WG Programme Coordinators:

Lyubimka Andreeva, Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski”, Sofia, Bulgaria

Alexey Barabashev, Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russian Federation

Annika Jaansoo, University of Twente, The Netherlands

Place: 27th NISPAcee Annual Conference, Prague, Czech Republic
Date:  May 24-26, 2019

The aims of WG are to analyse the history and contemporary practice of inter-regional and cross-border cooperation, its management, its forms and administrative procedures, its social and cultural peculiarities of, and the impact of inter-regional and cross-border cooperation on the development of regions that are involved in cooperative processes. The theories of regional development, according to the aims of WG IV, should be extended and specified as theories of inter-regional and cross-border development, which are taking into account its benefits, challenges, outputs and outcomes.
The concept of inter-regional and cross-border cooperation and development, its definitions, and its rationale are the main focus of WG IV research.

The broad themes for abstracts/proposals and key shifts in 2019which we are keen to facilitate discussion around, include, but are not limited to:
• Policy design and practice in inter-regional and cross-border cooperation;
• New technologies of administrative management in inter-regional and cross-border cooperation;
• Strategies of inter-regional and cross-border cooperation, including data based descriptions of the existing strategies;
• Evaluation of inter-regional, cross-border cooperation and development challenges and benefits, outputs and outcomes;
• Role of resources multiplication and re-distribution for the purposes of inter-regional and cross-border development;
• Cultural and ethnic aspects of inter-regional and cross-border development;
• Definitions of inter-regional and cross-border cooperation and development based on best practices inside the EU, and on the cooperation of regions from the EU and neighbouring countries.

The above mentioned fields of research and practices require participants to contribute to the theories and practice of e "Inter-regional and Cross-border Cooperation and Development" by answering the following questions, which are the focus of the Working group:

• What kind of outcomes could be outlined in order to better shape inter-regional and cross-border cooperation at national, EU or International level?
• What are the roles of the different stakeholders (States, municipalities and civil societies) in the Inter-regional and Cross-border Cooperation and Development Process?
• What is the administrative aspect of Inter-regional and Cross-border Cooperation and Development?
• Are there any best practices that can be used from other countries?

We are expecting final papers based on abstracts which address those pre-mentioned issues and have both theoretical and practical relevance, i.e. applicants should take into account and include in their papers, recommendations for better shaping of inter-regional cooperation, including points for practitioners and points relating to the EU and neighbouring countries and regions of NISPAcee, in relation to theoretic issues. Papers which are highly innovative, collaborative, international or multi-disciplinary are especially welcome.

Proposals will be considered by the coordinators of WG IV against the criteria of originality and interest, subject balance and geographical spread.