Report on the joint conference of the EADI, HUN-REN CERS – Institute of World Economics, Institute of International Relations Prague, and the University of Ljubljana

On the 16th and 17th of May, the conference with the title Views on development from the peripheries of Europe was held at the institute. It was supported by EADI (European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes) and organised by three institutes: HUN-REN Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Institute of World Economics; Institute of International Relations Prague and the University of Ljubljana. The 50th anniversary of EADI presented a good occasion to take stock of the state of development studies and the understanding of development in the European peripheries. The countries on the periphery of Europe have been an object of development policies themselves, some of them lived through quasi colonial periods and therefore, the relevance of decolonisation and development issues and their perceptions seem to be different from those in the core countries, which also happen to be the biggest aid donors. On the conference, there were more than 30 presentations and participants arrived from nine countries. As a side event we organized a discussion and workshop for researchers and Hungarian NGOs working in the Global South, in collaboration with HAND Association (International Humanitarian and Development Civil Association). More than 10 civil organizations were represented, sharing their best practices and support needs regarding research-practice-collaboration in their activities. HAND also informed the participants about funding opportunities, and a thematic workshop facilitated match-making for future collaborative projects between the NGO and academic spheres.

The success of the conference is indicated by the fact that the organisers decided to continue with annual conferences on the same topic, hosted each year by a different co-organiser.

Pictures from the conference