BF 156/17: ROBUST - Rural-Urban Outlooks: Unlocking Synergies

Objective

Spatial development processes are increasingly characterised by exchange relationships between different regions. This also includes the different spatial types, so that urban-rural relationships are becoming increasingly important for the sustainable spatial development of rural areas. This EU project aims to improve the understanding of the relationships and interdependencies between rural, peri-urban and urban areas. Appropriately adapted policies, institutional processes and practical experiences for support will be analysed and elaborated in this project to exploit mutually beneficial relationships. These synergies should contribute to sustainable regional development, economic development and job creation in rural areas.

Status of the project

In 2021, the project team of the Federal Institute of Agriculture and Mining wrote the report for the Living Lab Styrian Central Region. Likewise, the final report for the Community of Practice (CoP) "Public Infrastructure and Social Services" was prepared, which explains the results of the exchange and cooperation of seven of the total of 11 Living Labs. In addition, numerous contributions were prepared for conferences and specialist journals. A "regional travel guide", thematic short videos and an explanatory video on the topic of regional budgets were produced by the practice partner Regionalmanagement Steirischer Zentralraum in 2021 as part of StLREG 2018. The experiences and topics of the Austrian Living Lab were also discussed in front of an audience at the Rural Vision Week of the EU in March 2021 and at the final conference of ROBUST in September 2021. In November 2021, the (synergy) reports of the ROBUST work packages were completed and a Learning Hub for practitioners was set up on the ROBUST website (https://rural-urban.eu). The ROBUST project will end at the end of November 2021.

The ROBUST project "Rural-Urban Outlooks: Unlocking Synergies" ended in November 2021; in the following year, ROBUST results were still being utilised. ROBUST concluded at the end of 2022.