First RegPol² School in Tartu successfully organised

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The 1st RegPol² School was hosted at Tartu University in Tartu, Estonia from 1 to 6 February 2015. The weeklong event included keynote lectures, seminars, informal and formal presentations of ESR and ER projects, open sessions, and excursions.

The keynote speaker Prof. Anssi Paasi from the University of Oulu, Finland presented an inspiring lecture about boundedness, borders and spatial identity. Other lectures and exercises in the week focused on research design and methodological issues encountered by ESRs in the project preparations. Throughout the course of the week, fellows re-interpreted their projects for a variety of audiences in the forms of ‘elevator pitches’, colloquia and podcasts. Check the Researchers section to listen!

In addition to a stimulating academic programme, the RegPol² team exercised their best winter sports skills and experienced the traditional Estonian sauna at the Kääriku recreation area.

To conclude the week, the study trip headed towards the capital for meetings with politicians and policymakers where we learned about the processes of polarisation and peripheralisation at the local, regional and national levels in Estonia. At Järva County, we stopped in Paide, the “Heart of Estonia,” after which we moved on to Tallinn to visit the Department of Regional Development at the Ministry of Interior, and finally to Mr. Eiki Nestor, President of the Riigikogu, Estonian Parliament.

On behalf of the RegPol² team, we thank the organizers, speakers and politicians who made the 1^st RegPol² School in Tartu a successful learning experience.