OPEN DAYS 2013 UNIVERSITY MASTER CLASS Call for Applications

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1 OPEN DAYS 2013 UNIVERSITY MASTER CLASS Call for Applications The Directorate-General for Regional & Urban Policy, European Commission, and the Regional Studies Association would like to invite postgraduates and early career researchers interested in European Cohesion Policy to apply for the Open Days Master Class. The 11 th OPEN DAYS European Week of Regions and Cities will be held in Brussels, 7 th -10 th October Together with the EU institutions, more than 200 regions and cites will contribute to a programme of 100 seminars, workshops, debates, exhibitions and networking opportunities for around 6,000 participants. For the first time, the Open Days University will include a Master Class for postgraduate students and early career researchers to learn more about Cohesion Policy and meet senior policymakers and academics. The application process is competitive; at least two places will be reserved for applicants from each of the 27 Member States and Croatia. A small number of non-eu participants (up to 15) could also participate. The successful applicants will have their return travel to Brussels and accommodation for up to two nights provided. Deadline for submissions: 15th April Applications received after this date will not be accepted. Aim of the OPEN DAYS University Master Class 2013 The aim of the ODU-MC is to improve understanding of EU Cohesion Policy and its research potential among European postgraduate students and early career researchers. Specifically, the objectives are: To present the latest developments in research on European regional and urban development and EU Cohesion Policy; To enable postgraduates and early career researchers (ECR) to exchange views with EU politicians, officials and senior academics in the field of European regional and urban development and policy; To help create networking links among postgraduates/ecr from different countries and with the wider EU policy and academic communities; and To raise awareness and understanding of the research potential in the field of EU Cohesion Policy.

2 Organisation of the OPEN DAYS 2013 Master Class The OPEN DAYS 2013 University Master Class is being organised by the Regional Studies Association (RSA) together with the European Commission and the Committee of the Regions (CoR). The Master Class will run as part of the OPEN DAYS University Sessions and run over two half-day sessions. It is expected to include the following parts: Lecture format sessions. These sessions have restricted seating to ensure that all Master Class participants can attend but additional seating would be made available to other OPEN DAYS participants; A World Café session, open only to Master Class participants; A closed networking session with Commissioner Hahn and other senior European institution officials (TBC); The Early Career Poster Competition; Attendance at a defined number of general OPEN DAYS and OPEN DAYS University sessions; Participation in the 100 EUrban solutions exhibition evening; The OPEN DAYS 2013 University Master Class will include the following modules: MODULE 1: MASTER CLASS OPENING LECTURE Location: Charlemagne building, Jenkins, Mansholt Room, or the Visitors Centre (TBC) Date: Tuesday 8 October Timing: 9:00am to 10:20am This session will outline the current state of play for c ohesion policy, including its recent history for context. The lecture will incorporate some future gazing and will be presented by DG Regio and Committee of the Regions officials, (names TBC). The thematic focus of the Master Class Opening Lecture is as follows: Rationale of the foundations for cohesion policy; How Cohesion Policy Works (briefly): o Programming and strategy development; o Partnership - vertical, horizontal o Performance intervention logics, monitoring and evaluation Different geographical experiences with Cohesion policy o Role of cohesion policy in different territories/contexts (local, urban, rural, peripheral etc) o Territorial cooperation EU Cohesion Policy post-2020: Recent debates in regional, economic, political and European studies

3 MODULE 2: EARLY CAREER POSTER COMPETITION Location: Charlemagne or Berlaymont Building (TBC) Date: Tuesday 8 October Timing: 10:30am to 12:00pm This competition is in its fourth year and is organised by the Regional Studies Association with support from DG Regio and the Committee of the Regions. Six finalists will display their A1-size posters (hard copies) explaining their research and will have the option to use up to five power point slides to support their presentation. The six finalists will be offered a place on the Master Class as part of the prize and participants in the OPEN DAYS University Master Class can choose to enter the Early Career poster competition by following the application guidelines which has a deadline for applications of the 31 st May It is anticipated that Commissioner Hahn (EU Commissioner for Regional & Urban Policy) and Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso (President of the Committee of the Regions) (TBC) would present the prizes to all the finalists as part of the following module entitled Networking Event. The Jury members for the Early Career Poster Competition are as follows: Professor John Bachtler, European Policies Research Centre, Strathclyde University, UK (Chair); A DG REGIO and/or Committee of the Regions Representative; Dr. Lisa de Propris, Reader in Regional Economic Development University of Birmingham, UK. MODULE 3: NETWORKING EVENT Location: Charlemagne, Visitor Center or Berlaymont Building (TBC) Date: Tuesday 8 th October Timing: 12.00pm to 12:30pm This event is expected to be hosted by Johannes Hahn (EU Commissioner for Regional & Urban Policy) and by Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso (President of the Committee of the Regions) (TBC). This module would include a short presentation by Commissioner Hahn on the importance of nurturing EU policy reflecting upon the latest regional policy research developments. The presentation would then be followed by the Early Career Poster Competition Award ceremony and a short question and answer session accompanied by a press conference.

4 MODULE 4: UNDERSTANDING COHESION POLICY LECTURE SESSIONS Location: Charlemagne Building Date: Tuesday 8 th October Timing: 12.30pm to 13.15pm And Location: Charlemagne Building or Committee of the Regions (TBC) Date: Wednesday 9 th October Timing: 9:00am to 9:45am and 10:00am to 10:45am The focus of this module is to provide lectures on conveying insights into leading academic thinking and key policy issues around the issue of understanding cohesion policy. The lectures will be lead by an academic, one local, regional, national or EU official and/or one policymaker speaking on each topic and last approximately 45 minutes, including a questions and answers session. The academic would introduce the current academic thinking on the subject, whereas the policymaker would introduce examples of projects putting the theory into practice. The themes to be covered are some of the ones selected for the OPEN DAYS University themes, depending on the offer of workshops to come, plus the theme of the collection of statistical data: Support for SMEs and young entrepreneurship at the regional level Financial crisis and European Regions Demographic change: counteracting the brain drain and de-population, migration Spatial and social justice for European citizens (New) Industrial Policy Potential of green economy Sustainable urban development MODULE 5: WORLD CAFÉ Location: Beaulieu Building Date: Wednesday 9 th October Timing: 11h30am to 13.00pm This module, coordinated by Professor John Bachtler (EPRC, Strathclyde, UK) would take the form of managed discussions in small groups, each sitting around a table tackling issues currently facing the European Union. Each group will be allocated a table manager, possibly using DG Regio officials according to their area of expertise. Some tables would also include an academic. This session should take place on the second day when participants have had time to get to know each other, and indeed it may form the closing session of the Master Class as it would be held at the Beaulieu offices. Time would have to be allowed for travel out to this venue from the centre of Brussels. The themes to be covered should be the ones that have not been covered during the lectures, having a link to the OPEN DAYS University themes.

5 Certification Participants who attend all the modules will be awarded a certificate of completion of the OPEN DAYS scholarship. A minimum level of participation will be specified. OPEN DAYS University Master Class participants will be given access to other OPEN DAYS events including, where possible, plenary programmes and social events. Exclusivity The World Café session is reserved wholly for the Master Class participants ( u p t o 7 5 ) plus any selected senior academics and EU officials. T h i s i s t o e n s u r e t h a t t h e M a s t e r C l a s s o f f e r s a close and trusting atmosphere in which all participants feel able and supported to make interventions and so maximise the benefit of what will be a high profile and prestigious experience. Venues The lectures will take place at the European Commission and Committee of the Regions buildings (or similar) and the Beaulieu building for the World C afé. Applications: To apply for the Master Class, please see the Call for Applications. Deadline is 15 th April 2013 To apply for the Early Career Poster Competition, please see the Call for Applications. Deadline is 31 st May 2013.