Diana Stirbu, London Metropolitan University, London, UK

E-mail: D.Stirbu@londonmet.ac.uk

The topic of the WG "Cultural and governance regional diversity: the perspectives of sustainable economic cooperation of Central and Eastern European regions” examines the challenges of economic development and territorial co-operation in the light of theoretical and practical tensions generated by cultural differences and governance traditions among territories. Inter and outer territorial connections, both for EU members and non-EU countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, bring to light both best practices and the failures of such cooperation. This WG explores the successes and failures in inter-regional co-operation and regional development through the perspective of differing administrative cultures and governance models and traditions.

We invite papers which fall broadly within the following themes:

• Social and cultural conditions of Inter-regional cooperation;

• Territorial differences and regional heterogeneity: EU and EU neighbours;

• Cooperative practices of EU – non-EU countries and regions;

• Best practices and mechanisms for sustainable regional development;

• Strategy for successful economic development of regions: cooperation, or autonomy?

• Tools for regional development quality evaluation and measurement of cooperation influence on regional economic, social, innovative and civic indexes and indicators;

• Institutional adaptations for regional co-operation within multi-level governance systems.

• New cooperative Inter-regional projects and perspectives of its implementation.