The RSA is grateful to Themis Christophidou, Director-General of the European Commission’s Regional and Urban Policy department, for addressing delegates at the RSA’s recent Annual Conference in Porto, Portugal. DG Christophidou not only provided support and encouragement to regional researchers and all those passionate about regions, but she also provided important policy context for all those working for regional development in the European Union (EU). On this page, with DG Christophidou’s permission, we include a video of her address, alongside a transcript.
Perhaps most significantly for RSA members, DG Christophidou’s address calls on regional researchers to focus on three key areas in coming months and years:
- place-based analysis and research
- research on how to tackle disparities
- research on policy delivery.
Read or listen to more about each of these key areas using the links below.