Research cooperation for boosting cross-border mobility

WHAT:

The Institute for Transnational and Euregional cross-border cooperation and Mobility (ITEM) is an interdisciplinary expertise centre which was founded in 2015 by Maastricht University in cooperation with Zuyd Hogeschool, NEIMED, the Dutch province of Limburg, the city of Maastricht, and the Meuse-Rhine Euregion. The Institute wants to create a “region without borders” and attract individuals, companies, and authorities to invest in the Meuse-Rhine Euregion. In more detail, the expertise centre is engaged in:

  • Carrying out research activities to identify opportunities and bottlenecks in cross-border mobility and cooperation;
  • Updating the cross-border portal with regulations, case law and best practices for gathering knowledge in the areas of cross-border cooperation and mobility;
  • Gathering information to draft the Annual Cross-border impact assessment;
  • Fostering information exchange with the border information points.

 

WHERE:

ITEM work mainly focuses on the area of the Benelux countries and their neighbouring states of the Meuse-Rhine Euregion but their research activities cover all European borders.

 

HOW:

The research activities are funded through the contributions of the partners and, for the period 2014-2024, the Maastricht University and the Province of Limburg (NL) will be the main sponsors. In the long term, the numerous networks and alliances will allow for the creation of investment opportunities with regional and European authorities and programmes (for example by Interreg).

 

RESULTS:

The Institute is contributing to providing concrete and practical solutions through its academic research and dissemination of information via publications and reports. ITEM work and topics are selected on the basis of current research needs and reflect the pressing challenges of stakeholders. Many scientific publications are written in relation to cross-border mobility and cooperation issues. Additionally, cross-border impact assessments are delivered on an annual basis to provide updated frameworks on relevant legislations, jurisdictions and policies.

The institute also contributes to delivering annual training programmes in the Euregion including the organization of courses and workshops for individual cross border workers, institutions and companies.

 

More information is available here:

Oznake
evidence and data Information services