The travel award from the Regional Studies Association covered the travel expenses for attending the 7th Pan-European Conference on the European Union, 5-7 June 2014, The Hague, the Netherlands, organised by Leiden University. The bi-annual conference of the Standing Group on the European Union of European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) is, especially in light of the European Parliament elections of 2014, a timely and important conference.
The focus of the conference included theoretical, empirical as well as methodological-innovative research that reflects the ever-changing nature of the EU. Participation in this event provided me with an excellent opportunity to disseminate the initial findings of my ongoing PhD research on the implementation of EU structural funds in Scotland, with a specific focus on partnership as an implementation mode and Network Analysis. The paper was presented as part of the panel with the title: Multilevel governance, innovation and policy implementation. The panel included papers on rural governance, the EU youth employment policy, boundary organisations and territorial cooperation in policy and practice. The papers presented in the panel stimulated an insightful debate on the European Investment Funds as well as partnership working as a mode of implementation and the role of science in policy development.
The feedback I received on my paper as well as the contacts I made throughout the conference will be helpful for the completion of my thesis as well as for my future career and research.
The conference wider programme as well as the roundtable debate: “Towards a new parliament? EP after the 2014 elections in the Atrium of the City Hall of The Hague was very interesting and timely and covered all aspects of European policy, institutions and politics.
I want to thank the RSA for their contribution that made it possible for me to attend the conference.