While there has been much research and attention paid to the regions in the core of Europe – and especially to cities, city-regions, old industrial areas, border regions and to some of their underlying characteristics – such as clusters, agglomeration phenomena generally, regional innovation systems, the specific features of peripheral and marginal regions have been relatively neglected. This Research Network aims to address this by establishing a regional studies network of interested parties to bring together facilities, expertise, experience and other resources as the first step in the development of more significant cooperation.