1. Nijmegen, 11 October Potentials for polycentric development in Europe (ESPON project 1.1.1) Director Hallgeir Aalbu

2. Potentials for polycentricity?
Morphology and the degree of polycentricity in national urban systems
Typologies of FUAs and MEGAs based upon functional strengths
Potentials for polycentricity on the basis of proximity
Networks
Policy recommendations
Networking and further research

3. The building blocks: The 1,595 functional urban areas (FUAs) in EU 27+2

4. Parameters for assessing the degree of poly-centricity in urban networks

5. Degree of polycentricity in national FUA systems
Based on
Rank size
Location
Connectivity

6. Correlation between the degree of polycentricity and GDP/cap, but not causality

7. A typology of FUAs, based on 5 functions: - population - transport - manufacturing GVA - no of students - head offices MEGAs

8. A typology of MEGAs, based on - Mass: pop. +econ
A typology of MEGAs, based on - Mass: pop.+econ. - Competitiveness: GDP/cap+head off. - Connectivity: air pass.+accessib. - Knowledge basis: educ.+R&D empl.

9. Potentials for polycentricity: PUSH 45 minutes from FUA centres

10. Population in Potential Polycentric Integration Areas (PIAs)

11. Air flows as an example of transnational networks

12. Policies and partnerships
18 of 29 countries claim to pursue polycentric development
Enhance urban competitiveness
Reduce disparities between urban areas
Spatial vision: only policy instrument that explicitly voices polycentricity
Governance and partnership is mainly discussed at local level – not at the micro/meso/macro levels

13. Policy recommendations
Improve ranking in the urban system (micro)
Focus on linkages and co-operation
Discuss urban structures in SWOTs
Balance within urban systems (meso)
Agenda setting and development strategies
Structural funds important in cohesion countries
GIZ beyond the Pentagon (macro)
Functional specialisation, not size

14. Networking and further research
A pan-European community is established
Issues for further research
New definition of FUA + data at that level
Data on flows necessary to integrate network dimensions
Indicators and data for functional spesialisation
The links between functions and policies
Possibilities for compensating lack of agglomeration by functional specialisation