Training Regions Research Strategy 2011-2013

Författare

Per Becker

Summary, in English

Abstract in Undetermined
Our world is changing and cities and regions are increasingly understood not only as
places, but also as vital hubs in national and global networks, through which people,
capital, goods and services flow to ensure the functioning of society, as we know it. People
and capital are increasingly concentrated in these hubs, which aside of positive effects on
efficiency also is associated with challenges for safety, security and sustainability.

Training Regions is a public-private partnership to promote resilient cities and regions. It
is a triple helix formation in which governmental authorities, private companies and
universities collaborate for reaching the objectives of their respective sphere. Its focus is on
Training, in its widest sense, including all types of activities supporting the development of
capacities of cities and regions to protect the well-being of their citizens and to maintain
critical societal functions. This by ensuring effective and efficient flows of people, capital,
goods and services, regardless of disturbance or disruption, now and in the future.

Training Regions is promoting safety, security and sustainability partly by contributing to
meet the needs for new research based knowledge, processes, methods and tools to address
these key challenges. It includes an independent transdisciplinary centre for research and
innovation, hosted by Lund University. The research and open innovation activities at
Training Regions is structured in four mutually supporting programmes, all of which with
considerable overlaps between each other:

1. Critical Flows: Mapping Interdependencies in Critical Flows for Cities and Regions
2. Risk Governance: Managing Risk and Adapting Cities and Regions in a Changing World
3. Response Management: Managing Emergencies, Disasters and Crises in Cities and Regions
4. Training: Developing Sustainable Capacities for Resilient Cities and Regions

The first programme focuses on cities and regions as complex systems of critical flows
necessary for the well-being of citizens and for maintaining and developing critical societal
functions. The second programme focuses on how to manage risk in such complex and
dynamic systems, with multiple values, threats and stakeholders, and how to adapt cities
and regions to climate change and other ongoing processes of change. The third
programme focuses on the management and coordination of a multitude of stakeholders
necessary to alleviate the consequences of events in which critical flows are disrupted.
Finally, the last programme focuses on how external stakeholders can support the
development of sustainable capacities within cities and regions to be resilient, regardless of
disturbance or disruption, now and in the future. Hence, Training Regions is not only
focusing on developing knowledge, systems, processes, methods and tools to directly
implement activities that promote safety, security and sustainability, but also for
supporting cities and regions to develop their own resilience.

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