Objective
Building on an improved analytical understanding of the "functions" of rural areas and the processes for achieving sustainable and resilient spatial development, this project will contribute to an area-specific examination of effective implementation examples. A knowledge-based participation strategy of local actors and decision-makers in 14 European pilot regions will be developed to increase the impact orientation of existing (or future) support programs. In this context, Living Labs should enable an improved understanding of the different characteristics of rural regions and contribute to the planning and collection of relevant data structures and information needs.
Status of the project and work 2024
As is usual in Horizon Europe projects, a series of deliverables and milestones have been agreed throughout the project, which summarize the project results and make them accessible (see https://rustik-he.eu/).In line with the project schedule, the theoretical concept and an initial analysis of the pilot regions were carried out in 2023.As the Austrian study region, the Nockregion-Oberkärnten region is represented by the practice partner RVN (Regionalverband Nockregion) and will contribute the special conditions of this mountain region, exemplary for this spatial type of rural region, to the project work. At the same time, work was carried out on relevant policy measures at national and regional level, as well as on the formation of a regional living lab and the development of a relevant data experiment. The year 2024 is dedicated to the detailed planning and coordination of the data experiment and its implementation as part of a living lab in the pilot region Nockregion-Oberkärnten. In addition to numerous coordination meetings (online and on site), a large project and exchange meeting is planned in the fall in the Nockregion-Oberkärnten, in which all RUSTIK partners will participate.
Timetable
Project start: 09/2022
Project end: 08/2026
