Planning space is usually defined by political and administrative boundaries, although our living and economic space is shaped by functional contexts such as: catchment area, everyday travel, and spatial identity. When planning regional development, the region must always be redefined as the object of planning and communicated as such during the participation process. Further development of the region in partnership with local people is the goal of innovative regional development.

The Research Unit (formerly Centre) of Regional Planning and Regional Development deals with methods, the process design, implementation, and evaluation of regional spatial planning and regional development. Through dissertations, research projects, commissioned projects, final year projects and practical courses, we study, develop and accompany the implementation of spatial development processes and instruments that cut across municipal, provincial, and national borders. In this context, interdisciplinary collaboration with experts, universities, public authorities, and NGOs is regarded as an essential component and put into practice accordingly.