"Regions and municipalities face nowadays the same questions and problems as other institutions, organisations and sectors of society. Migration and emigration, demographic changes, urbanisation, employment, business policy etc. have also local and regional forms of manifestation. Turbulent changes, new quests and challenges put regions into new situation. Regional and local actors cannot wait and rely only on top down initiatives and guidance from the state. Regional and local actors have to be active and foresee alternative futures. Strategic planning, scanning and foresight are points of view that regional and local decision makers, planners and developers have to apply in their work. Academics are of course involved in this system. They must analyse data, produce information and transform information into useful form more and more in co-operation with regional and local actors.

Welcome to the workshop to discuss these - not only interesting but very profound - issues!"

Chair:

Juha Kaskinen, Researcher Tel. +358 9 771 2749 Email juha.kaskinen@kuntaliitto.fi   Juha Kaskinen (Doctor of Social Sciences) works as researcher in the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities at the Unit of Municipal Development and Research. Kaskinen works in future research projects (ongoing project is called The Future Barometer of Business Policies of Municipalities and Regions). Before he has been dealing with environmental planning, EIA, environmental indicators, planning theory, sociology of knowledge and questions of expertise.