UCL - Regional policy

[EUSL2106]

[30h] 5 credits

Teacher(s): Philippe Monfort

Language: French

Level: Second

Aims
Main themes
Content and teaching methods
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Aims

The objective of the class is to provide students with the factual and theoretical knowledge regarding the problematic of regional development and regional disparities, in general and in the specific context of the European Union (EU). Such knowledge will be developed so as to help students to formulate a critical analysis of the policies implemented by the EU under the objective of economic and social cohesion.

Main themes

The object of the class is the analysis of the main regional economics issues relevant for the EU. In particular, it aims at examining the extent and the evolution of regional disparities in Europe as well as the instruments provided by economic theory for the analysis of such phenomenon. The class also tackles the answers provided by economic policy to regional disparities and notably describes the elements constituting the interventions of the EU in the framework of its regional policy as well the evaluation of its relevance and efficiency.

Content and teaching methods

The class starts with a description of regional disparities in the EU such as measured under various dimensions (GDP per capita, growth, unemployment, education, R&D). It then presents the principles of two important fields of economics that are used to address such issues, namely growth theory and economic geography. On this basis, the class discusses different options in terms of regional development and regional policy. The last part of the class is devoted to the description of the EU regional policy, the analysis of the evaluations targeted to the programmes implemented in this framework and the problems specifically related the enlargement of the EU.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Period: 1st semester.
Periodicity: yearly.
Language: English.
Prerequisite: none.
Evaluation: written or oral examination.
Support: to be determined by the professor in charge.
References: to be determined by the professor in charge.