Academics are encouraged to partake in funding through the ESPON (European Spatial Planning Observatory Network) Programme.
Malta ESPON Contact Point - Prof. Saviour Formosa
In a joint Information Session held on 7 November between the University of Malta, the Ministry of EU Affairs and Electoral Manifest, the Planning Authority and MEUSAC, an overview was given of funding opportunities pertaining to the European Spatial Planning Observation Network 2020 (ESPON) Cooperation Programme.
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The following was reported on the MEUSAC website:
Ms Alexia Vella from the Ministry of EU Affairs and Electoral Manifesto today gave an overview of the European Spatial Planning Observation Network 2020 (ESPON) Cooperation Programme and the role of the monitoring committee during an information session organised by MEUSAC.
Meanwhile, Prof. Saviour Formosa from the Department of Criminology within the Faculty for Social Wellbeing, gave a presentation on the ESPON National Network and the role of the national contact point. Prof. Formosa is the ECP in a joint effort with the Planning Authority represented in the ECP by Ms Ashley Hili.
The programme targets a wide array of issues, ranging from migration to the economy. The programme has produced an extensive evidence base of scientific reports, targeted analyses, thematic maps and spatial indicators.
The ESPON space includes the entire European Union (EU-28) plus Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. In some studies, even candidate countries or regions neighbouring the European Union have been analysed.
Prof. Formosa said that in a nutshell, the aim of the programme is to foster and promote a European territorial dimension by providing evidence, knowledge transfer and policy learning to public authorities and other policy actors at all levels. Good practice experiences are shared among cities and regions and such practices implemented.
He gave a number of examples of past scientific papers which were looked at and followed up on such as migration trends. Issues dealt with, he pointed out, must always be related to spatial planning, which in the past, was referred to as development planning.
He said that if, for instance, some participating countries have a good youth unemployment rate, case studies of the said countries can be used for other participating countries to help improve the unemployment rate.
Prof. Formosa said that Malta aims to bring more policy-makers on board as part of this programme due to the fact that primary target users are regional and local policy-makers in territorial development and planning, in Malta’s case the Planning Authority.
During 2017, seven out of 15 research themes will be selected. For each theme a public tender will be issued. The total budget for the ESPON 2014-2020 period is EUR 50 million.
Further information can be acquired from the following sites: