On February 3rd and 4th 2022 a two-day workshop on « cross-border metropolitan regions » will be held at the « Cité scientifique » in Villeneuve-d’Ascq (in the vicinity of Lille). The workshop is primarily financed by the (1) I-Site Consortium, which seeks to foster engagement between the universities of Ghent, Kent, Leuven, and Lille, and (2) a research grant facilitating the establishment of the KU Leuven Urban Studies Institute (LUSI).

The event will consist of two different, yet complementary parts: on February 3rd, there will be introductory keynote addresses and a panel debate with key policymakers (broadly defined); on February 4th, the focus is on academic presentations dealing with a wide range of relevant topics in the study of cross-border metropolitan regions (CBMRs). Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
•    Urban/regional governance in/of CBMRs
•    The impact of the Brexit on the Kent-Calais-Lille-Tournai-Kortrijk CBMR
•    Labor market integration in CBMRs
•    Transport and mobility in CBMRs
•    …

Although the location and funding of the workshop obviously instills a degree of focus on the so-called Eurometropole CBMR and the Kent-Calais interactions in light of Brexit, the workshop takes a broad perspective and will therefore deal with CBMRs at large. The workshop organizers intend to put together a proposal for a special of Regional Studies based on the workshop.

The first day of the workshop will have simultaneous translation, the second day will be held entirely in English. Confirmed speakers include Evert Meijers (University of Utrecht), Birte Wassenberg (University of Strasbourg, Member of the TEIN), Christophe Sohn (LISER), and Christopher Huggins (University of Suffolk).

For further information click here.