Call for papers 

REGIONS BETWEEN INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY:
THE CHALLENGES FOR DEVELOPMENT POLICIES

Florence, June 24-26, 2026

The Italian Association of Regional Science (A.I.S.Re), the Italian section of the Regional Science Association International (RSAI), announces its 47th Annual Scientific Conference.
The conference, which welcomes contributions from national and international scholars across a variety of disciplines related to regional science, will be held at the Dipartimento di Scienze per l’Economia e l’Impresa, Università di Firenze, Polo delle Scienze Sociali di Novoli (Address: Via delle Pandette 9, 50127 Firenze).

The main theme of the conference will be exploring how territories can face the profound economic, social, and environmental transformations currently underway. Innovation and sustainability today represent inseparable dimensions of regional development: on the one hand, technological and organizational innovation opens new opportunities for growth; on the other, environmental and social sustainability requirements set essential constraints and goals for the future of local communities.
Digital and organizational innovation is reshaping production systems and labor markets. New technologies offer the potential to increase the competitiveness of regions, improve access to advanced services, and stimulate diversification processes. At the same time, however, they generate new challenges for employment and social cohesion. Automation, artificial intelligence, and new work models are transforming the skills required, increasing the risk of inequalities between territories and social groups. Social sustainability, therefore, requires that these processes be accompanied by targeted policies for training, inclusion, and the strengthening of local capacities.
At the same time, environmental sustainability is an essential condition for the future of territories. Climate change, the energy transition, and the shift toward circular production models are redefining regional development paths. Companies are called upon to reorganize supply chains, processes, and governance models, facing the costs of reconversion and operating in a context of tensions related to tariffs, trade barriers, and geopolitical risks that can alter policy priorities and reshape the timing and nature of international cooperation. At the same time, opportunities are emerging through the creation of new sectors and “green” jobs, which require policies capable of guiding and supporting these transformations, balancing economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection.

In this context, public policies play a decisive role in strengthening the ability of territories to adapt, innovate, and reduce inequalities—reconciling economic development, social cohesion, and ecological transition. The conference aims to foster an open and interdisciplinary debate on how to rethink regional development policies in light of the challenges posed by innovation and sustainability, contributing to shaping visions and strategies for a fairer and more resilient future.
Besides the main theme, the A.I.S.Re conference encourages discussion on the major topics in regional science. Thus, A.I.S.Re invites all those interested to present original scientific works on the following themes:

A. Governance, regional and territorial public policies, European programming
B. Growth, decline, and regional disparities
C. Globalization, value chains and local production systems
D. Methods of territorial analysis and spatial econometrics
E. Labor, welfare, personal services and social policies
F. Tourism, culture and local development
G. Urban planning, real estate market and city development processes
H. Infrastructure, transport, mobility and local development
I. Wellbeing, sustainability, and local development
L. Urban development and agglomeration economies
M. Development and local entrepreneurship
N. Innovation, creativity and local development
O. Policy evaluation methods

HOW TO JOIN THE ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE

There are two ways to participate in the Conference:

• With the organized sessions. Participants can propose themselves as session organizers (no more than two sessions per organizer) on specific themes. The proposal can be submitted directly from the login area of the website, by entering the name of the scientific manager, the session title, and the tentative number of presentations. The deadline for the submission is December 5, 2025.
• with individual papers. Those interested should submit an abstract by January 15, 2026, directly from login area of the website. The detailed instructions for presenting authors on the editing of papers are available at the conference website (link here).

IMPORTANT DEADLINES

AWARDS
AISRe promotes the diffusion of studies in regional science by awarding young scholars with:
• Best PhD Dissertation Award
• Best young scholar paper
The call for candidatures and their instructions are available on A.I.S.Re. website. The deadline for the application is March 3, 2026.

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION AND MEMBERSHIP

Registration and participation in the Conference is subject to A.I.S.Re. membership, as individual, corporate or young member, available in the login area. The membership in the Italian Association of Regional Science will be valid for the 2026/2027 social year. Registration and membership fees are available at this link. A.I.S.Re. membership benefits include:

• the subscription to Scienze Regionali (Il Mulino) for the following calendar year;
• the volume of the AISRe E-book (Donzelli Editore);
• the registration to the Regional Science Association International (RSAI), which includes an online subscription to the journal Papers in Regional Science and Regional Science Policy and Practice, for the following calendar year, the opportunity to pay a reduced fee at the Annual Conferences of the European Regional Science Association (ERSA) and the Regional Science Association International (RSAI).
• Young scholars have also the opportunity to participate to the Summer/Winter Schools of AISRe.

Local Organising Committee

• Annalisa Caloffi, Università degli Studi di Firenze (Chair)
• Mario Biggeri, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Marco Bellandi, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Francesco Capone, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Stefano Clò, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Andrea Ferrannini, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Lucia Ferrone, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Niccolò Innocenti, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Federico Martellozzo, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Stefania Oliva, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Maria Grazia Pazienza, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Filippo Randelli, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Giorgio Ricchiuti, Università degli Studi di Firenze

Scientific Commitee

• Mario Biggeri, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Marco Bellandi, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Annalisa Caloffi, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Giulio Cainelli, Università degli Studi di Padova
• Francesco Capone, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Stefano Clò, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Andrea Ferrannini, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Lucia Ferrone, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Niccolò Innocenti, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Federico Martellozzo, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Marco Modica, Gran Sasso Science Institute
• Stefania Oliva, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Maria Grazia Pazienza, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Eleonora Pierucci, Università degli Studi Roma Tre
• Filippo Randelli, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Giorgio Ricchiuti, Università degli Studi di Firenze

Executive Board A.I.S.Re.

• Stefano Aragona, INBAR Sezione Lazio
• Giulio Cainelli, Università degli Studi di Padova
• Annalisa Caloffi, Università degli Studi di Firenze
• Andrea Caragliu, Politecnico di Milano
• Viviana Celli, Università di Roma La Sapienza
• Augusto Cerqua, Università di Roma La Sapienza
• Camilla Lenzi, Politecnico di Milano
• Marco Modica, Gran Sasso Science Institute
• Eleonora Pierucci, Università degli Studi Roma Tre
• Pietro Pizzuto, Università degli Studi di Palermo
• Paolo Postiglione, Università degli Studi “G. d’Annunzio” Chieti-Pescara
• Domenico Scalera, Università del Sannio
• Lisa Sella, IRCrES-CNR – Istituto di Ricerca sulla crescita economica sostenibile
• Daniela Storti, Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria (CREA)
• Gaetano Vecchione, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II.

Secretary AISRe
Diana Sarmiento, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

During the month of October, RSAI members voted for the election of new Councillor at large on the RSAI Council. The following candidate was eventually elected:

Many congratulations to our new colleague! He will start their new term on Jan. 1, 2026.

At the same time, the Council warmly thanks the Councillor at large ending her term (Prof. Daniela Luminita-Constantin (Bucharest University of Economic Studies)) for her service.

Call for Chapters

Publisher: CRC Press (Taylor & Francis Group)

Title: Spatial Intelligence: Designing Composite Indexes through Geocomputation - Principles, Methods, Challenges, and Solutions

Editors:

• Dr. Hamid Rabiei, School of History and Geography, Dublin City University (DCU)
• Dr. Matheus Pereira Libório, Montes Claros State University
• Professor Chris Brunsdon, Department of Geography, Maynooth University

Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About This Book

Spatial composite indexes are crucial for synthesizing complex, multidimensional data into a single, interpretable value, making them indispensable in various fields, including urban planning, environmental management, and public health. In today's data-driven world, geocomputation has become an essential tool for extracting valuable insights from spatial data. This book with CRC Press (Taylor & Francis Group) will explore the core principles, methods, and real-world applications of spatial composite indexes, offering a comprehensive guide to

advanced spatial analysis.

This book is being written to address the significant challenges in designing and applying spatial composite indexes, from data heterogeneity and scale issues to the complexity of integrating multiple variables. The process can be daunting even for experienced geocomputation

practitioners, with obstacles including data availability and quality, variable selection, weighting and aggregation methods, spatial autocorrelation, and modifiable areal unit problems (MAUP).

The book will be written as a structured learning resource with step-by-step guides to principles and methods for constructing spatial composite indexes, enriched with real-world case studies. It will provide detailed explanations of advanced geocomputation tools and techniques,

practical exercises, and examples to solidify understanding while highlighting cutting-edge challenges and delivering actionable solutions. 

Call for Chapter Contributions

We invite scholars, researchers, and practitioners to contribute chapters to this comprehensive edited volume. We are seeking original, high-quality contributions that advance the field of spatial composite index design and geocomputation.

Submission Guidelines Chapter Requirements:

• Length: 3,000-5,000 words (including references)
• Format: Academic chapter format with clear structure
• Content: Original research, comprehensive reviews, or innovative methodological approaches
• Case Studies: Real-world applications and examples strongly encouraged
• Technical Content: Include practical examples, code snippets, or methodological frameworks where appropriate

What We're Looking For:

• Theoretical Contributions: Novel frameworks or conceptual advances
• Methodological Innovations: New approaches to spatial composite index design
• Practical Applications: Real-world case studies demonstrating implementation
• Technical Solutions: Software tools, platforms, or computational approaches
• Critical Analysis: Examination of challenges and limitations in current practices
• Future Perspectives: Emerging trends and research directions

Submission Process:

1. Abstract Submission: Submit a 500-word abstract outlining your proposed chapter
2. Full Chapter: Upon acceptance of abstract, submit complete chapter
3. Peer Review: All chapters will undergo rigorous peer review
4. Revision: Authors may be asked to revise based on reviewer feedback

Important Dates

• Abstract Submission Deadline: 30 January 2026
• Full Chapter Submission: 30 July 2026
• Review Completion: 30 October 2026
• Final Manuscript Submission: 30 December 2026
• Expected Publication: ~31 July 2027

Target Audience

This book is designed for:

• Graduate students and researchers in geography, urban planning, and environmental studies
• GIS professionals and spatial analysts
• Policymakers and practitioners working with spatial data
• Software developers creating geospatial applications
• Anyone interested in advanced spatial analysis and composite index construction

How to Submit

Please send your abstract and a brief biographical note to:

Dr. Hamid Rabiei

School of History and Geography Dublin City University (DCU)

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Include in your submission:

• Chapter title and proposed chapter number
• 500-word abstract
• Brief author biography (150 words)
• Institutional affiliation and contact information
• Any relevant previous publications or experience

Questions?

For questions about the book project, chapter requirements, or submission process, please contact the editorial team at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

We look forward to receiving your contributions to this important volume on spatial intelligence and composite index design through geocomputation.

See full call: Call_for_Chapters_-_Spatial_Intelligence.pdf

Assistant Professor, Economics

Dear Members of the Regional Science Association International, 

according to the RSAI Constitution, each first year of term of the RSAI President, the Association faces the pleasant task of electing the Incoming President, who will in 2026 take on the position of President Elect, and work along with Prof. Hiroyuki Shibusawsa, current RSAI President, to gradually move on to the position of President in 2027. Here is an excerpt of the rules of the Association for managing this important step:

Nomination committee. The RSAI Council has appointed a dedicated nomination committee, that following the rule of the RSAI Constitution is made up of the RSAI President (Hiroyuki Shibusawsa), the RSAI Immediate Past-President (Hans Westlund), four members of the RSAI Council (one each from among the council members who are appointees of the four superregional organizations: Roberta Capello  for ERSA, In Kwon Park for PRSCO, Andre Chagas for LARSA; Sarah Low for NARSC), and two members of the Long Range Planning Committee (LRPC) recommended by the LRPC itself (Eduardo Haddad and Budy Resosurdamo).

Criteria of the nominees. The nominees should satisfy the following criteria: a) financial resources sufficient to cover travel costs to perform RSAI duties; b) support from candidate’s institution including relaxation of duties to enable President to travel as needed to execute RSAI business; c) RSAI Council experience (Council member experience) and/or other service to the regional science community (e.g., supra-regional and/or other sections, editor or one of the regional science journals, etc.).

Election procedure. The President Elect nomination committee shall [...] make a recommendation to Council at a Council meeting of this same year. Upon receiving this recommendation, the Council will select a nominee. The President‐Elect and Vice‐President shall start his/her appointment at the start of the next calendar year (i.e. the second year of the current President’s term).

RSAI members from the NARSC area who want to be nominated as candidate for the President of the Regional Science Association International should send to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (cc-ing the RSAI ED at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) within October 31st, 2025 the following material:

•  A two-page CV and a Picture;
•  A two-page statement on the motives in support of the candidacy and on the future strategy for the RSAI.

The Nomination Committee will then nominate the candidates to be voted on-line by the Members of the Council. Results will be diffused through in RSAI webpage.

Thank you in advance for participating in this crucial stage of the Association's life,

Kind regards,

No. 72 (2025): Portuguese Review of Regional Studies

 

 

Editor-in.Chef: José Cadima Ribeiro

Co-Editors: Conceição Rego e João Marques

Published: 23-09-2025

 

 

 

 

Full Issue

•  PDF

Technical Information

• Technical Information

  1-4

  •  PDF (Português (Portugal))

Articles

• Institutional analysis of creative economy policy transfers at the local level: a study in Lisbon (Portugal)

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.59072/rper.vi72.739

  José Ricardo Vitória, Nina Rosa da Silveira Cunha, Magnus Luiz Emmendoerfer, Joaquim Filipe Ferraz Esteves Araújo, Thiago Chagas de Almeida

  7-21

  •  PDF

• The Influence of Regional Smart Specialisation Strategies on Portugal's Competitiveness

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.59072/rper.vi72.745

  Horácio José Portela Ferreira, Carla Susana da Encarnação Marques, Luis Manuel do Carmo Farinha

  23-44

  •  PDF (Português (Portugal))

• How can Design Thinking improve food sustainability in the Minho Region? A multi-actor perspective

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.59072/rper.vi72.708

  Susana Campos, Rafael Oliveira, Ricardo Jorge Correia, Ana Teresa Ferreira-Oliveira, Ana Sofia Rodrigues, Manuela Vaz-Velho

  45-57

  •  PDF

• Economic science and the problematisation of housing in Portugal: analysis of an epistemic network

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.59072/rper.vi72.737

  Simone Tulumello

  59-75

  •  PDF (Português (Portugal))

• Economic reconversion and the creation of new trajectories in peripheral mining regions: Proposing a theoretical framework

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.59072/rper.vi72.704

  Helen Patricia Belisário, Hugo Pinto, Liliane de Oliveira Guimarães

  77-96

  •  PDF

• Perceptions of Residents of Porto Region on Traditional Gastronomy with a Generalized Q Analysis

  DOI: https://doi.org/10.59072/rper.vi72.743

  Makhabbat Ramazanova, Isabel Vaz de Freitas, Ana Matilde Castro, Tomaz Ponce Dentinho

  97-113

  •  PDF

REGIONAL STATISTICS, 2025, VOL 15, No 5.

STUDIES

Dear Readers,

We are pleased to say that the 5/2025 issue of Regional Statistics has been published and available online!

CONTENT

Fernando Antonio Ignacio González: Immigration and native labour market conditions in Argentina

https://www.ksh.hu/statszemle_archive/regstat/2025/2025_05/rs150501.pdf

Sulaeman – Husnul Mirzal – Muhammad Sultan Mubarok – Indar Fauziah Ulfah – Akhmad Fauzi Nurulhamzah – Moh Agus Nugroho – Sulistya Rusgianto: Enhancing food security through agricultural financing and loans within Indonesia’s dual banking system: empirical study approaches

https://www.ksh.hu/statszemle_archive/regstat/2025/2025_05/rs150502.pdf

Nándor Zagyi – Róbert Kuszinger – Ábel Bagdy – Zoltán Wilhelm: Spatial characteristics of the sex ratio shift in India

https://www.ksh.hu/statszemle_archive/regstat/2025/2025_05/rs150503.pdf

Éva Berde – Izabella Kuncz – Petra Németh – Sándor Remsei – Eszter Szabó-Bakos: GDP per capita and human capital investment in five countries after exhaustion of the first demographic dividend

https://www.ksh.hu/statszemle_archive/regstat/2025/2025_05/rs150504.pdf

Róbert Tésits – Martin Rongics: Regional opportunities for community-led local development in the area of a Hungarian Leader Association, 2014–2020

https://www.ksh.hu/statszemle_archive/regstat/2025/2025_05/rs150505.pdf

Roberto Yoan Castillo Dieguez – Samuel Arturo Mongrut Montalván – José Antonio Climent Hernández – Ma. Benilde Rincón García – Graciela Lara Gómez: Regional inequality in Mexico’s post-pandemic economic recovery

https://www.ksh.hu/statszemle_archive/regstat/2025/2025_05/rs150506.pdf

László Szívós – Jenő Fáró: How did specific aspects of national culture, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation moderate the effect of Covid-19 on earnings management?

https://www.ksh.hu/statszemle_archive/regstat/2025/2025_05/rs150507.pdf

Hana Boháčová – Pavla Jindrová: Sectoral structure of employment in EU member states with an emphasis on the quaternary sector or on the GDP, 2011–2023

https://www.ksh.hu/statszemle_archive/regstat/2025/2025_05/rs150508.pdf

Join us to our social networking sites:

https://www.facebook.com/RegionalStatistics

https://ksh.academia.edu/RegionalStatistics

Call for Papers for Special Issue in Regional Science Policy & Practice (RSPP)

Title: "The future of Cohesion"

1. Aim of the special issue

The Special Issue will take inspiration from the experience stemming from the reflections and policy recommendations by the High-Level Group discussed in their report on the Future of Cohesion, situated within the broader debate about the EU's post-2027 budget. These deliberations are already underway and, crucially, the European Commission is now proposing what may be the most profound transformation of European policies in over half a century.

At the heart of this transformation lies a thorough rethinking of Cohesion Policy itself. This could push the EU into uncharted territory: What does a stronger focus on competitiveness mean for regional balance? Can cohesion still serve as the glue that binds diverse regions and peoples together? The Special Issue aims to provide a timely and critical reflection on these questions, offering informed perspectives that can influence both the current discourse and policy direction.

2. Length of contributions

The editors are aiming for papers with a maximum length of 8,000 words, including references.

3. Review process

As with all academic submissions to the journal, the process will involve peer review. Each paper will be sent to at least two anonymous reviewers. If the reviews are favorable, authors will be asked to make revisions in line with the feedback before final acceptance.

This ensures that the Special Issue maintains high scholarly standards and remains impactful both within and beyond academia.

4. Open access and fees

Regional Science Policy & Practice is a gold open access journal. This guarantees free access for all readers but does involve a publication fee, typically covered by academic institutions.

5. Deadlines

The submission portal (https://www.editorialmanager.com/rspp) will accept submissions to this special issue from Oct. 20, 2025 until Jan. 31, 2026. When submititng your paper to the special issue, please prepare a submission letter clearly stating that your work is meant to be evaluated for this collection. Should a cover letter be missing, the submission will be treated as a regular one.

6. Editors of the Special Issue

The Special Issue will edited by Prof. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, Chair of the Group of high-level specialists on the future of Cohesion Policy. Prof. Rodríguez-Pose is the Princesa de Asturias Chair and a Professor of Economic Geography at the London School of Economics. He is the Director of the Cañada Blanch Centre LSE and was Head of the Department of Geography and Environment between 2006 and 2009.

He has been President of the Regional Science Association International (RSAI) (2015-2017) and served as its Vice-President in 2014. He was also Vice-President (2012-2013) and Secretary (2001-2005) of the European Regional Science Association.

He is a part-time Professor of Innovation at the Centre for Innovation Research, University of Stavanger (Norway). He has been visiting professor at several higher education institutions, including the College of Europe (Belgium), the University of Cambridge (UK), the University of Hannover (Germany), the University of Split (Croatia), and the Autonomous University of Madrid (Spain).

He has a long track record of research in regional growth and inequality, fiscal and political decentralization, institutions, discontent and populism, innovation, migration, and development policies and strategies. This research is widely cited in academic circles. In the 2021 Stanford/Elsevier list of the 2% most cited scientists (which identifies close to 200,000 researchers across all areas of science), he was among the 0.1% of researchers across all academic disciplines. He was ranked first worldwide in the field of urban and regional planning by scholarly citations in 2020. He also appears on Clarivate's Web of Science 2020 and 2021 lists of Highly Cited Researchers.

Prof. Rodríguez-Pose will be joined as internal editor by the Editor in Chief of Regional Science, Policy & Practice, Prof. Andrea Caragliu. Andrea Caragliu is Associate Professor of Regional and Urban Economics at Politecnico di Milano since 2018. He holds a Ph.D. in Spatial Economics, VU University Amsterdam, 2015, and a Ph.D. in Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, 2010. The dissertation has been awarded the Merit Prize of the EU Committee of the Regions Prize for the Best Doctoral Dissertation and Diploma d’Onore AISRe for the best doctoral dissertation in Regional Science “Giorgio Leonardi” 2010.

Between 2019 and 2024 he acted as Executive Director of the Regional Science Association International, for which he previously edited the Newsletter. Besides acting as Editor in Chief of Regional Science, Policy & practice, he is also Associate Editor for Plos ONE. Since 2025, he coordinates the Ph.D. program in Architecture, Built Environment, and Constriction Engineering at Politecnico di Milano.