14th Geoffrey J.D. Hewing's Regional Economics Workshop

During the two days, the researchers presented their latest research work on a wide range of topics, including regional development, structural change and inter-industrial systems, labour markets and input-output analysis.

A particular highlight of the first day of the workshop was the presentation by Professor Dr. Ron Boschma of Utrecht University and University of Stavanger. Boschma has published in numerous international journals on evolutionary economic geography, spatial development of industries, regional innovation systems, structure and development of networks, external agglomeration effects and growth and diversification in regional economies. His keynote address, entitled "Opportunity Spaces of European Regions" is available as a recording.

The keynote of the second workshop day was given by Frank Neffke from the Complexity Science Hub Vienna. The title of his talk was "Technological Change, Complementarity and Coordination". Neffke has also worked and published scientifically on a variety of topics. The relationship between structural change and growth in regional economies, the complexity of economic systems or the future of work in technological change are just some of the questions Frank Neffke has contributed to answering.

Professor Geoffrey J. D. Hewings, name giver of the workshop and regular participant, was with the Department of Economics and the Department of Geography at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, until his retirement. He has published a wide range of scholarly work in regional economics. In 1989, he founded the Regional Economics Applications Laboratory (REAL), where prospective regional economists conducted research together with distinguished scholars, and which became the model for the establishment of similar institutions in many parts of the world. Numerous WIFO staff members have had the opportunity to conduct research at REAL. Hewings is also a member of WIFO's International Board and has been closely associated with the Institute for many years.

The full programme of the 14th Geoffrey J.D. Hewings Regional Economics Workshop can be found here. Selected presentations will also be added on an ongoing basis.