IPA INNOAXIS project Hungary-Serbia IPA Cross-border Co-operation Programme 2007-2013

SUMMARY

The final conference of the Serbian-Hungarian IPA project called “INNOAXIS - The borderline as an axis of innovation” was organised by the Centre for Regional Studies, Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA RKK) - as the lead partner of the project - with cooperation of the Regional Scientific Association (RTT) and the Local Government of Mórahalom. This important event of the project was held in Baja on 19th July 2011. The main aim of the conference was to introduce the prepared documents: the Economic Operative Program and the Human Operative Program. The professional lectures also presented at the conference revealed the developmental and cooperation opportunities of the border regions.

Sándor Rausch, the president of the Bács-Kiskun County Council opened the plenary session by greeting the participants. Erika Kudlik, the City councillor for regional cooperation of Subotica held her presentation on the realisation of the economic development strategy of Vojvodina. Katalin Dudás Kószó, the director of the Városfejlesztő Kft. (Towndevelopment Ltd) of Mórahalom introduced to the audience the experiences deriving from the various cross-border cooperation programs. Gyuly Ocskay, the secretary general of the CESCI and Mátyás Jaschitz strategic planner of the CESCI described the opportunities to realise EGTCs, that is institutional cross-border cooperation programs at the Hungarian-Serbian border.

In the second part of the conference Éva Perger, the director of the Great Plain Research Institute of Centre for Regional Studies, Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA RKK), András Ritz, the president of the Regional Scientific Association (RTT) and András Donát Kovács,  a researcher of the MTA RKK ATI gave an overall view on the project, summarised its most important results and introduced the comprehensive strategic ideas and the priorities of the strategies.

The conference had a very good professional atmosphere. The participants have all agreed that with the realisation of the planned interventions, the cooperation between the regions and cities lying on the two sides of the border may widen, the interlinking characteristic of the border may strengthen and the life-quality of the inhabitants of these regions may improve. All this – in contrast to the dividing-like borders – may bring new quality, and may offer several common developmental opportunities. Hopefully the Hungaraian-Serbian region will have a very specific and important role in the future, and the documents prepared in this project will contribute to the improvement of the life-quality of these local societies. Hopefully this document will also contribute to the establishment of environmental sustainability at these territories and will foster the economic improvement of these cities.
 

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