1. Vanda Maráková Matej Bel University Slovakia

2. What is the picture of rural areas in Slovakia?

3. Rural areas are considered according to NUTS - Nomenclature des Unites Territorial Statistique) settlements with density lower than 150 inhabitants/km 2 in SR 89% of all communities are rural settlements Approximately 40 % of inhabitants lives in rural communities Rural Areas create 86% of total area of the country Determination of rural areas in SR

4. SWOT analysis of slovak rural areas Strenghts: - tradition of agriculture and forestry - available natural potential - available fixed assets (buildings) - developed educational network (elementary schools and high schools) - active microregions

5. SWOT analysis of slovak rural areas Weaknesses: - lack of investment in agriculture - shortness of work opportunities - insufficient technical and communication infrastructure - high precentage of land which is endangered by erosion - sick forest due to the polution

6. SWOT analysis of slovak rural areas Opportunities : - diversification of economic base - support of rural tourism and agrotourism - utilisation of alternative resources - development of organic farming - activation of local people and their ivolvement in decesicion making process

7. SWOT analysis of slovak rural areas Threats: - centralization focused on Bratislava and other regional centers - slow tempo of modernization and inovation - declining purchasing power of inhabitants - high percentage of senior population - changes in climate (flood, storms, dryness, fires,...) - non-complex development projects

8. Example of development of village Bešeňová,RK: Utilization of potential of thermal water Development of thermal pool andgreenhouses Development of bed and breakfasts, hotels new footbal playground

9. Young people living in rural areas Youth (15-26 years old) Labour market: - differences between employment possibilities in the cities and outside of them - regional differences low number of opportunities in which young people can use their potential

10. Young people living in rural areas Business opportunities: - timber production and processing - agricultural activities - tourist trade (tourism, agrotourism) - crafts

11. Young people living in rural areas Unsuitable technical infrastructure - worse conditions for development of rural areas economy migration of young people into the urban centres

12. Young people living in rural areas Education : - municipalities provide elementary education - young people usualy acquire upper secondary school and university education in neighbouring cities

13. Young people living in rural areas Quality of Education : - small classes-close contact of teacher and students - lack of financial resources- (equipment of establishments, teaching tools etc.) - lack of quality pedagogues

14. Matej Bel University 6 faculties

15. Matej Bel University Faculty of Economics (http://www.econ.umb.sk/ef/efcd/index.htm)http://www.econ.umb.sk/ef/efcd/index.htm - 1977 introduced specialization in Tourism (30 years) - at present time faculty has 4000 students in 5 fields of study: tourism corporate economics and management finance, banking and investment regional development and public administration public economics and services

16. Faculty of Economics Department of tourism -cooperation in the issue of rural development and rural tourism with Univerzity in Zvolen (National forestry center), cooperation with VOKA anad VIPA(training programs and teaching materials), VYDRA (Forest museum), ZVTA (National association of rural tourism and agrotourism), Slovak Forest (Lesy SR), international cooperation with partners from Flanders (region Orava, Horna Nitra), L&R Consulting UK (Horehronie), Carefour (N. Ireland), EQUAL (Tatranska Kotlina)