Scientific Committee

Background

A scientific committee made up of three leading international experts from academia in the field of regional development, economic growth and/or econometrics has been established. The committee comprises the following members:

Prof Ron Martin (University of Cambridge) (chair)
Prof Bernard Fingleton (University of Strathclyde)
Prof Harry Garretsen (University of Groningen)

This committee will meet together with the Commission four times during the first year of the contract – once at the outset (kick off meeting), before and after the first interim report, and following the submission of the annual report. During years 2, 3 and 4 the Committee will meet twice each year: after the interim report and following the submission of the annual report. The exact dates of these meetings will be decided in agreement with the Commission.

Purpose

The task of the scientific committee is to provide strategic and technical input and ensure high quality throughout the study. Their task is to provide methodological and technical guidance on 1) how to address the statistical analysis and the construction of the performance and thematic indicators and 2) on how to approach and co-ordinate the work across the various countries and regions. They will thereby use their own particular know-how on one or several key aspects of the study. During the first year of the contract the two first meetings of the committee will above all deal with the overall outline of the study and with the statistical analysis and construction of indicators; the third and the fourth meeting will mainly be based upon the output from the study and has mainly as an aim to provide constructive feedback on the content of the study.

Publications

The committee will also seek to provide new insights into policy priorities and challenges in the future, on the basis of their discussions. Commission officials may participate in these discussions. Each of the members will be asked to provide a paper under 20 pages long on a topic of their personal expertise directly related to any of the key aspects of this study.

For details on publications produced by the Scientific Committee members as part of this project please go to the unofficial reports/papers section of this site.