Abstract
Old industrial regions in Europe have undergone radical changes in the last decades. After downsizing or closure of predominant industries such regions usually face big challenges concerning their economic, social and ecological futures. One chance to master this transformation process is the identification and sustainable utilisation of potentials left by industrial production. Utilisation of regional potentials, commonly categorized as natural and cultural potentials, was the aim of two transnational cooperation projects ReSource and SHIFT-X, which were both funded by European Union’s Development Fund (ERDF, INTERREG IVB).The paper shows how the involvement of research partners in the projects supported and facilitated joint learning effects and knowledge transfer between all project partners. It is argued that on the one hand such an approach offers important mutual benefits for partners, while on the other hand the realisation of such benefits remains a challenging task in a transnational collaboration. In declining industrial regions, especially when characterised by small- and medium-sized towns, the capacities to act are scarce and any outside intervention is often seen more as an unwanted factor that additionally stretches resources and provides little advantages for such regions. Therefore one of the main aims in transnational collaboration has to be the establishment of a trustful and committed working relation between all partners. The engagement in the projects has shown that the joint work between regional actors and the external academic partners can create important transnational learning effects for all involved; nevertheless it has to overcome certain reservations on all sides before innovative ways can be pursued successfully.
Highlights
Many European industrial regions have undergone radical changes in recent decades
Success or failure of such structural transformation processes is often strongly linked to the actions of local and regional actors and their ability to realize chances and potentials in such restructuring processes (Marot & Harfst, 2012)
This article will reflect on the experiences from two European projects, where the authors have worked along actors in old-industrial regions supporting their search for new development options
Summary
Many European industrial regions have undergone radical changes in recent decades. These transformations have had a profound impact on affected regions and towns, which had been shaped by these industries for centuries. This article will reflect on the experiences from two European projects, where the authors have worked along actors in old-industrial regions supporting their search for new development options. The aim of the research was to stimulate the regional learning process in order to enable local actors to develop projects that use potentials in innovative ways, thereby strengthening their overall development capacities (Harfst, Wirth, & Lintz, 2012)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
