ISTER Policy Handbook

ISTER Policy Handbook is out! See what’s all about below :

The aim of the ISTER Policy Handbook is to allow the sharing of the project’s findings to Danube Region similar territories, as well as to wider interested communities at the EU level. The lessons learned are formulated in such a manner to cover the following sectors: (1) Policy integration, (2) Policy design, and (3) Policy Communication.

Policy Integration. In order to achieve the envisioned objective and set the ground for defining the final roadmap, was essential to review the regulatory environment and existing good practices in the partner countries as well as at the European level. In this chapter, the main findings of the desk-research activity within the ISTER project are presented, highlighting the importance of cooperation between different sectors and decision-making levels and their potential territorial effects.

Policy Design.  This chapter identifies specific challenges and opportunities in the protection, preservation, management, and sustainable use of RCH legacy in each ISTER country, based on which a specific set of policies was formulated together with the general overview of the current situation in the Danube Region.

Starting from defining the main characteristics and the envisioned impact of a Cultural Route, the proposed roadmap at the end of the chapter provides step-by-step guidance on how they can be supported effectively through policy design, namely by considering vertical, horizontal, and territorial policy integration in all the stages for CH protection and valorization. Having this in mind, and by leveraging also on the in-depth context analysis conducted in each partner country, the chapter ends by proposing 7 policies at the DR level, related to more effective governance, better accessibility, and visibility of RCH, a harmonized legal environment, multi-disciplinary cooperation, integrated approaches for the route development and financial sustainability of the route.

Policy Communication.

Last but not least, the Policy Communication toolkit elaborates on the stakeholder engagement and endorsement of policy recommendations of the ISTER project, as well as on future steps for a more in-depth collaboration at the DR level, which could be achieved through the establishment of a transnational association. The chapter presents the key steps to be followed for a successful engagement in further policy elaboration, as well as the vision, main goals and potential transnational and national governance structure of the ISTER association.

Find the entire publication here:

Source of pictures: Urbasofia. Chapter 2.4. Roadmap for effective policy design for the valorization of Roman Heritage legacy within EU transnational cooperation. Sustaining a transnational Cultural Route

ISTER – Policy Handbook is about to be finalized!

Urbasofia together with our ISTER partners (pakora.net – Network for Towns and Regions, DDTG Danube Development Transnational Group nonprofit limited liability company and Scientific Research Centre Bistra Ptuj) is preparing to finalize one of the most important outputs: ISTER Policy Handbook.
The policy Handbook of recommendations based on ISTER experience will allow the sharing of the project’s findings to Danube Region similar territories, as well as to wider interested communities at the EU level. The lessons learned are formulated in such a manner to cover the following sectors: Policy integration, Policy design and Policy Communication and will answer to several questions such as:
(1) What are the potential links between (Roman) Cultural Heritage and other domains and how these links can be strengthened in order to achieve an eco-cultural route?;
(2) How different policies at the same territorial level can be connected in order to assure truly sustainable development?;
(3) Why is necessary coordination between different decision-making levels in the process of policy development for a cultural route and how this coordination can be assured?;
(4) What concrete guidelines/policies could be applied within the Danube Region but also within each ISTER country for successful protection, preservation, management, and sustainable use of Roman Cultural Heritage?;
(5) How to bridge the gap between different groups of stakeholders and public administration bodies in order to increase multi-level capabilities and skills for policy implementation?
Stay with us to find the answers!

DanuP-2-Gas National Workshop

Now that the DanuP-2-Gas project is coming to an end, a workshop will follow in which the results of the project will be presented to the stakeholders and to those interested.

We are therefore waiting for you on November 9 from 10 AM (Bucharest time) to be with us to present our project and what we have done together with the DanuP-2-Gas consortium in the last 2 years.

We gladly invite you to join us! 🙂

Register for the webinar at the following link : https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_udutJIjFTFm4Q3aAUXEwbA

See you there!

KINETIC Open Webinar

We invite you to our open Webinar – on the 19 of October. The KINETIC project, funded under Positive Energy Districts and Neighbourhoods Joint Call for Proposals, PROJECT NUMBER: 43971918

Register in advance for this webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/…/reg…/WN_eyzeFp0ESXiuMC53nkTT4Q

KINETIC (Knowledge Integration of Neighbourhood in Energy Transition led by Inclusive Communities) aims to innovate in planning Positive Energy Districts (PED). The project will deploy context-based research on how to create energy-efficient neighbourhoods, exploring options for sourcing sustainable energy at the local level, and different frameworks of creating Local Energy Communities. Local actors are empowered as the main drivers for sustainable transformations, assessing consuming behaviours, developing mitigation measures to ensure energy-efficient neighbourhoods, and exploring suitable energy infrastructures and frameworks.

We invite researchers, academia, public administration, cities, NGOs, industry, or any urban actor interested in the sustainable planning of cities and neighbourhoods to participate in the KINETIC Kick-off Event on 19 October 2022.