Place
Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
Period
Week 1: 20 April – 24 April
Week 2: 27 April – 30 April
Local Organizers
-
Ron Boschma (Utrecht University / Stavanger University)
-
Deyu Li (Utrecht University)
Speakers
-
Ron Boschma (Utrecht University / Stavanger University)
-
Carolina Castaldi (Utrecht University)
-
Koen Frenken (Utrecht University)
-
Kerstin Schaefer (Utrecht University)
-
Bjørn Asheim (Stavanger University)
-
Pierre-Alex Balland (Centre for European Policy Studies / Harvard University)
-
Christian Binz (Eawag / Lund University)
-
Elisa Giuliani (Pisa University)
-
Huiwen Gong (Stavanger University)
-
Eveline van Leeuwen (Wageningen University & Research)
-
Andrea Morrison (Pavia University)
-
Raquel Ortega-Argilés (Productivity Lab, Manchester Business School)
-
Andrés Rodríguez-Pose (London School of Economics and Political Sciences)
-
Elvira Uyarra (Manchester Business School)
Registration Deadline
16 February 2026
Course Content
This course aims to provide an introduction to contemporary research perspectives and approaches in economic geography. In recent years, the core questions of this discipline have attracted growing interest not only from geographers, but also from economists and other social scientists.
The course will debate recent theoretical developments, with particular attention to:
-
Evolutionary economic geography
-
Institutional economic geography
-
Geography of innovation
-
Geography of sustainable transitions
-
Complexity thinking in economic geography
In addition, the course will discuss recent advancements in methodology and empirical analysis in economic geography.
Main Theme
A key theme this year is understanding the development trajectories of regions in a world facing grand challenges, such as:
-
Green and digital transitions
-
Geopolitical tensions
-
Regional inequalities
Key questions addressed include:
-
How can sustainable, competitive and inclusive regional development be enhanced?
-
How does the geography of innovation evolve, and what are its dark sides?
-
Which agents induce structural change in regions?
-
How does the geography of discontent develop, and what are the economic and political implications?
-
How do institutions and power relations affect regional development?
-
What kinds of regional policies are needed to foster green and digital innovation?
-
What impacts will twin transitions and geopolitics have on regions?
-
How do complexity, evolutionary and institutional theories address these challenges?
The course is interdisciplinary in nature, involving scholars beyond economic geography. Many theoretical, conceptual and empirical challenges remain, and leading experts at the research frontier will address these issues, share the latest insights, and provide feedback on PhD students’ research projects.
Two computer lab sessions will be organized, focusing on:
-
Network analysis
-
Text-mining techniques, including natural language processing and large language models
Who Can Apply?
-
PhD students in economic geography and regional science
-
PhD students in innovation studies, economics, and other relevant social science disciplines
Attendance
Maximum of 35 PhD students
PhD Student Presentations
Each PhD student will receive 45 minutes to present and discuss their PhD project:
-
20 minutes presentation
-
25 minutes discussion
A senior researcher and a fellow PhD student will act as discussants for each project.
Registration Fee
€250
PhD students are expected to cover their own costs related to:
-
Accommodation
-
Travel
-
Dinners
Registration Procedure
Deadline
16 February 2026
Required Information
Applicants should submit the following:
-
Name and affiliation
-
Year of PhD start
-
Supervisors
-
Summary of own PhD project (minimum 500 words – maximum 1,000 words)
How to Apply
Please register by email to:
-
Ron Boschma: r.a.boschma@uu.nl
-
CC: Deyu Li (d.li1@uu.nl)
Notification of Admission
Applicants will be informed about their participation no later than 23 February 2026.