioned the DG’s interest in a close link to
history into account. researchers in order to gain a better understanding of the impact
of EU Cohesion Policy. Finally, Wolfgang Petzold, European
The tour ended at the Committee of the Regions, where the Committee of the Regions (CoR), spoke briefly on the lessons
participants were welcomed by the organisers. Professor John learned from the 2013 and 2014 Master Classes and thanked RSA,
Bachtler from the Regional Studies Association (RSA) highlighted ERSA, AESOP, and DG REGIO for their support.

Master Class Proceedings 1

Thematic discussion 1
Professor John Bachtler chaired the first session of presentation about Smart specialisation strategies in Poland. Smart specialisation
of students’ research projects, during which selected papers and the public sector: the challenge of institutional learning in Puglia
were discussed with Peter Berkowitz, European Commission, and Sicily was the topic for debate of Giulia Lazzeri, Scuola
DG Regional and Urban Policy; Daniel Mouque, European Superiore Sant’Anna, Institute of Law, Politics and Development.
Commission, DG Regional and Urban Policy and Thomas
Wobben, European Committee of the Regions. It was followed by the discussion about two papers of the theme
Institutional relations, governance and EU Cohesion Policy:
The three papers selected under the theme EU Cohesion The dynamics of the regional development agencies in post accession
Policy and the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable Romania from Alina Dragos, West University of Timisoara,
and inclusive growth was presented. Niall Crosbie, Waterford Department of Political Science, Romania; and Institutional relations
Institute of Technology, Department of Management and in the governance of Cohesion Policy: a principal-agent analysis of the
Organisation, Ireland, presented his paper called Investigation of implementation of financial instruments from Claudia Gloazzo,
the regional innovation paradox. Marta Dobrzycka, Warsaw School University of Strathclyde, School of Government and Public Policy,
of Economics, Collegium of Socio Economics, Poland, discussed European Policies Research Centre, United Kingdom.

OPEN DAYS opening session

The second module of the Master Class was attending the OPEN for local and regional authorities, which would be established
DAYS Opening. Under the title “Europe’s regions and cities: partners by the European Committee of the Regions together with the
for investment and growth”, the opening session took place in the Commission. The audience was also addressed by Ramón
afternoon in the Charlemagne Hemicycle and was attended by Luis Valcárcel Siso, Vice-President of the European Parliament
some 800 participants. Commissioners Corina Creţu, responsible and NAO, the robot developed in the frame of ERDF-funded
for Regional Policy, and Carlos Moedas, responsible for Research, project “JULIETTE”, joined on stage for this innovative opening
Science and Innovation, launched the Seal of Excellence - a new session. The session concluded with Roberta Capello, Professor
initiative to ensure that taxpayer money is spent efficiently by of Regional Economics, Politecnico of Milan; Philip McCann,
improving the synergies between EU funding for regional policy Professor of Economic Geography, University of Groningen; and
and for research. Markku Markkula, President of the European Slavo Radošević, Professor of Industry and Innovation Studies,
Committee of the Regions, backed the efforts of boosting University College London who debated on the challenges for EU
synergies between Horizon 2020 and the European Structural and Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 and its move towards smart regional
Investment Funds, referring to a Knowledge Exchange Platform specialisation strategies and “smart implementation” of the policy.

EU Cohesion Policy 2014-2020: the state of play

On Tuesday, 13 October 2014, the Master Class continued in the Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion was followed by a speech
morning with module 3, which offered insights the results of the and discussion with Walter Deffaa, European Commission,
programming of EU Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 including aspects Director-General for Regional and Urban Policy
of its implementation, monitoring and evaluation. A first discussion
with Eric von Breska, European Commission, DG Regional and Manuela Geleng and Eric von Breska gave a joint presentation on
Urban Policy, and Manuela Geleng, European Commission, DG

2 OPEN DAYS 2015 - European Week of Regions and Cities

the central elements of cohesion policy reform. First, the different Indeed, out of the 10 priorities set by President Juncker for the
linkages between the European semester and the cohesion new Commission that took office last year, the cohesion policy
policy programming were presented: stronger link to economic contributes to 8 of them:
governance and European semester processes by linking policy
and funding; stronger linkages between CSRs and cohesion policy 1. A new boost for jobs, growth and investment
investments. Then other driving principles of the cohesion policy
were highlighted: the Ex ante conditionalities and the stronger 2. A connected Digital Single Market
result orientation.
3. A resilient Energy Union with a forward-looking climate
change policy
The speakers highlighted that monitoring performance with
common indicators and performance frameworks ensure accurate 4. A deeper and fairer Internal Market with a strengthened
reporting and a programme implementation focused on results. industrial base
They also analysed the allocation of European structural funds with
regards to the thematic objectives before presented the measures 5. Economic & Monetary Union
linking effectiveness of ESI Funds to sound economic governance.
The importance of integrated delivery modes for territorial 6. Migration (including refugee crisis) and Integration
development (especially sustainable urban development and ITIs)
and the strong expectations towards financial instruments that 7. Global actor (13 agreements formalized on international
improve the leverage effect of cohesion policy were emphasized. cooperation through the world)

8. Democratic change (supporting efforts to raise activity rates)

The programme evaluation for which each Member States has the
main responsibility was the last point of the presentation and the Cohesion policy has 4 different ways to contribute:
discussion with participants was opened.
ºº • through our regional and urban investment programmes
Walter Deffaa began his speech by reminding that the political with our restricted number of key thematic priorities;
priority attached to the reduction of geographical disparities was
present right from the foundation of what is today known as the ºº • through the implementation of ex-ante conditionalities;
European Union (initially the European Economic Community), in
the original Treaty of Rome of 1957. In the integration process that ºº • through the link with the Stability & Growth Pact where the
has unfolded since the Treaty of Rome, involving both deepening Member States are helped in maintaining investment without
– more sharing of sovereignty – and widening - expansion from 6 adding to the internal deficit;
to 28 member states - the idea of fiscal federalism, and the creation
of a fiscal equalization system, was declined opting instead for ºº • through the support providing for the structural reform
a system – proposed by President Jacques Delors (1985-1994) - process in the EU, for example, by improving capital – financial
based on supporting the economic growth and development of instruments - and labour mobility.
the weaker member states and regions through the channelling In order to deliver the European investment to contribute to the
to them of investment funds from the central EU budget, so that realisation of these strategies, changes to the delivery system have
they could share in the results of (or at the very least not unduly been essential so as to translate European priorities into the real
suffer from) economic and monetary union. investment decisions taken at the regional and local level. This
has led to introduce a major strengthening of the conditions
In the early phases, from 1989 to the beginning of this century, it accompanying cohesion and regional policy programmes
could be said that the emphasis was placed on the redistributive beginning with the preferential earmarking of key investment fields
role of EU regional policy dimension, so that there was perhaps in the requirements for the drawing up the strategic programmes
too much effort devoted to securing resources under cohesion for 2007-2013. These conditions have been reinforced, at least in
and regional policy, and perhaps insufficient attention paid legislative terms, for the period just beginning, 2014-2020.
to making the most successful use of those resources at a later
stage. It is this that changed in order to create the modern Moreover, not only is the policy now guided or conditioned by
paradigm. The rationale of the policy became one of a source of the need to contribute to achieving the objectives of the current
investment to help in the realisation of the succession of (related) version of the EU’s competitiveness strategy – Europe 2020 – it has
competitiveness strategies guiding the whole of the Union after also become, in post-crisis Europe, an instrument to help to ensure
2000 (the Lisbon Strategy (2000), the Growth and Jobs Strategy the stability of the economic and monetary union as a whole with
(2005), and the Europe 2020 strategy (2010)). sanctions possible (transfers suspended) for the non-respect of
the Union’s limits for national macro-economic magnitudes.

Master Class Proceedings 3

The result of this new paradigm is that more than ever our Cohesion policy, and to give academics a better understanding of
economic and monetary union will need cohesion and regional the concerns and priorities of the policy Communities at EU and
policy in the years ahead as an instrument to underpin its success. national levels. Walter Deffaa concluded in saying this is a big
challenge that requires continuous efforts from both sides.
Research is an essential element of this process. Exchanges
between practitioners and academics on Cohesion policy are In the afternoon of 13 October, two sessions were held: the
key both for the effective implementation and for the further presentation of research projects and thematic discussions was
development of the policy. It is essential to make policy officials followed by a round table discussion with senior researchers on
and practitioners aware of the research being conducted on current and future research on EU Cohesion Policy.

Thematic discussion 2
Chaired by Phillipe Monfort, European Commission, DG selected under the theme Places and spaces: the contribution
Regional and Urban Policy, the session involved a discussion of EU Cohesion Policy to integrated urban, rural and territorial
between the selected students and discussants Peter Berkowitz, development
European Commission, DG Regional and Urban Policy; Daniel
Mouque, European Commission, DG Regional and Urban Policy; ºº Spatialities of labour policies in Hungary, Márton Czirfusz,
and Thomas Wobben, European Committee of the Regions Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungarian
Academy of Sciences, Hungary
In continuity with the presentations of the 12th and linked to the
theme Institutional relations, governance and EU Cohesion Policy, ºº Investing in lagging regions is efficient: a local multipliers
the two following papers were presented: analysis of European regions, Jasper J. Van Dijk, Oxford
University, New College, United Kingdom
ºº Changing modes of EU governance. Implications
ºº Measuring demographic impact of the regional and
for Cohesion Policy Telle, Stefan, Slovak University of
cohesion policy actions: example of Latvia, Aleksandrs
Technology, Institute of Management, Slovakia
Dahs, University of Latvia, Centre for European and Transition
ºº Mapping of interest groups mobilization in cross-border Studies, Latvia
cooperation programmes, Marsida Bandilli, University
ºº How does the net impact of the EU Regional Policy differ
of Antwerp, Antwerp Centre for Institutions and Multilevel
across countries? Riccardo Crescenzi, London School of
Politics (ACIM), Department of Political Science, Belgium
Economics, Department of Geography and Environment,
Then, discussants and students debated on four other papers United Kingdom and Mara Giua, Roma Tre University,
Department of Economics, Italy.

Current and future research on EU Cohesion Policy

The second session during the afternoon of 13 October addressed ºº Prof Lisa De Propris, University of Birmingham, United
the issue of current research trends and on recent regional and Kingdom
urban policy developments at EU level. Moderated by Professor
Anna Geppert, University Paris IV Sorbonne, France, a roundtable ºº Prof Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, Visiting Professor at the
discussion included the following academics: College of Europe, Professor of Economic Geography at the
London School of Economics
ºº Prof Kevin Morgan, Cardiff University, United Kingdom,
Prof Andrés Rodríguez-Pose introduced the debate presenting
Governance and Development, School of Planning,

4 OPEN DAYS 2015 - European Week of Regions and Cities

the challenge for the research on EU cohesion policy. The first ºº poor governance in lagging regions and innovation;
challenge is about governance and development. A balance
between the strategies and the institutions is essential. However ºº poor governance and the returns of regional development
governance is often overlooked. Measuring regional governance policies: unequal distribution of Cohesion expenditure.
is the second identified challenge: the importance of knowing In order for greater cohesion investment to overtake the
the quality of government and the within- and cross-country advantages of quality of government, EU cohesion budget
differences was highlighted. Other highlighted challenges are: would have to be multiplied 2.7 times

ºº rethinking development strategies.

ºº poor governance in lagging regions and infrastructure
investment;

OPEN DAYS official reception

On the evening of 13 October, Master Class participants and Commissioner Corina Creţu and MEP Lambert van Nistelrooij,
lecturers, together with about 1,500 OPEN DAYS participants, President of the RegioStars panel of judges, announced the
were invited to attend the official reception at BOZAR, Brussels’ winners of the prestigious RegioStars Awards. These awards aimed
Centre for Fine Arts. This year, for the first time, the European to celebrate the most inspiring and innovative projects supported
Commission’s RegioStars Award Ceremony was included in the by European cohesion policy funds.
Open Days evening programme. During the ceremony, European

Smart (city) governance

On Wednesday 14 morning, participants were free to either Yet, there remains a distinct impression of a generally rather ‘fuzzy’
attend other OPEN DAYS seminars and/or to organise meetings. understanding of what ‘smart’ may mean, as it tries to be ‘all things
Then, in the afternoon, they met Dr Tassilo Herrschel, University to all men’. Thus, while the website of ‘Smart Brussels Capital
Westminster, London, during a session organised the Free Region’ clearly focuses on efficient transport management as a
University of Brussels/VUB and Cosmopolis, Centre for Urban sign of ‘smartness’ in making things work, ‘Smart Berlin’ seems to
Research. see smartness as engaging internationally and use that as a way of
‘doing better’ as a city. Here, it is this latter, broader, understanding
Tassilo Herrschel introduced the session about smart (city) that is adopted. ‘Smartness’ is being taken to mean searching
governance. Everyone seems to be claiming to do ‘smart’ things or for new ways of doing things. This includes stepping back from
being ‘smart’ when it comes to presenting and discussing policy routines and engrained practices and rationales, and looking for
making or political processes. This applies in particular to governance, different, novel, even ‘radical’, ways of doing things – with the tools
because ‘who wants to be dumb’, as a referee commented on a one has: just using them in a different way. Throwing away old tools
recent paper draft of mine on ‘smartness’. The speaker wondered and demanding spanking new ones as an automatic key to success
about the meaning of this term actually. Indeed,: signs and, is the easy thing: No new tools – no new policies. Yet, using old
especially, websites, advocating ‘smart cities’, ‘smart regions’, ‘smart tools imaginatively for a new purpose and in a new way may well
policies’, etc., seem to pop up ever more frequently. But while this enable the formulation of effective answers to novel challenges. It
may suggest that ‘smartness’ has become the new paradigm de also means that actors cannot simply hide behind the claim ‘oh, we
rigueur to characterise ‘new’ ways of doing things in urban policy do not have the ‘right’ tools to do anything about that.
and governance, the actual meaning is none the clearer. Rather, it
may be viewed as a sign of ‘jumping on a bandwagon’ in order to be So, it is innovation, enterprise, risk-taking and imagination that
considered ‘trendy’, ‘on message’ and part of the innovative crowd. may go under the banner of ‘smartness’ as a sign of shifts in policy-

Master Class Proceedings 5

making and governance. In other words, ‘smartness’ is taken here ways of doing things. The often seeming gap between application-
to stand for ‘policy innovation’ or, at a more fundamental, structural oriented IT approaches and discursive-conceptual imaginations
level, - ‘political innovation’. This involves critical reflection and (whether realistic or not) in social sciences, marks out one such
more ‘outside-the-box’ thinking, possibly redefining societal and case of going beyond established mindsets and practices, while
political norms and paradigms. But it also means for actors to being shaped by particular local conditions and political milieux.
take political, as they leave behind established ‘safe’ practices and The outcome may be new types of policies and ways of doing
formulas, and venture instead to try out novel perspectives and them, as will be illustrated with some examples.

A ‘SMART’ EXERCISE
Students were divided into five groups. with Tassilo Herrschel, Dirk van de Putte interpretation of ‘smart’ (Smart is
They had about 20-25 minutes to from ADT/ATO (the Brussels regional more than ‘tech’); society as a group
prepare a 1-slide presentation (akin development agency), and Shenja van of individuals vs civil society groups;
to a ‘poster’) on the concept of ‘smart der Graaf (iMinds, VUB).
cities’, in response to the introduction The results also included:
provided by Tassilo Herrschel. They They suggested different ways of
were encouraged to use their smart looking at the Smart City concept: ºº an idea for “Smart Neighbourhood”
phones, tablets and other such devices app (connect and help your
to find information online to help them ºº as common denominator is the neighbour);
formulate their own ‘take’ on this term. need to make sense to inhabitants
This included the use of an example ºº 2 definitions: smart city is hard to
and to include the aspect of risk
they know. For the presentation, any manage but easy to live, including
management
format was fine as long as it respects elements of governance (engage,
the limit of 1 slide in PowerPoint ºº importance to take into consider- react, decide) of resources and ICT;
– including: images, texts, graphs, ation the capacities of the citizens; Smart City matches the existing
embedded short video, etc … of level of digital literacy; of young- needs (applicable, flexible, easily
old generations; maintained, inclusive), is open
In the second part of the workshop, (accessible and participatory) and
each group of students presented their ºº need to train citizens for the includes a long term plan (which is
works that will be discussed collectively future: to continue to discuss the manageable).

Reflecting on the reform of cohesion policy for 2014-2020

On the evening of the Wednesday 14, Masterclass students Marc Lemaitre, European Commission, Office of Administration
attended an informal conversation reflecting on the process of the and Individual Entitlements; Nicholas Martyn, European
reform of Cohesion policy, focusing on the cycle of debate and Commission, DG Regional and Urban Policy and Lynsey Moore,
negotiations that produced the budget and policy reforms agreed European Commission, DG Regional and Urban Policy.
in 2013 for the 2014-2020 period. This is a subject that is not well
understood by many academics working in the Cohesion policy The key issues, milestones and experiences in the reform process
field, in particular the PhD students and early career researchers - both in the preparatory period of policy development (2007-11)
(ECRs) involved in the Open Days University Master Class. The and the negotiations (2011-13) were discussed.
panellists were Professor John Bachtler (moderator); Eric von
Breska, European Commission, DG Regional and Urban Policy;
Krzysztof Kasprzyk, Ministry of Regional Development, Poland;

6 OPEN DAYS 2015 - European Week of Regions and Cities

World Café session
Following a welcome by European Committee of the Regions’ ability to foster networking and collaboration for innovation; and
Secretary-General, Jiří Buriánek, and an introduction by Professor about the urban-rural divide - different regions, different needs.
John Bachtler, the final module was presented in the form of They finally wondered if a EU-wide approach is possible and
a World Café session focusing on the three themes of the 2015 desirable.
OPEN DAYS. The session took the form of managed discussions in
six small groups (two per theme). At each table, a table manager About the Europe 2020, economic governance and the follow-
and a facilitator, European Commission and CoR officials, helped in up of thematic concentration, Master Class students debated
the discussions according to their areas of expertise. Participants on the thematic concentration already applied in some Member
changed three times and finally returned to the table of their initial State that may be constraining short-term priorities in some MS,
field of interest in order to have an exchange on lessons learned. about the issue urban vs rural areas. They also asked if the thematic
The exercise was closed with short presentations by each table concentration is even feasible or right.
and a final wrap-up by the coordinator.
About the future in research on the relationship between EU
The exercise closed with short presentations from each table and economic governance and economic, social and territorial
a final wrap-up by John Bachtler. cohesion, the participants answered:

The sessions at tables 1 and 2 focused on the EU Cohesion Policy ºº Research on demographic changes (ageing etc. and
and the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and implications to CP)
inclusive growth. Between 2014 and 2020, EU Cohesion Policy
will invest around a third of the EU budget in key areas in line with ºº Research about what territorial level certain instruments
the Europe 2020 strategy through concentration on thematic should be implemented at
objectives. Earlier in 2015, Eurostat has presented progress made
towards the Europe 2020 indicators at national level, achievements ºº Research on the use and effectiveness of financial instruments
at regional and local level were presented in a recent publication ºº Research on the scale of (urban) planning
of DG REGIO, and the Committee of the Regions follows runs a
Europe 2020 Monitoring Platform. Discussions were guided by ºº More comparative (deep) case studies needed
three main questions:
ºº More research for the setting up the “right” indicators for 2021-27
ºº EU Cohesion Policy, Europe 2020 and economic governance:
an ever-closer relationship? Tables 3 and 4 focussed on Institutional relations, governance and
EU Cohesion Policy. The recent reform of EU Cohesion Policy has
ºº Europe 2020 and/or economic governance: how will thematic recognised the importance of good governance as crucial for the
concentration be followed up? success of regional development policies. This has been reflected
in a number of studies presented by the OECD, DG REGIO and
ºº What’s next in research on the relationship between EU the European Parliament. Strengthening administrative capacity
economic governance and economic, social and territorial has become a priority and “thematic objective“ for a number of
cohesion? countries and significant resources have been set aside in this
respect. They addressed key questions such as:
Debates at tables 1 and 2 were facilitated by Peter Berkowitz
(DG REGIO), Manuela Geleng (DG EMPL), Amélie Cousin and ºº What constitutes ‘administrative capacity’ for managing and
Pauliina Mäkäräinen (both CoR). implementing Cohesion Policy and how can it be measured?
About the first question, participants highlighted the need for ºº How can national/regional variations in administrative
a strong link between cohesion policy and broader economic capacity be explained?
governance: the economic governance should be linked closer
with fiscal policy and ECB and rescaled. They also discussed about ºº What are the priorities for research on governance and
better links between the Cohesion Policy and other EU funds and management of EU Cohesion Policy and how could such
instruments; on certain cases the integration of funds could be research best be organised?
a constraint. They also raised wider issues about governance, e.g.
Facilitators and moderators of tables 3 and 4 were: Pascal

Master Class Proceedings 7

Boijmans (DG REGIO), Agnieszka Widuto (European Parliament On the priorities for research on governance and management
Research Service), Florian Hauser (DG EMPL), Milica Neacsu and of EU Cohesion Policy and how such research could best be
Bert Kuby (both CoR). organised, the following elements were highlighted:

PB spoke in the introduction about the Competence Centre for ºº The unit of analysis is important.
Administrative Capacity Building, which was established 2.5 years
ago, with the aim of helping regions and cities facing difficulties ºº Priorities are different for academics and applied research.
with absorption rates. He referred to question no.1 as the “million
ºº DG REGIO should have a research unit.
dollar question”:
ºº Research and policy –makers need to meet half way in the
About the first question, one of the main challenges highlighted question of timing. Research often takes too much time and
was to find good indicators. The EC relies mostly on the World the European Commission is under political pressure to deliver.
Bank for that. EPRS representative emphasized that the EP was What could help: more operational conclusion from research.
advocating for a bottom-up approach and called for introducing
the regional dimension into European strategies. The Mid-Term The pillars to success are: structure, skills, systems & tools, good
review of the Europe 2020 strategy found that the ownership at governance (operate in a context in which politics play a role). An
regional level was quite low. The EP was preparing a resolution interface should exist to promote increased input from research.
on Europe 2020, pushing for regional based indicators. EP also
supported the shifting from compliance orientation to result Tables 5 and 6 discussed the issues of places and spaces and
orientation in the implementation of policies. The OECD definition of the contribution of EU Cohesion Policy to integrated
on administrative capacity was limited to planning and delivering urban, rural and territorial development. The recent reform
infrastructure and public services – was that it, or was there more to of EU Cohesion Policy has been underpinned by a “territorial
administrative capacity? It is a waste of time to focus on changing discourse” surrounding the “Barca Report”. Related debates have
the approach (e.g. centralized versus organic, more dialog-based), been both influenced and influential with regard to controversies
because of the factors determining it (history, culture, etc.) – there on “place-based” vs. “space-blind” economic development
are ways in both approaches to engage the same actors. The key models. Concerning EU Cohesion Policy, such discussions will be
to strengthening regional administration were discussed: more continued in the context of the EU’s Territorial Agenda 2020, the
power; more people; better planning? The Simple structures Urban Agenda and the ESPON 2020 programme. The questions for
perform better – not more people in the administration, but more debate were the following:
skilled people (good training and motivation fighting turn-over),
together with the involvement of more stakeholders. Strategic ºº How influential has the territorial discourse been for the reform
planning should not be done for the sake of it (because the EC is of EU Cohesion Policy and what’s left of it when it comes to
asking), but a strategic approach needs to be kept throughout the implementation?
implementation process. A good monitoring system needs to be
put in place, both focused on finance and result orientation. ºº Convergence, competitiveness, well-being: what’s the state of
debate on region? development indicators?
The pillars to success are: structure, skills, systems & tools, good
governance (operate in a context in which politics play a role). An ºº What are themes for academic research with regard to the
interface should exist to promote increased input from research. territorial dimension of EU policies and how could such
research best be organised?.
About the national/regional variations in administrative capacity,
Prof Lisa De Propris (University of Birmingham, United Kingdom),
participants said that local and regional authorities are many times
Fiona Wieland (DG REGIO), Christiaan Van Lierop (European
confined to follow guidelines from the national level, it is thus a
Parliament Research Service), Gordon Modro and Marc Kiwitt
question of competences as much as it is of budget. They also
(both CoR) moderated the discussion at tables 5 and 6.
wondered if all Member States are ready for financial instruments.

8 OPEN DAYS 2015 - European Week of Regions and Cities

Feedback and evaluation
Moderated by Giulia Amaducci (DG REGIO) and Wolfgang Cohesion Policy. This expectation was met in some 86% of cases.
Petzold (CoR), Master Class participants were asked immediately The session about current and future research on EU Cohesion
after the World Café session to summarise their first impressions policy, the informal discussion at the Brussels University Club and
of the event in one word, reflecting on both positive memories the World Café session were the most appreciated module, with
and possible improvements to the format. The word clouds below 73.3% rating it ‘excellent’. The academic programme was perceived
indicate that “networking” and “knowledge-exchange” was ranked as ‘excellent’ by 66.6% and ‘good’ by 33.4% (as compared to 38.5%
as most memorable while “feed-back” and “more interaction” and 61.5% in 2014). About communication tools, the OPEN DAYS
notably during the students’ presentations and “informal moments website was the most useful tool (66.6% finds it “very useful”), while
with EU officials” were suggested several times among the areas to the feedback social media platforms and social media platform
be changed. was very mixed. The sessions of presentation of PhD students’
research will be rethought as it was the main recommendations for
After the Master Class, participants and lecturers were invited to future events: ‘more opportunity for feedback on all participants’
take part in an online evaluation, to which 15 of the 24 participants research papers’, ‘more time for discussing PhD students’ research’,
responded. For 80% of them, Master Class is a real opportunity to ‘everybody [should] get the chance to present their paper’. The
meet EU institutions representatives and to network with their European Parliament involvement and the informal discussions
peers. Participants’ main expectation was to learn more about EU (on World Café format for instance) are other suggestions.

Master Class Proceedings 9

List of Master Class 2015 participants
(in alphabetical order)

Marsida Bandilli Marta Dobrzycka

Paper: Mapping of interest groups mobilization in cross-border Paper: Smart specialisation strategies in Poland
cooperation programmes PhD Student
PhD Student Warsaw School of Economics, Collegium of Socio Economics
University of Antwerp Ul. Wiśniowa 41, 02-520 Warsaw, Poland
Department of Political Science Research Group ACIM (Antwerp marta.dobrzycka@doktorant.sgh.waw.pl
Centre for Institutions and Multilevel Politics)
Ph. +48 22 8492786
Sint-Jacobstraat 2, 2000 Antwerpen, België
marsida.bandilli@uantwerpen.be Alina Dragos
Ph +32 32655730, mobile: +32 487711569 Paper: The dynamics of the Regional Development Agencies in
post-accession Romania
Niall Crosbie PhD Student
Paper: Investigation of the regional innovation paradox West University of Timisoara, Department of Political Science
PhD Student Blvd. V. Parvan 4, Timisoara 3002243, Timis, Romania
Waterford Institute of Technology Alina.dragoss@yahoo.com
Centre for Enterprise Development and Regional Economy, Ph. mobile +4(0) 745862120
Department of Management and Organisation, School of Business
Arclabs Research and Innovation Centre, WIT West Campus, Claudia Gloazzo
Carriganore, Paper: Institutional relations in the governance of Cohesion Policy:
Waterford, Ireland a principal-agent analysis of the implementation of financial
niallcrosbie@hotmail.com instruments
Ph. mobile: +353 868587280 PhD Student
University of Strathclyde, European Policies Research Centre,
Dr Márton Czirfusz School of Government and Public Policy 2/3, 34 Thornwood
Paper: Spatialities of labour policies in Hungary avenue, G117QY Glasgow, United Kingdom
Research Fellow claudia.gloazzo@strath.ac.uk
Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungarian Academy Ph. +44 (0)141 5483910, mobile: +44 (0) 7448611051
of Sciences
Milán Husar
Institute for Regional Studies
Paper: Respond on fuzzy responsibilities in the cross-border
Budaörsi út 45., 1112 Budapest, Hungary
management of Alps-Carpathian eco-biocorridor
czirfusz@rkk.hu
PhD Student
Ph. +36 13092684, mobile: +36 205759337
Slovak University of Technology, Institute of Management
mobile: +48 668048333
Semenárska 15, 85110 Bratislava, Slovakia
Jasper Jacob van Dijk Husar.milan@gmail.com
Paper: Investing in lagging regions is efficient: a local multipliers Ph. mobile +421 907 321 242
analysis of European regions
Maria Karanika
PhD Student
Paper: Places and spaces: urban and rural development; urban-
University of Oxford, New College
rural integration
80 Empress Court, Woodin’s Way, Oxford, OX1 1HG, United
PhD Student
Kingdom
University of Thessaly
jasper.vandijk@economics.ox.ac.uk
Department of Planning and Regional Development
Ph. mobile: +44 7450281727
Viopolis, 41500 Larissa, Greece
mkaranik@uth.gr
Ph. +30 2410685727, mobile: +30 6932752760

10 OPEN DAYS 2015 - European Week of Regions and Cities

Giulia Lazzeri Dr Jorge Tiago Mira Canhoto Duraes Martins
Paper: Smart specialisation and the public sector: the challenge of Paper: Relational capabilities to leverage new knowledge – an
institutional learning in Puglia and Sicily empirical analysis of firms embedded in UK and Portugal old
PhD Student industrial regions
Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Institute of Law, Politics and Lecturer
Development (DIRPOLIS Institute) The University of Sheffield, Information School
Via Santa Cecilia, n. 3, 56127 Pisa, Italy Regent Court, 211 Portobello Street, S1 4DP Sheffield, United
giulia.lazzeri@sssup.it Kingdom
Ph. mobile: +39 3382855385 jorge.martins@sheffield.ac.uk
Ph. +44 1142222667, mobile: +44 7595939844
Laura Lopez-Gomez
Paper: Do institutions of the euro area converge? Gergő Medve-Bálint
PhD Student Paper: Economic and political bias in the distribution of EU funds
in East Central Europe
University of Murcia, Department of Quantitative Methods
PhD Student/Junior Research Fellow
Faculty of Economics and Business, Campus of Espinardo, 30100
Murcia, Spain Center for Social Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Laura.l.g@um.es Department of Government and Public Policy
Ph. +34 868889412, mobile: +34 625435472 Országház utca 30., 1014 Budapest, Hungary
Medve-Balint.Gergo@tk.mta.hu
Ana Isabel Matias Louro Martins Ph. +36 1 2246700/230, mobile: +36 203959756
Paper: An integrated approach of territorial development in EU
Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 – new instruments for old challenges Javier Gomez Prieto
PhD Student/Research Fellow Paper: European Territorial Cooperation effects on the promotion
University of Lisbon (CEG-UL), Centre for Geographical Studies, and use of solar energy in the Mediterranean area
Research Group of Modelling, Urban and Regional Planning PhD Student/Project monitoring and evaluation officer
(MOPT) Joint Technical Secretariat, European Territorial Cooperation
Edifício da Faculdade de Letras, Alameda da Universidade, 1600- Programme for the Mediterranean: MED Programme
214 Lisboa, 39 Rue Jean Martin, 13005 Marseille, France
Portugal jgomezpri@gmail.com
analouro@campus.ul.pt Ph. mobile: +33 0787954430
Ph. + 351 217940218 / 217965469, mobile: + 351 963737335
Eva Purkarthofer
Mandy Lalrindiki Paper: When ‘soft planning’ and ‘hard planning’ meet: the encounter
Paper: The influence of regional level institutional frameworks in of European and national spatial planning
the evolution of an inter-regional innovation system: a conceptual PhD Student
paper
Aalto University, YTK Land Use and Urban Studies Group,
PhD Student Department for Real Estate, Planning and Geoinformatics
Waterford Institute of Technology Rakentajanaukio 2C, 02150 Espoo, Finland
Department of Management and Organisation eva.purkarthofer@aalto.fi
Arclabs Research and Innovation Centre, WIT West Campus, Ph. mobile: +358 504319196
Carriganore,
Waterford, Ireland
mandyhmar@gmail.com
Ph. mobile: +353 857304634

Master Class Proceedings 11

Alys Solly “Best paper“ winners
Paper: Place-based innovation in EU Cohesion Policy In the context of the conference “Challenges for the New Cohesion
PhD Student Policy in 2014-2020: An Academic and Policy Debate“, held by DG
REGIO, the RSA and the Latvian EU Presidency on 4-6 February
Politecnico di Torino, DIST – Dipartimento Interateneo di Scienze,
2015 in Riga, three researchers won a best paper award, which
Progetto e Politiche del Territorio
includes participation in the OPEN DAYS 2015 Master Class.
Viale Pier Andrea Mattioli 39, 10126 Torino, Italy
Alys.solly@polito.it Dr Riccardo Crescenzi
Ph. mobile: +39 3408600554 Paper: How does the net impact of EU regional policy differ across
countries? (together with Mara Giua)
Stefan Telle Associate Professor of Economic Geography
Paper: Changing modes of EU governance. Implications for London School of Economics & Harvard University (Visiting
Cohesion Policy Scholar)
PhD Student Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE, United Kingdom
Slovak University of Technology, Institute of Management r.crescenzi@lse.ac.uk
Vazovova 5, 81243 Bratislava, Slovakia Ph. +44 (0)20 7955 6720
stefantelle@gmail.com
Ph. mobile: +421 918 669 051 Aleksandrs Dahs
Paper: Measuring demographic impact of the regional and
Sebastian Schulz cohesion policy actions: example of Latvia”
Paper: Examining the link between innovation as a key concept in PhD Student University of Latvia, Demography Doctoral Study
EU Cohesion Policy and socio-spatial polarisation in CEE regions Programme
PhD Student/Junior Research Fellow Maskavas Str. 243-90, LV-1019 Riga, Latvia - Alexandrs.dahs@lu.lv
University of Tartu Ph. +371 67034374
Faculty of Economic and Business Administration
Dr Mara Giua
Riia 19-6, 51010 Tartu, Estonia
Paper: How does the net impact of EU regional policy differ across
sebastian.schulz@ut.ee countries? (together with Ríccardo Crescenzi)
Ph mobile: +372 59049180 Post-doc researcher
Roma Tre University, Department Economics
Dr Tamara Edyta West
Via S. D’Amico, 00145 Rome, Italy
Paper: Cultural heritage, digital innovation and SmartCulture
Regional Clusters: addressing the distinctiveness of the spaces and Mara.giua@uniroma3.it
places of EU Cohesion Policy Ph. mobile: +39 3291471575
Research Fellow
The University of Birmingham, Birmingham Business School and
Digital Humanities Hub
Edgbaston Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
t.e.west@bham.ac.uk
Ph. mobile: +44 (0)7432056792

12 OPEN DAYS 2015 - European Week of Regions and Cities

List of Master Class 2015 speakers, moderators and
organisers
(in alphabetical order)

Giulia Amaducci Jiří Buriánek

European Commission Secretary-General
DG Regional and Urban Policy Committee of the Regions
Avenue de Beaulieu 29/Beaulieulaan 29 rue Belliard/Belliardstraat 99-101
1160 Brussels B-1040 Brussels
Giulia.Amaducci@ec.europa.eu Jiri.burianek@ec.europa.eu

John Bachtler Daniela Carl

Director, European Policies Research Centre Regional Studies Association
16 Richmond Street 25 Clinton Place, Seaford East Sussex BN25 1NP
Glasgow G1 1XQ. Scotland United Kingdom
United Kingdom daniela.carl@regionalstudies.org
john.bachtler@strath.ac.uk
Stefan De Corte
Peter Berkowitz Academic Coordinator of the Master’s Programme on “Urban and
Head of Unit Spatial Planning”
European Commission Associate Director of Cosmopolis, Centre for Urban Research
Avenue de Beaulieu 29/Beaulieulaan 29 Vrije Universiteit Brussel - DGGF
1160 Brussels Pleinlaan 2 Bld de la Plaine
B-1049 Brussels B-1050 Brussels
Peter.Berkowitz@ec.europa.eu sdecorte@vub.ac.be

Pascal Boijmans Amélie Cousin

Head of Unit Committee of the Regions
European Commission rue Belliard/Belliardstraat 99-101
DG Regional and Urban Policy B-1040 Brussels
Avenue de Beaulieu 29/Beaulieulaan 29 Amelie.cousin@cor.europa.eu
1160 Brussels
Lisa De Propris
Pascal.Boijmans@ec.europa.eu
University of Birmingham
Eric von Breska University House
Head of Unit Birmingham
European Commission B15 2TT
DG Regional and Urban Policy United Kingdom
Avenue de Beaulieu 29/Beaulieulaan 29 l.de_propris@bham.ac.uk
1160 Brussels
Walter Deffaa
Eric.Von-Breska@ec.europa.eu
Director-General
European Commission
DG for Regional and Urban Policy
Avenue de Beaulieu 29/Beaulieulaan 29
1160 Brussels
Walter.Deffaa@ec.europa.eu

Master Class Proceedings 13

Nicola Francesco Dotti Krzysztof Kasprzyk
Cosmopolis – Centre for Urban Research Counsellor
Vrije Universiteit Brussel - DGGF Head of Regional and Cohesion Policy Unit Permanent
Pleinlaan 2 Bld de la Plaine Representation of the Republic of Poland to the EU
B-1050 Brussels Rue Stevin 139
Nicola.Dotti@vub.ac.be 1000 Brussels
Belgium
Manuela Geleng krzysztof.kasprzyk2@msz.gov.pl
Head of Unit
European Commission Richard Kelly
Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion DG ERSA
Avenue de Beaulieu 29/Beaulieulaan 29 Voie du Roman Pays 34, L1.03.01
1160 Brussels B - 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve
Manuela.geleng@ec.europa.eu richard.kelly@ersa.org
Monika Gerykova
Marc Kiwitt
Regional Studies Association
Committee of the Regions
25 Clinton Place, Seaford East Sussex BN25 1NP
rue Belliard/Belliardstraat 99-101
United Kingdom
B-1040 Brussels
monika.gerykova@regionalstudies.org
Marc.kiwitt@cor.europa.eu
Sally Hardy
Bert Kuby
Chief Executive
Head of Unit
Regional Studies Association
Committee of the Regions
25 Clinton Place, Seaford East Sussex BN25 1NP
99, rue Belliard/Belliardstraat
United Kingdom
B-1040 Brussels
Sally@regionalstudies.org
bert.kuby@cor.europa.eu
Florian Hauser
Marc Lemaitre
European Commission
Director
Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion DG
European Commission
Avenue de Beaulieu 29/Beaulieulaan 29
Office of Administration and Individual Entitlements
1160 Brussels
Rue de la Science 27/Wetenschapsstraat 27
florian.hauser@ec.europa.eu
1049 Brussels
Tassilo Herrschel Marc.LEMAITRE@ec.europa.eu
University Westminster, London Anthony Lockett
& VUB Acting Head of Unit
309 Regent Street, European Commission
London W1B 2HW DG for Regional and Urban Policy
United Kingdom Avenue de Beaulieu 29/Beaulieulaan 29
t.a.herrschel@westminster.ac.uk 1160 Brussels
anthony.lockett@ec.europa.eu

14 OPEN DAYS 2015 - European Week of Regions and Cities

Pauliina Mäkäräinen Shenja Van Der Graaf
Committee of the Regions Senior researcher
rue Belliard/Belliardstraat 99-101 iMinds, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
B-1040 Brussels Pleinlaan 9
paulliina.makarainen@cor.europa.eu 1050 Brussels
shenja.vandergraaf@iminds.be
Nicholas Martyn
Deputy director general Fiona Wieland
European Commission European Commission
DG Regional and Urban Policy DG Regional and Urban Policy
Avenue de Beaulieu 5/Beaulieulaan 5 Avenue de Beaulieu 29/Beaulieulaan 29
1160 Brussels 1160 Brussels
Nicholas.MARTYN@ec.europa.eu Fiona.wieland@ec.europa.eu

Izabela Mironowicz Agnieszka Widuto

AESOP European Parliament Research Service
53/55 Boleslawa Prusa Street Rue Wiertz 60
50-370 Wroclaw B-1047 Brussels
Poland agnieszka.widuto@europarl.europa.eu
izabela.mironowicz@pwr.edu.pl
Thomas Wobben
Wolfgang Petzold Director
Head of Unit Committee of the Regions
Committee of the Regions rue Belliard/Belliardstraat 99-101
rue Belliard/Belliardstraat 99-101 B-1040 Brussels
B-1040 Brussels Thomas.wobben@cor.europa.eu
Wolfgang.Petzold@cor.europa.eu

Andrés Rodríguez-Pose
Visiting Professor at the College of Europe, Professor of Economic
Geography
Dept of Geography & Environment
LSE
Houghton Street
London WC2A 2AE
United Kingdom
A.Rodriguez-Pose@lse.ac.uk

Dirk Van De Putte

Deputy Director
ADT/ATO (Brussels regional development agency)
BIP
Rue Royale 2-4
B-1000 Brussels
dvandeputte@ato.irisnet.be

Master Class Proceedings 15

 13th European Week of
Regions and Cities
Brussels 12 - 15 October 2015

Directorate General for EUROPEAN UNION

Regional and Urban Policy Rue Belliard 101

B-1049 Brussels 1040 Brussels
www.ec.europa.eu/inforegio Committee of the Regions www.cor.europa.eu