The European Rural Development Network (ERDN) integrates various European research institutions, which are involved in analysing the transformation process of rural areas particularly in Central-Eastern Europe (www.erdn.eu). The main objectives are to advance international knowledge transfer and scientific cooperation in rural development and agriculture, as well as to share and promote scientific experiences and achievements in order to support policy makers and stakeholders. The annual conferences, organised since 2002, are the basis for achieving these objectives.
Efforts in previous Common Agricultural Policy periods have enabled agricultural development but also promoted integrating other sectors of the rural economy and emphasised social and environmental concerns in rural development programmes. In the current period of the rural development policy one of the six EU priorities is dedicated to fostering knowledge transfer and innovation in a very broad sense.
Innovation does not only refer to technology, products or processes, but likewise to social, organisational and governance aspects, including any forms of horizontal and vertical cooperation and communication. This approach shall contribute to improving regional competitiveness in an increasingly challenging economic environment while securing the sustainable use of resources, the provision of eco-system services, food security, social and human capital. Innovation could arise from regional strengths and regional identities and should enable broad participation in the innovation process.
Conference objectives and topics
The conference aims to stimulate methodological, theoretical and empirical contributions which provide explanations and definitions for the above mentioned policy buzzwords in the rural development context (social, organisational, governance innovation, cooperation, communication). First experiences from the RDP 2014-2020 projects or results of the evaluation process may be available for presentations in autumn 2017. Participants are encouraged to submit contributions which take into account the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the objectives of the Paris Climate Change Agreement 2015 or the ten topics of the Cork 2.0 declaration for a better life in rural areas. Abstracts for oral or poster presentations should fit in with one of the following topics:
• What kind of innovation activities happen in rural development (case studies, good practices, new business models)?
• Which circumstances lead to innovation, which obstacles and solutions exist?
• What are the preconditions of successful innovation from the rural community side?
• What are the actual/potential effects, impacts of innovation activities?
• Which strategies/incentives/measures could stimulate further innovation?
• How long term effectiveness of innovations can be measured, benchmarked
Apart from papers regarding these questions, contributions focusing on the recent evolution in rural development and agricultural economics can be submitted. Practitioner papers and reports, case studies and academic research papers are accepted.
Organisational details
1. Important dates
Date Description
15 April, 2017 Submission of extended abstracts
30 June, 2017 Notification of acceptance of papers/posters
1 September, 2017 Registration
1 September, 2017 Pre-reservation, special rate for hotel reservation
22 September, 2017 Submission of presentations
3-4 October, 2017 ERDN Conference
29 December, 2017 Submission of full papers
2. Guidelines for authors
Beside oral presentations there will be the possibility to present posters, please indicate clearly your preference on the attached authorship file which also gives advice to format and length of abstracts. Each abstract will be ‘double-blind’ peer reviewed for inclusion in the conference programme by members of the conference Scientific Board. In case of too many paper submissions the organising committee reserves the right to ask for poster presentation instead of oral presentation.
Abstracts, posters and full papers should be submitted to: ERDN2017@awi.bmlfuw.gv.at
3. Presentations, conference language
Each oral presentation will be given 15 minutes which can be accompanied by slides in PowerPoint® format. A poster session will give the possibility to discuss poster contributions. The entire conference will be held in English without translation facilities. During the two full days of the meeting, three thematic sessions (depending on submitted papers) and a half day field trip are scheduled.
4. Conference venue
Eisenstadt, Austria (http://www.eisenstadt-tourismus.at/startpage.html),
Hotel Burgenland (http://hotelburgenland.at/en/),
5. Registration fee, accommodation, transport
The number of participants is limited. There is no conference fee. Refreshments and meals will be provided. Participants are expected to pay their own travelling expenses and accommodation incl. breakfast and are responsible for their room reservation. AWI will provide an opportunity for transportation from Vienna city centre to the conference venue.
Details will follow in due course.
6. Publication of Proceedings
Following the conference the participants will be given the opportunity to revise their papers. The conference proceedings will then be published in a volume of the series “Rural areas and development” (http://www.erdn.eu/rural-areas-and-development/) by the European Rural Development Network in collaboration with the Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics (AT).
7. Scientific and Organizing Committee
Scientific Committee:
Agnieszka Baer-Nawrocka, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poland
Biró Szabolcs, Research Institute of Agricultural Economics, Hungary
Paweł Chmieliński, European Rural Development Network, Poland
Sigrid Egartner, Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics, Austria
Andrew Fieldsend, Research Institute of Agricultural Economics, Hungary
Garay Róbert, Research Institute of Agricultural Economics, Hungary
Julia Niedermayr, Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics, Austria
Vladimir Szekely, Academy of Sciences, Slovakia
Monica Tudor, Academy of Sciences, Institute of Agricultural Economics, Romania
Klaus Wagner, Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics, Austria
Dan Marius Voicilas, Academy of Sciences, Institute of Agricultural Economics, Romania
Organizing Committee (Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics):
Sigrid Egartner, Julia Niedermayr, Klaus Wagner, Martina Wimmer
8. Contact
Sigrid Egartner, Klaus Wagner
Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics
Marxergasse 2
1030 Vienna, Austria
Tel: +43 1 877 36 51 637437 or +43 1 877 36 51 637426
ERDN2017@awi.bmlfuw.gv.at
www.awi.bmlfuw.gv.at
You can find this call in pdf format by clicking here and download the template to fill in your contribution here.