8th 2021 NoRSA Conference

The 8th 2021 NoRSA conference will be organised jointly with ESPON TNO conference and in collaboration with URBACT network

The main theme is Post-COVID-19 Sustainable Development and Regional Restructuring in the Baltic Sea Region

Dates: October 13-14, 2021

Venue: ESTONIA Resort Hotel & Spa Conference Centre / Tartu University Pärnu college

Every second year the Nordic Section of Regional Studies Association (https://www.regionalstudies.org/network/norsa/) organises a conference mainly targeted on the Baltic Sea Region issues, bringing together regional researchers and practitioners from all over the world.

This time, we are collaborating closely with ESPON and URBACT networks. Dramatic changes call for action, and not only medical scientists, but also the research community have already been involved in several policy-aided research projects.

This time the focus is on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and EU Green Deal that will change the economy in an unprecedented way. The pros and cons of this major change for geographic resource-rich peripheries will be analysed.

However, we cannot ignore the COVID-19 pandemic that expanded a new distance working culture overnight and put the tourism and travel industries on hold. Trade and subcontracting patterns are also changing and supported by the Western trade war with China, numerous jobs have already been returned from Asia to Europe. At the same time, migration flows within the continent have been slowed down. In combination with green energy and the circular economy projects, these changes are impacting regional labour division in Europe as well as the role of governmental policies on all administrative levels.

Certainly, we will consider the post-COVID19 situation, which hopefully will be solved by the time of the planned event. Otherwise, we must arrange a hybrid event or postpone it for half a year.

For more information and to register, please visit https://norsa-espon2021.ut.ee/