The key focus of this event will not simply be on regional development or the development of the learning region per se but rather the impact these have in terms of regional regeneration and development that has flowed from the efforts to develop learning regions. The learning region has now been well defined but for the purpose of this conference it will encompass both urban and rural dimensions and is not confined to administrative or geographical boundaries.

In the past much attention has been devoted to issues concerning the ability to mobilise the many and varied players in the region but the focus of this combined conference is outcomes which have been achieved. Not all efforts have been successful and in this regard papers submitted for consideration do not have to be exclusively associated with fruitful initiatives and outcomes. Parallel sessions of presented papers, demonstration projects which illustrate good practice, and roundtable discussions will allow for debate and discussion on a range of topics associated with the central themes of the conference.  The deadline for receipt of abstracts around themes of regional development, social capital, regeneration and learning regions is 8 February 2008.

The conference will combine the culmination of the PENR3L (PASCAL European Network of Lifelong Regions, http://www.penr3l.feek.pte.hu/  project with a focus on the work of the OECD on the contribution of higher education to regional development (http://www.oecd.org/edu/higher/regionaldevelopment).  This part of the conference will include a keynote by Richard Yelland, Head of the OECD Institutional Management in Higher Education Programme.

We advise early booking of flights to Shannon airport, near Limerick, if you wish to take advantage of the very low fares within Europe offered by the low-cost airline, Ryanair (http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/).