Date and time
Brexit has significant implications for regional and local development in Scotland, including the loss of European Structural Funds (worth £780 million in 2014-20). The UK Government has stated its intention to create a successor funding instrument, the Shared Prosperity Fund (as well as other new UK economic development policies), but without details on objectives, funding or governance. The Scottish Government is currently consulting on how any replacement for European Structural Funds should operate in Scotland.
In this context, there is an opportunity to reflect on the wider question of territorial development and the future direction of regional policy in Scotland. The current map of regional and local development in Scotland is characterised by persistent, entrenched and highly concentrated socio-economic inequalities, while trends such as globalisation, digitalisation, climate change and the energy transition are likely to have uneven territorial impacts. Existing place-based policies in Scotland include City Deals, Regional Growth Deals, and Regional Economic Partnerships. The question is whether current policy and institutional arrangements are adequate for responding to post-Brexit territorial challenges and how successor funding to European Structural Funds could be best deployed to maximise their added value.
Conference – call for papers
The research conference on Regional Policy in Scotland After Brexit is intended to take a fresh, evidence-based look at regional and local development in Scotland and what kind of regional policy responses are required. This includes research evidence on places and interventions where European Structural Funds have been effective.
The Conference is organised by the Scottish Government in partnership with the Regional Studies Association (Scottish Branch), the European Policies Research Centre (University of Strathclyde) and the ESRC Centre on Constitutional Change (University of Edinburgh).
Researchers interested in contributing to the conference are invited to send a 300-word abstract to Professor John Bachtler (john.bachtler@strath.ac.uk) and Professor David Bell (d.n.f.bell@stir.ac.uk) by 21 January 2020. Researchers are welcome to contact John Bachtler (07973 744807) or David Bell (07720 440835) to discuss possible contributions.
Registration
There is no charge for the conference. Please register by emailing marie.c.devine@strath.ac.uk
