NoRSA 2019

We are ready to welcome you to South Ostrobothnia!

The conference provides you with a fascinating space for discussing regional policy, innovation and development today. In addition to inspirational talks, you get to enjoy the Finnish summer experience at the most beautiful surroundings of Törnävä manor in Seinäjoki as well as a memorable visit to Finland’s biggest VillageShop in the Tuuri village of 500 inhabitants in the municipality of Alavus. Register for the event here.

The NoRSA 2019 final conference programme is now available here

Davids and Goliaths: Regions in the Age of Urbanisation and Digitalisation

Regions are entities consisting of different types of places and spaces. There are cities, towns and rural areas with different potentials and challenges. Regions are also in constant flux due to versatile economic, social and cultural processes both internal and external to them. Megatrends, such as urbanisation and digitalisation, are affecting all kinds of regions and places by changing their positions, opportunities and future potential. Some regions turn out to be agile Davids and some transform into powerful Goliaths, but how will these transitions happen? Do we recognize the variety of these transition processes and are they real? What kinds of urban and regional development strategies are feasible?

You can find the call for papers here. Submission of abstracts has closed.

We are pleased to announce the following keynote speakers:

John Harrison, Loughborough University: “Cut throat collaboration”: raising the stakes for cities and regions in the age of urbanisation

Kjell Nilsson, Nordregio: Urbanisation, digitalisation and immigration – three important trends in the Nordic Region

Tuuli Toivonen, University of Helsinki: Open and big data in understanding dynamic cities

Welcome to Seinäjoki!