Dear UNI partners,

Do you have knowledge or interest in collaborating with UN-Habitat? Particularly in the development of concrete urban planning and design projects?

We are looking for an intern to support us in the Urban Planning and Design Lab!

Under the Supervision of Urban Planning Expert from the CPEDU the intern will:
- Support the designated programme (City Planning, Extension and Design Unit, Urban Planning and Design Lab) in the development of concrete urban planning and design projects, urban plans, workshops, trainings, Charrettes and different tools to promote urban planning and design. 
- Assist in the development of UN-Habitat/UPDB urban planning policy documents, guidelines, information materials, presentations through identification and review of relevant publications and documents, drafting and commenting on documents, and assisting in producing information materials.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Do you want to find out more? Click the link below:
https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=112047&Lang=en-US

Practical GE Modelling Course

Dates: 9-13 September 2019

Venue: WIFO, Arsenal, Objekt 20, A-1030 Vienna.

The Centre of Policy Studies (CoPS) in collaboration with the  Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO) offers an intensive one-week course introducing participants to computable general equilibrium (CGE) modelling with GEMPACK software.

Outline

The course focuses on a typical single-region applied general equilibrium model: the ORANI-G model of the Australian economy. Variants of the ORANI model of the Australian economy have been used extensively for policy analysis in Australia for more than two decades. ORANI-G, a generic version of ORANI, has been used to model the economies of more than 30 countries around the world.

The course aims to introduce participants to the ideas and techniques of CGE modelling, and to equip them to start using, adapting or constructing CGE models for their own simulations. By the end of the course, participants will have acquired thorough knowledge of:

• the theory underlying CGE models;
• the basic structure of a typical CGE model;
• the representation of applied GE models in the notation used in GEMPACK;
• the data requirements of a typical single-country CGE model;
• checking that the equations and data of a model are implemented correctly on the computer;
• formulating exogenous scenarios;
• computing simulations for policy analysis and interpreting and reporting results.

The course program consists of lectures integrated with a sequence of practical computer exercises using GEMPACK. This provides a strong emphasis on learning through analysis of stylized simulations including a rise in wages, an increase in government spending or a change in applied tariffs. The course will be taught by the world-leading CGE modellers from the  Centre of Policy Studies.

The course should appeal to

• those needing background to work with, or understand results from, a typical CGE model like ORANI-G;
• those wishing to use the theory of ORANI-G with GEMPACK for a model of a country other than Australia;
• those wanting to understand current policy issues in the context of a formal economy-wide system.

Course Fees (€)

The fee covers course materials (including software), morning and afternoon teas and 5 lunches. It does not cover accommodation, breakfast or dinner.

Registration and Payment

Registration is done through CoPS. Please send an email to Louise Pinchen (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) stating the name, organisation and email for all those wishing to register.

Payment should be made directly to WIFO in Euro using bank details at right once your registration has been acknowledged.

Account name:     Österreichisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung

Bank name:           UniCredit BankAustria AG

IBAN                       AT77 1100 0004 7149 4500

BIC                          BKAUATWW

Account No.          471494500

Currency                EUR

More information

For more information please visit the Practical GE Modelling course page http://www.copsmodels.com/pgemc.htm.

RSPP Annual Paper Award

For the Best Paper in Regional Science Policy and Practice

Winners 2019

Manuel Gómez‐Zaldívar, Marco T. Mosqueda and J. Alejandra Duran (2017) - Localization of manufacturing industries and specialization in Mexican states: 1993–2013: 1993–2013. Regional Science Policy & Practice 9 (4), 301-315

"The paper is a nice and complete package. An accepted methodology thoughtfully applied to a national economy to review shifts in sectoral or regional shares. It is an enlightening Policy & Practice entry-level paper for a bright student to get his/her feet wet with this general topic."

We are pleased to deliver your requested table of contents alert for The Annals of Regional Science. Volume 62 Number 1 is now available online.

In this issue

Original Paper

Optimal statute of limitations under land development timing decisions

Jyh-Bang Jou & Charlene Tan Lee

» Abstract   » Full text PDF

Original Paper

Did natural disasters affect population density growth in US counties?

Chunhua Wang

» Abstract   » Full text PDF

Original Paper

Absentee ownership, land taxation and surcharge

Kangoh Lee

» Abstract   » Full text PDF

Original Paper

Macroeconomic shocks in China: Do the distributional effects depend on the regional source?

Anping Chen & Nicolaas Groenewold

» Abstract   » Full text PDF

Original Paper

Spatial patterns and determinants of firm exit: an empirical analysis on France

Giuseppe Arcuri, Marc Brunetto & Nadine Levratto

» Abstract   » Full text PDF

Original Paper

Localization of collaborations in knowledge creation

Hiroyasu Inoue, Kentaro Nakajima & Yukiko Umeno Saito

» Abstract   » Full text PDF

Original Paper

Geography of productivity: evidence from China’s manufacturing industries

Shengjun Zhu, Canfei He & Xinming Xia

» Abstract   » Full text PDF

Original Paper

Regional preferences for the living environment and mobility of researchers and general workers: the case of Korea

Hyun-kyung Lee & Hong-bae Kim

» Abstract   » Full text PDF

Original Paper

Does new information technology change commuting behavior?

Sergejs Gubins, Jos van Ommeren & Thomas de Graaff

» Abstract   » Full text PDF

Original Paper

Cultural workers and the character of cities

Juan Carlos G. Lopez

» Abstract   » Full text PDF

Do you want to publish your article in this journal?

Please visit the homepage of The Annals of Regional Science for full details on:

• aims and scope
• editorial policy
• article submission

Impact Factor: 1.336 (2017)
Journal Citation Reports®, Clarivate Analytics

Open competition for Research Scientists in economics on regional policy analysis at IRSTEA – Clermont-Ferrand, France

IRSTEA (French Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture) is opening a recruitment for economic researchers which will develop activities in the TERRITOIRES joint research unit (JRS) of Clermont-Ferrand (France) on regional policy analysis

The recruitment campaign is generally aimed at young researchers who have recently obtained their PhD. Candidates are recruited on the basis of their scientific competence which they will put to the service of “Territoires JRS” major research axes by responding to a research topic. Candidates must have published articles on the results of their PhD

Applicant profile:

• · PhD or equivalent
• · Specialisation in regional economics
• · Initial training in the fields of regional/rural policies and spatial econometrics
• · Good fieldwork skills are also recommended
• · Candidates should have a good command of English, and long-term international experience would also be desirable

More : https://www.irstea.fr/en/join-us/external-competitive-examinations/follow-all-external-competitive-examinations

Application deadline: Monday, March  14, 2019

Call For Applications

THE BENJAMIN H. STEVENS 2019–2020
GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP IN REGIONAL SCIENCE

Graduate students enrolled in Ph.D. programs in North America are encouraged to apply for the Nineteenth Benjamin H. Stevens Graduate Fellowship in Regional Science, administered by the North American Regional Science Council of the Regional Science Association International (NARSC-RSAI). This Fellowship, in support of dissertation research in Regional Science, is awarded annually in memory of Dr. Benjamin H. Stevens, an intellectual leader whose selfless devotion to graduate students as teacher, advisor, mentor, and friend had a profound impact on the field. Regional Science is a multidisciplinary field concerned with the theory and method of urban and regional phenomena. Regional Scientists apply theoretical and empirical frameworks and methods of the social and other sciences, as well as develop new ones specifically for regional analysis and policy.

Eligible students should have completed all degree requirements except for their dissertation by the time the Fellowship commences. A requirement of the Fellowship is that the recipient have no duties other than dissertation research during the Fellowship, although the recipient may hold other fellowships concurrently. Applications from students working in any area and any North American Ph.D. program are welcome as long as their dissertation research addresses a research question in Regional Science.

The Fellowship consists of a stipend in the amount of $30,000 (U.S.), paid over a twelve-month period. Applications for the 2019–2020 Fellowship should be sent electronically by the applicant to the Selection Committee Chair, Professor Amanda Weinstein, by the deadline of February 15, 2019.

An application consists of the following materials:

1. A curriculum vita of no more than two (2) pages in length.
2. A statement in ten (10) pages or less explaining the questions and issues to be addressed, the approach to be used, and the product expected from the dissertation research, preceded by a summary (1-page maximum) describing the intellectual merit of the proposed research, and the broader impacts that may result. The 10-page limit is inclusive of references, but exclusive of tables and figures. This text should be in 12-point or larger font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins; references may be single-spaced.
3. Copies of the candidate’s transcripts for all graduate study. Unofficial copies are acceptable.

In addition, the dissertation supervisor shall provide a confidential letter sent separately as an attachment from her/his email account with the student’s name in the subject line to Professor Weinstein. In the letter the supervisor should assess the quality and significance of the proposed dissertation research, specify the current state of progress toward the candidate’s degree, and provide a commitment by the dissertation supervisor to obtain a tuition waiver for the candidate for the year of the Fellowship. A condition of the Fellowship is the granting of a tuition waiver for the year of the Fellowship by the university, or equivalent payment of the student’s tuition.

Applications should be emailed to Professor Amanda Weinstein at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Questions may also be sent to her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For information about the North American Regional Science Council (NARSC), go to www.narsc.org. For information about the Regional Science Association International (RSAI), go to www.regionalscience.org.

May 13, 2015
Last revised, May 8, 2018

http://www.narsc.org/newsite/awards-prizes/stevens-graduate-fellowship/

Mid-Continent Regional Science Association 50th Annual Conference

~ June 4-6, 2019 ~ Madison, Wisconsin ~

Call for Papers

Economic Development Quarterly

Economic Development Quarterly (EDQ) is seeking research manuscript proposals for a special issue on the impact of an aging workforce and population on regional economic development. The regional impact of the aging workforce and general population has received considerable attention in the popular media. While fast-growing regions are competing for young, educated adults, other communities, particularly in rural areas, are facing declines in their overall workforce and increases in the demand for services for their older residents. In addition, the never-ending advancement of technology requires the retraining of older workers, many of whom face the real possibility of being “structurally unemployed.”

EDQ would like to encourage researchers to further our understanding of the economic development implications of the demographic shifts on states and local areas by soliciting research proposals for a special issue of the journal. EDQ is the premiere applied academic journal publishing research on domestic U.S. economic and workforce development issues. Its mission is to promote research supporting the formulation of evidence-based economic development and workforce development policy, programs, and practice in the United States.

Purpose and Process

The call for paper proposals is the first step in the process of compiling high-quality research for the special issue. Senior authors of selected proposals will be invited to attend a two-day research workshop at the Upjohn Institute in Kalamazoo, MI to present their research questions, data sources, analytical methodology, preliminary results, and potential policy implications on this topic and receive feedback from other invited senior authors and outside experts. As the second step, authors will be given time to prepare their final manuscript on their chosen topic, which (once submitted) will be required to go through the journal’s peer review process for inclusion in the special issue.

Possible Topics

EDQ is seeking research proposals that will probe the fundamental questions related to the regional impact of the aging workforce and general population. Possible research areas could include:

How does the demand for older workers vary by region and to what extent does this variation explain differences in regional economic development?
Are individuals, in all age groups, less mobile than before and how is that impacting local economies?
What education and training policies and programs seem to be effective in increasing the labor participation rate of older/aging workers?
How are current employment policies impacting (positively or negatively) older/aging workers?
What would be the characteristics of an economic development initiative targeted toward older workers?
What industries are more likely to create employment opportunities and good wages for older/aging workers?
What is the impact of business-incentive economic development policies on an aging workforce?
Are there regional policies that can promote or enhance retirement persons back into productive employment? What are the implications of those policies?
9. Are there regional policies that can promote or enhance gradual retirement options, such as phased retirement, bridge employment, and reentry?
10. What role does workplace flexibility play in promoting economic development at the regional level, with an emphasis on older workers?

Of course, many other topics related to the general theme of the special issue may be offered.

Submission Guidelines

Interested authors should submit paper proposals not exceeding three pages, double-spaced, describing the proposed research, data, and methodology. The proposed research must address key issues and suggest policy implications that inform U.S. regional/state economic development practices. Authors must also submit a current curriculum vitae.

Submitted paper proposals should not have been previously published nor be currently under consideration for publication elsewhere.

Timeline

Paper proposals must be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by MARCH 1, 2019.

EDQ editors Timothy Bartik and George Erickcek will select authors based on their proposal submissions to participate in a two-day research workshop at the W.E. Upjohn Institute in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on May 9-10, 2019, where they will present their research questions, data sources, analytical methodology, preliminary results, and potential policy implications and receive feedback from invited discussants. A full paper is NOT expected at the May conference. We understand that the findings will be preliminary and encourage authors to revise their manuscripts as they receive constructive feedback from invited discussants. The senior author of the paper is expected to present at the workshop. Lodging will be paid for selected authors and transportation for selected authors will be reimbursed.

Authors will then be asked to submit their completed papers to EDQ no later than December 1, 2019. Papers will be required to go through the journal’s peer review process for inclusion in the special issue.

Paper proposals due by March 1, 2019
Selected authors notified by March 15, 2019
Workshop held on May 9-10, 2019
Completed research papers submitted to EDQ no later than December 1, 2019
Target release of EDQ special issue is November 2020 (but may be published online in advance)
Sponsors

The workshop is sponsored by the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, independent research organization devoted to investigating the causes and effects of unemployment (www.upjohn.org). The Institute houses EDQ, which is published by Sage Publications, and both are committed to advancing applied research on economic development and workforce development that can inform policy and improve practices on those key topics.

https://journals.sagepub.com/pb-assets/cmscontent/EDQ/Call%20for%20Papers-Aging.pdf

Call for Papers

Advances in portable sensing methodologies for urban environments: Understanding cities from a mobility perspective

To be published as a Special Issue of

Computers, Environment, and Urban Systems (CEUS)

Special issue editors: Amit Birenboim1, Marco Helbich2, Mei-Po Kwan3

1 Department of Geography and the Human Environment, Tel Aviv University

2 Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Utrecht University

3 Department of Geography and Geographic Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign

Recent years saw a surge in the development of lightweight and relatively cheap portable sensors of various kinds that can be carried by people or vehicles. The resulting continuous stream of fine grained data in space-time that these sensors generate brings new opportunities for understanding urban environments and urban living. In particular, these sensors allow capturing the behaviors and status of mobile humans and non-human objects in cities and their continuous interaction with physical, built, and social environments. The new type of sensor-based in situ information facilitates the development of new methodological approaches and analytical frameworks that can help address old and new urban issues.

Portable sensors include various types of devices that may record the behavior and status of the people or objects that carry them (e.g., intensity of activity, physical status) and characteristics of their surrounding environment (e.g., noise, temperature). While portable sensors are part of the data-intensive science paradigm and big data era, the technology and the data that it generates require special attention for at least the following reasons. First, in order to be useful for urban analytics, it is necessary to record the mobility patterns of moving agents along with other sensor information. Therefore, relevant data will rely on the integration of location tracking technologies such as GPS and RFID. Second, the collected information is of high temporal and spatial resolution. Consequently, a central advantage of the technology is that it allows the dynamic representations and analysis of urban environments and their inhabitants. Third, compared to stationary sensors, portable sensors tend to have lower data integrity. This is a limitation that needs to be addressed.

This special issue seeks to attract papers that examine the recent developments in the methodologies, analytical frameworks, and applications of state-of-the-art portable sensor technology in the context of urban research, management, and planning. It considers portable sensing in a broad sense, which includes both ‘classical’ passive sensing (i.e., opportunistic sensing) and more active sensing approaches that require input from users (i.e., participatory sensing). The special issue emphasizes the usage of these novel methodologies, analytical frameworks or applications to the understanding of the dynamism of cities and the mobile agents that comprise it. We encourage submissions from a broad range of disciplines as long as they show clear relation to urban issues. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Implementation of emerging portable sensing technologies for studying mobile human and non-human objects in urban environments
• The use of portable sensor information in urban analytics and modeling
• Smartphone sensing techniques for a better understanding of cities and their inhabitants
• The usage of portable sensing techniques to the study of urban mobility and transportation
• The use of ambulatory sensing technologies in health and exposure research in cities
• Portable sensors and urban citizen science
• The relation between portable sensors and notions of smart cities
• Real-time city management (e.g., of transportations, mega events, disasters)

Submission procedure:

Interested authors should submit titles and 250-word abstract to Amit Birenboim (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) by April 22, 2019. Invitation to submit full manuscript will be sent to chosen abstracts by May 8, 2019. Deadline for submission of full length manuscript is January 13, 2020. Submissions must conform to CEUS submission guidelines and should be submitted through the journal's EVISE system. Manuscripts will undergo the standard CEUS review process.

Important dates:

April 22, 2019            Proposals (title and 250 words abstract) submission deadline

May 8, 2019               Invitation notification to submit full manuscript

January 13, 2020      Final manuscript submission deadline through the EVISE system

July 2020                    Publication of special issue in CEUS

For more information please contact one of the special issue editors:

Amit Birenboim (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Marco Helbich (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Mei-Po Kwan (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

47th ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Downing College, Cambridge
16-18 July 2019