RSAI – British and Irish Section
The British and Irish Section of the Regional Science Association International was founded in 1968 and it forms part of the Regional Science Association International (founded in 1954). The British and Irish section is one of the 18 European sections of RSAI that fall under the European Regional Science Association (RSAI also comprises a North American Regional Science Council and a Pacific Regional Science Organisation). Its membership is drawn, in the main, from academics, consultants and scientists in local and national government, who share an interest in spatial issues.
As with all the RSAI sections (national and regional associations), the British and Irish Section seeks to promote the study of regional and urban phenomena and the advancement of regional science. Regional Science is a multi-disciplinary field, with a strong foundation in quantitative methods, encompassing expertise in economics as well as geography, planning, mathematics and sociology. With the development of the interest in spatial issues across a range of fields (economic geography, spatial economics, regional studies, urban economics, spatial econometrics, etc) as well as in policy (see, for example, at the European level the European Spatial Development Perspective), regional science has become at the centre of the development of theory and method in urban and regional analysis and policy.
Aims and Objectives
The aim of RSAIBIS is to promote the advancement and dissemination of regional science among academics and practitioners internationally. This involves members:
Producing internationally recognized regional science research in economics, geography, planning and others relevant disciplines.
Contributing on topical ‘niche’ regional issues in the policy and business arenas.
These aims are pursued by:
Hosting annual conferences to facilitate formal and informal networking among members.
Encouraging members to submit papers to regional science journals, especially Spatial Economic Analysis
Seeking opportunities for publication of selected papers from annual conference in regional science journals.
Awarding the Moss Madden Memorial Medal for the best regional science article by a member each year.
Developing links, through for example joint conferences, with other RSAI sections, both in Europe (including the periodic hosting of ERSA Congress) and internationally and with other academic and practitioner associations.
Enhancing the attractiveness of RSAIBIS to young scholars in Britain and Ireland through the annual student and early career researcher prizes, special sessions for young scholars at each annual conference and on-going financial support for conference attendance.
Developing web-based resources for members to re-position the section at the centre of knowledge diffusion between members and further a-field.
Conducting conferences/workshop for policy/business practitioners on niche issues where the potential exists for regional science to make a worthwhile contribution, including the leveraging of international perspectives.
Improve openness and transparency of RSAIBIS governance, including efforts to increase attendance at the AGM, contested elections for membership of committee and positions of officers.
