On 8 September, a Summer School was launched in Uzhhorod for representatives of Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) from Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, Chernihiv, Sumy, and Odesa regions. It is organised by the Swiss-Ukrainian “Ukraine’s Cohesion and Regional Development” project (UCORD) in cooperation with the European Association of Development Agencies (EURADA).

During three days, the participants, together with representatives of European regional development agencies and experts, will examine how regional agencies can engage in strategic planning, support for small and medium-sized enterprises, investment and the preparation of a project portfolio. By the end of the event, each agency should define its own priorities and possible steps for the next 12 months.

The first day of the Summer School is dedicated to the strategic role of regional development agencies: from the principles of EU regional policy to the practices of regional strategic planning.

The expert framework for this discussion was provided by the representatives of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): Katerina Ciampi Stancova, OECD Trento Centre for Local Development, and Maria-Varinia Michalun, OECD Regional Development and Multi-level Governance Division in Paris. They described the evolution of EU regional policy over the last two decades.

 

 

 

The discussion centred on the shift from a predominant focus on reducing regional disparities to a people-centred and territory-oriented approach. This approach builds on the potential of each region and combines competitiveness, innovation, resilience, and sustainable development. Roberta Dall’Olio, a representative of EURADA, moderated the session.

 

 

The opening address was delivered by Vitalii Protsenko, Director of the Department of Regional Policy and Territorial Reintegration at the Ministry of Recovery, Infrastructure, and Transport, who emphasised that regional development agencies could play a much more significant role in preparing Ukraine for the EU accession.

‘Regional development agencies should become centres of expertise that help regions and communities with strategic planning, project preparation, monitoring, and evaluation. Institutions like these can serve as an effective link between national regional policy, the needs of communities, and practical solutions on the ground. Their role in Ukraine, in my view, is still underestimated. We can discuss their mandate, organisational and legal structure or funding, but the most important issue is having capable teams that can help regions move forward. This is important both for future work with European Structural Funds and for the development of a high-quality regional policy system,’ said Vitalii Protsenko.

He pointed out that Ukraine should not simply copy models from other countries. The experience of European RDAs may be useful, but it needs to be adapted to Ukrainian conditions, in particular to the realities of frontline and partially occupied territories.

 

 

Maryna Bryl, UCORD Project Leader, emphasised that the Summer School was supposed to be a two-way exchange: European colleagues would present their own models and practices, whilst Ukrainian RDAs would share their experience of working in a wartime environment, for which there are no ready-made equivalents.

‘We invited representatives from European agencies and specialist organisations to present the evolution of regional development agencies and their role in implementing regional policy. At the same time, representatives of Ukrainian agencies have unique and highly complex experience of working in a wartime context. It is also important for them to share this with their European colleagues. It is impossible simply to copy someone else’s solution. One can take a practice, understand how it works, and seek one’s own way of applying it to our reality. Therefore, it is important for the participants to discuss not only successful case studies, but also the difficulties, mistakes and questions to which they do not yet have answers. This is precisely how we can find solutions suitable for our regions,’ noted Maryna Bryl.

The participants will also present their agencies, discuss governance models, teams, funding, areas of work, regional opportunities, and challenges.

The following days will focus on the practical functions of the Regional Development Agencies: SME development, attracting investment, and project preparation. The Summer School will culminate in a joint session to work on the agencies’ priorities and action plans for the coming year.

 

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Read more about the UCORD Summer School in the article “UCORD Summer School kicks off in Uzhhorod: Why frontline regions need strong Regional Development Agencies”