Research Programme

Research Programme

For the 2006-2012 period, NETHUR researchers will focus on:

Innovations and dynamics in the physical, economic, socio-cultural
and governance aspects of urban and regional systems.

This thematic focus is organised along two dimensions. The aim is to continue and innovate successful research lines from the recent past and to address a few new research avenues that are both promising and challenging. 

Successful existing research activities will be focussed by three coordinating themes:
  1. Socio-Physical Dynamics of Urban and Regional Space
  2. Innovation and Dynamics of Spatial-Economic Development
  3. Effective Governance of Urban and Regional Change
Of the new research lines that have emerged in the school, joint efforts will be directed towards two areas of inquiry. NETHUR want to further profile itself with these topics in the coming years:
      A. Spatial Conditions for Knowledge Cities
      B. Urban Context and Social Change

These priority fields have been identified based on recent research initiatives of NETHUR scholars and an analysis of international scientific frontiers for the research areas in which NETHUR institutes have attained a prominent international status. 

These research priorities are supplementary to each other and should be understood in a matrix in which selected innovative elements of the more broadly defined coordinating themes are further elaborated in two specialized new research lines.



The scientific director of NETHUR is the Principal Investigator for the Research Programme of the School. For each of the research lines a Coordinator has been appointed as well as a team of Principal Investigators for each of the relevant local institutes.