The RUSTIK project started with a kick-off meeting of the consortium members from ten European countries on October 4-5 in Frankfurt. The program included getting to know the partners, a lot of organizational matters around the project start and an exchange of content to get the project rolling. In addition, first decisions were made with all partners in the first consortium meeting, which took place hybrid.
The four-year transdisciplinary research project aims to enable actors in rural contexts and policy makers to develop better strategies, initiatives and policies that promote transitions to sustainable rural areas. To achieve this, the project will contribute to a better understanding of the different rural functions, characteristics and future scenarios of rural areas, their potentials and challenges. The central objective is the creation of new data sources and infrastructures at regional and European level.
The project focuses on Living Labs in 14 pilot regions in 10 European countries. They are the key element of an action-oriented multi-actor approach to researching rural diversity and social change. Especially in this regard, there was a lot of need for exchange at the kick-off meeting in order to involve practitioners in the project from the beginning and to be able to respond to their needs. A first meeting of the Living Labs will take place early next year in Barcelona. The connection and cooperation between the different work packages were also important topics of the meeting.
The RUSTIK project is coordinated by IfLS e.V. and includes a consortium of 30 partner organizations. Among them is the Regionalrat Wirtschaft Rhein-Hunsrück e.V., which coordinates the Living Lab in the pilot region Rhein-Hunsrück. A brief description of the project can be found here.
Contact person at the IfLS: Simone Sterly (sterly[at]ifls.de)
