The development process
2013
Workshop for potential regiopolises and other metropolitan co-operations
In cooperation with the planning association of Rostock region and the initiative committee of Rostock regiopolis a workshop in Berlin has been organized with the topic “potential regiopolises and other metropolitan area co-operations”.
The aim of the event is to exchange ideas and experiences of metropolitan co-operations of various sizes in Germany. In addition it is considered as a stakeholder for the establishment of a national network of regiopolitan cities.
Here is some information on the program to be found, as well as the results and lectures from the workshop.
2011
Informal meeting of potential regiopolises in Germany
At a national level, an informal meeting for potential regiopolises took place in Berlin in March 2011, with the aim to advise a strengthening of commitment and collaboration. Representatives from the cities of Kassel, Kiel, Koblenz, Osnabrück, Trier and Rostock participated in the meeting, as well as a representative from the ministry of the interior of Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz) and a representative from the federal ministry of transport, construction, urban and rural planning (BMVBS), which promised the support for the initiatives by the BMVBS.
2010
Presentation of the topic of regiopolises at the “Euregia” in Leipzig
At a federal level, the establishment of a national network of regiopolises is intended. The German Association of Cities is already dealing with this issue. By participating in the “euregia 2010” from 25th till 27th October 2010 in Leipzig, the working group of the regiopolis Rostock looked out for a further exchange of experiences and an increasing level of awareness of the concept of regiopolises.
Resolution of the MKRO on the development of guiding principles for spatial development and regiopolises
The conference of ministers for spatial planning (MKRO) decided on a “specification and development of outlines for regional development in Germany” at its meeting on the 19th of May 2010. Apart from the metropolises, the term “regiopolis” is supposed to be included as a separate category in the outline. In contrast to metropolises, the regiopolises are not yet established nationwide, although its initiative for formation is strongly supported.
Proceedings of the 1st national regiopolis-forum announced
The documentation of the regiopolis-panel, which took place on October 27th 2009 and which was carried out by the IHK of Rostock in cooperation with the German association of cities, has been released. It contains all the verbal contributions and results from the forum.
2009
First national regiopolis forum
In a national forum, the initiators from the Rostock region exchanged their experiences with the larger mid-sized cities beyond metropolitan regions and talked about common interests. Their collective aim was to provide an independent and adequate weight for future regiopolises in both, the federal republic and state policy as well as in the development of regional planning models. The federal republic and state governments have been invited as well as representatives from industry, science and culture, to discuss the idea of a future regiopolis network. The report and speech contributions are to be found here.
Resolution of the state parliament M-V on the Rostock regiopolis
In its meeting on the 2nd of April 2009, the state parliament of Mecklenburg Western- Pomerania assigned the federal state government to advocate and support the framework of the ministerial conference on regional planning (MKRO). In addition to the resolution of the MKRO in order of establishing metropolitan regions, the federal state government is supposed to push the extension of a regiopolis concept. The state parliament’s resolution is to be found here.
Ministerial conference on regional planning focuses on regiopolises
Within the scope of further development of the concept of regional planning, the following topics are on the agenda of the ministerial conference on regional planning: the significance of regiopolises, the potentials for development as well as networking opportunities for regiopolises.
2008
Second regional conference on the topic of regiopolises
On the 7th of October 2008 the second regional conference, which contained the topic of „the regiopolis of Rostock – the idea takes off”, took place in the IHK of Rostock. It was mainly focused on presenting the opportunities of Rostock as a regiopolis in a national and european context. Moreover the conference focused on opportunities to further strengthen the cooperation with representatives from the city, industry, academia and other interested partners. An important result was the symbolic commitment to the regiopolis of Rostock with a “Hanseatic handshake”.
The results of the regional conference were edited and published in expertise in the end of 2008. The paper demonstrates Rostock’s willingness to search for a new positioning of smaller cities in the German and European urban system.
Application of the regiopolis idea at the national urban development policy
The idea of the Rostock regiopolis was submitted within the scope of the National Urban Development Policy – an initiative of the federal ministry for transport, building and urban development – as a concept proposal to accelerate the discussion at a federal level.
University of Kassel publishes first book on regiopolises
In August 2008 the book „Regiopolises – the small cities in times of globalisation“ was published by Prof. Dr. Jürgen Aring and Prof. Dr. Eng. Iris Reuther. The book contains contributions of the authors which show the different attitudes in the current discussion and possible new development paths.
2007
Establishment of the initiative group of Rostock regiopolis
The process of setting up the hanseatic city of Rostock as a regiopolis has been supported by the hanseatic city of Rostock, the IHK of Rostock and the regional planning association of central Mecklenburg/ Rostock from the beginning. The process was reflected in the establishment of a management group, which was accompanied by the University of Kassel and the ministry of transport, building and regional development of Mecklenburg Western- Pomerania.
Rostock regional conference discusses regiopolises in the public for the first time
On the 4th of September 2007 the subject of Rostock regiopolis has been presented, under the heading „Regiopolis Rostock – number 1 on the Baltic”, to a broad public for the first time in the IHK of Rostock. Approximately 100 participants evinced their interest in the intellectual and concept approach in a discussion, which was based on the results of the student project. In the follow-up the IHK of Rostock conducted a survey of its partners which provide a high willingness for contribution in the concept and the status of a “Rostock regiopolis”.
Student project outlines regiopolises
A student project with the title „Rom-Rostock-Rio – the small big ones in times of globalization” takes up the term regiopolises in the winter semester 2006/07 at the department of city and regional planning of the University of Kassel. The project examines the possibility of realizing the concept on the example cities Bielefeld and Rostock.
2006
The University of Kassel develops the term Regiopolis
On the 14th of September 2006, the University of Kassel, the Association office of Kassel (ZRK) and the academy for spatial research and land use planning (ARL) held a joint conference on “Regiopolises – between metropolitan areas and peripheries”. Approximately 100 participants from the academia, cities as well as institutions of spatial and rural planning took part. At the conference, the announced research project “Regiopolises – New readings, knots and space partnerships” has been presented at the architecture, urban and landscape planning department. Prof. Dr. Jürgen and Prof. Dr.-Eng. Iris Reuther from the University of Kassel provided a definition of “Regiopolis” for the first time. The event which lasted a whole day was complemented by a local public evening event with a panel discussion under the heading “Regiopolis Kassel?” which put the focus on the city and region of Kassel.