The Romanian Regional Science Association (RRSA) was set up in 2001 as a result of the initiative of Professor Daniela L. Constantin, supported by a group of colleagues, mainly from the Academy of Economic Studies of Bucharest. Since 2002 it has become one of the national sections of the European Regional Science Association, the ERSA Council approving Romania’s application on the occasion of the ERSA Congress in Dortmund.
At present the association counts more than 140 dedicated members (economists, sociologists, geographers, architects, engineers, mathematicians), with a mature and deep interest in regional science as well as in the association’s activities. Many of them come from universities and research institutes but individuals from European institutions, ministries, regional development agencies, county councils, NGOs, consultancy firms, etc. are also active members of the RRSA.
The association has constantly expanded its geographical coverage, so that it displays a well-balanced regional distribution: all eight Romanian development regions and all big cities, with important university and research centres are represented in the RRSA.
The RRSA has also individual members of Regional Science Association International (RSAI).
The members of the RRSA have a rich scientific activity materialised in a big number of research projects, books, articles, papers presented at national and international meetings. The association itself has published impressive volumes of proceedings of its conferences and a handbook of regional development edited by the RRSA is also being prepared. Following an initiative launched at a round table at the end of 2006, the RRSA has prepared a database with contact information about its members, grouped in accordance with their specific fields of scientific interest, in order to facilitate their participation in national and international projects.
The RRSA has a good co-operation with the European Institute in Romania, Ministry of Development, Public Works and Housing (former Ministry of European Integration), Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reform, Regional Development Agencies, county councils and other institutions interested in a productive dialogue with the Romanian Regional Science Association. Its members are currently involved in the activities of the Evaluation Committee of Romania’s Regional Operational Programme and have participated in the debates regarding the National Reference Strategic Framework, National Strategy for Regional Development, Regional Development Strategies, the capacity of absorption of the E.U. funds as well as in the ex-ante evaluation of the Regional Operational Programme, the Sectoral Programme for the Economic Competitiveness Increase, the Sectoral Programme for the Administrative Capacity Increase, and in many pre-accession impact studies.
The latest and one of the most important accomplishments of the RRSA is the Romanian Journal of Regional Science, which was launched in December 2007. On June 15th 2009 the first issue of Volume 3 has been published. The journal is already indexed in RePEc-IDEAS and DOAJ databases and has attracted a lot of interest and support from the international regional science community. More info is presented in a separate section.
CONTACT ADDRESS: romanian_rsa@yahoo.com
RRSA representatives:
Daniela L. Constantin – President and member in the ERSA Council
(danielaconstantin_2005@yahoo.com, Mobile: +4/0723-184-807)
Romeo V. Ionescu – Prime-Vice-president
(ionescu_v_romeo@yahoo.com, Mobile: +4/0744-553-161)
Dorel Ailenei (dorel_ailenei@yahoo.com, Mobile: +4/0722-730-734) and Cornelia Parlog (coparlog@hotmail.com, Tel.: +4/021-250-34-54) - Vice-presidents
Erika Tusa Marin (erika_tusa@yahoo.com, Mobile: +4/0723-625-658) – General Secretary
Simona Biriescu (simo_dalota@yahoo.com, Mobile: +4/0770-846-269) - Treasurer