This book draws on work from across northern Europe and is parallel and complementary to the network itself. By establishing an intellectual and practically orientated framework and platform, and by bringing together contributions defining the state-of-the-art and potential development paths in the field, it is the first volume to offer a systematic and scientific view from the periphery.

This book draws on work from across northern Europe and is parallel and complementary to the network itself. By establishing an intellectual and practically orientated framework and platform, and by bringing together contributions defining the state-of-the-art and potential development paths in the field, it is the first volume to offer a systematic and scientific view from the periphery.

This book analyses the role of universities as critical actors in the socio-economic development of peripheral regions in Norway and the Czech Republic. Examining the ambiguities of the traditional mission of a university in comparison to contemporary demands, the editors and contributors move past single-case analyses to adopt an integrated conceptual and analytical framework. The authors question whether universities can indeed ‘fix’ the conditions of any region they operate in, as is a common assumption, by examining peripheral regions, many of which have been devastated by natural or man-made disasters. Simultaneously acknowledging the complexities at the heart of both higher education institutions and regions, this book brings together a set of critical contributions that shed light on how universities can fulfil their role in peripheral regions rather than knowledge-intensive cities and towns. This uniquely researched book will be of interest to students and scholars of higher education, universities and communities, and education policy.

While originally created as reserves for beautiful landscapes and endangered species, protected areas in Europe were subsequently used as a means to preserve whole ecosystems, with restrictions on human activities and impacts. More recently, protected areas are also being considered as instruments for regional development, particularly in marginal regions facing severe economic and socio-cultural problems. Contrary to previous conservation-focused policies, new approaches aim to blend conservation and development functions, making protected areas real 'living landscapes' and integrating activities such as agriculture, forestry, handicrafts, tourism and education with the conservation and sustainability aspects. The past decade has seen a marked increase in these innovative and dynamic types of protected areas. However, the policies of individual European countries are very varied. This volume provides a comprehensive overview of the relationship between protected areas and regional development policies, both in theory and practice. Illustrated with a wide range of case studies from across Europe, it compares the different concepts, strategies and instruments being used. In conclusion, it suggests the most innovative and successful ways to use protected areas for regeneration and sustainable regional development.

This book brings together experiences of Regional and Development Agencies throughout Europe to provide material for the first major comparative study of bottom-up regional policy across the continent.

This book is one of three inter-connected books related to a four-year European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action established in 2015. The Action, called Air Transport and Regional Development (ATARD), aimed to promote a better understanding of how the air transport related problems of core regions and remote regions should be addressed in order to enhance both economic competitiveness and social cohesion in Europe. This book focuses on case studies in Europe related to air transport and regional development. It is divided into four geographical regions after a general chapter that compares regional air transport connectivity between remote and central areas in Europe. The first region is Northern and Western Northern Europe (case studies related specifically to Norway, Finland, the United Kingdom, and Ireland); the second is Central and Eastern Europe, (Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Poland); the third is Central Western Europe (Belgium and Switzerland); and finally, the fourth is Southern Europe (Portugal, Spain, and Italy). There is no other single source publication that currently covers this topic area in such a comprehensive manner by considering so many countries. The book aims at becoming a major reference on the topic, drawing from experienced researchers in the field, covering the diverse experience and knowledge of the members of the COST Action. The book will appeal to academics, practitioners, and policymakers who have a particular interest in acquiring detailed comparative knowledge and understanding of air transport and regional development in many different European countries. Together with the other two books (Air Transport and Regional Development Methodologies and Air Transport and Regional Development Policies), it fills a much-needed gap in the literature.