Multilevel governance instruments for achieving balanced urban-rural development

Abstract

Sustainable and balanced urban-rural development largely depends on governance system and methods, instruments and practices deriving from it. Just, efficient and effective governance requires collaboration and sharing of responsibility in policy formulation and decision-making processes between different stakeholders at different levels of territorial organization. This implies a complex set of mechanisms, processes and institutions through which stakeholders can articulate their interests and exercise their rights, but also share ideas, negotiate, reach common understanding and agree on solution in given circumstances. This paper discusses process and achieved results of the collaboration between academic institution and local government in the students’ master thesis and integrated projects development for.......... .....set on application of multilevel governance instruments in order to achieve balanced development of the municipal territory. Students’ projects address different challenges: devastation of agricultural land; migration of (especially young) population from rural to urban areas; poor services and low income in rural areas; waste management; neglect of natural and cultural heritage. The educational approach was designed in order to create learning environment that foster collaborative learning for all participants involved: students, local stakeholders, consultants and mentors. The paper has three main parts. The first one provides a brief overview of the theoretical background of the multilevel governance and collaborative learning and practice oriented educational approach. Second part presents the objectives of this educational model, methods and structure of the expected deliverables. The third part presents seven students’ projects that are dealing with urban-rural relationships and highlights key multilevel governance instruments for the implementation of proposals. Conclusion discusses process and product outcomes differentiating benefits for all involved, obstacles and challenges and provides recommendations for future work.