Dear Members,

Dear Colleagues,

Firstly, we would like to update you on the upcoming 52nd ERSA Congress due to take place in Bratislava from 21st-25th August:

– We are happy to announce that the results of the Call for abstracts/papers has again been a great success.

– New: A "Policy Day" is now scheduled in the Congress programme: a Half-day interactive event focusing on "Urban Futures 2050", Wednesday 22nd August.

– Mark your agenda for the next steps!

16th April: – Notification of acceptance of abstracts/papers

                   – Registration starts!

Learn more on ERSA activities to move forward regional science research efficiency: approaching other institutions.

The call for the bid to host ERSA Congresses in

2015 & 2016 is now open.  As well as, for organizers of the

ERSA Summer Schools in 2013 & 2015 MORE

Latest events on the agenda – including the 9th RSAI World Congress in May, there is still time to register!

Richard KELLY 

Executive Director of ERSA 

IN THIS ISSUE

ERSA 2012 Congress Bratislava

March Event
s…

ERSA Office

ERSA 2012 Congress Bratislava

• News of the Call for submissions:

Over 860 abstracts/papers received from across 53 countries of Europe and elsewhere!  

A new promising International platform for high-level exchanges of knowledge gathering young and senior scientists.     

• In addition to ESPON and the Urban Economics Association, ERSA and the Bratislava Local Organising Committee are pleased to announce the participation of AESOP and The International Federation for Housing and Planning in the Congress programme. Further information will follow.

• NEW: Policy Day  on "THE NEW URBAN WORLD: A PLACE 4 ALL" 
  The specific focus of this interactive event will be on ‘Urban Futures 2050’.  
  This half-day activity will be take place on Wednesday, August 22.  

A wealth of well-known scholars from all over the world will present challenging but informed views on Urban Images 2050, supported by evidence from all major regions in the world.   Interactive debates and animated presentations on Urban Idols

will prompt out-of-the-box thinking, with the aim to generate both new insights and ingredients for a future-oriented research agenda. The organizers of this special events are Karima Kourtit, Peter Nijkamp and Mark Partridge.

•  Smart Specialisation Strategies for European Regions:How?

   In its latest documents focusing on innovation, competitiveness and regional  

   development (see "Flagship Union of the Innovation", "Smart Growth", "Horizon      

   2020", etc.) the  European Commission promotes a promising idea: Smart
   Specialisation of Regions which would make it possible to improve the performance
   of the national and regional systems of innovation and to differentiate the use of the
   European funds. Yet, it raises many questions that cannot be answered without a
   proper articulation of (i) data collection and treatment and (2) theoretical approaches.  

   Starting at the same time as the registration for the Bratislava Congress, ERSA  

   will gather and organise information about current researches focusing on Smart  

   Specialization Strategies developed throughout Europe.
   The ERSA Board, through i
ts Executive director Richard Kelly will also actively

   promote the networking between researchers and institutional actors in order to
   strengthen a dedicated European network.   
   For more information or suggestions, contact Richard Kelly richard.kelly@ersa.org    

• Highlight your presence at the Congress:

ERSA Congress Sponsor/Exhibitor brochure is now available online HERE.

   Upcoming Events

On the agenda!

• 51st Annual Meeting of the Southern Regional Science Association
  21-25 March, Charlotte, North Carolina (USA)

Come and join them for the meeting at the Charlotte Marriott City Center .   

The Program Chair and President-elect is Dan Rickman, Oklahoma State University.

MORE 

• 9th World Congress of the Regional Science Association International (RSAI)
  CHANGING SPATIAL PATTERNS IN A GLOBALISING WORLD
  May 9-12, Timisoara, Romania

The Regional Science Association International (RSAI) jointly with the Romanian Regional Science Association and the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration – West University of Timisoarai invites you to attend the 9th World Congress SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME MORE 

REGISTER NOW    

• 18th APDR Congress
  INNOVATION AND REGIONAL DYNAMICS
  June14-16 , Algarve Faro, Portugal

Further information HERE     

• 25th ERSA Summer School

July 2-12, Umeå University, Sweden 

Deadline for the application is 1st April 2012 MORE    

• 52nd ERSA Congress

REGIONS IN MOTION: Breaking the path!
August 21-25, Bratislava, Slovakia 
Further information HERE

Please note registration will open on the 16th April   

ERSA Office Activities

New ERSA Collaborations
ERSA Office is pleased to announce its collaboration with 3 well-established institutions (AESOP, Femise & UniMed). We believe these collaborations will help enhance the growth of Regional Science across Europe  and be beneficial for all scientists of the sector.

Other associations are currently also being approached by the  ERSA Office.

Follow us
Now, you can follow us on Linkedin, FaceBook and Twitter, as well as, at
www. academia.edu    

Press release

If any presenting Author(s) / Organisations attending the ERSA 2012 Congress want to do a Press Release, please contact the ERSA Office.
ERSA Members and Sections can make Press Releases on their specific activities as well, please inform the ERSA Office, at info@ersa.org 

Not yet a member?   
ERSA is the supranational grouping of national regional science associations across Europe. With 17 active associations organized on linguistic groupings and covering more than one country, ERSA has over 3500 members across Europe.

More details of RSAI Personal Membership click HERE  

To get extensive information on the benefits of membership, please feel free to contact RSAI rsai@leeds.ac.uk, one of the 17 ERSA Associations or the ERSA office info@ersa.org  

Being a member is valuable!