Research Tasks of Task Forces of the Committee on National Spatial Planning and Regional Planning of the Polish Academy of Sciences (KPZK PAN)

Task Force for Integrated Development Policy of Poland and Europe

The task force’s objectives are special emphasis on the following:

• Formulation of scientific research priorities in the regional, spatial, territorial sphere in Poland and in the EU.
• Preparation of an opinion or a preliminary position of the KPZK PAN regarding specific ways and mechanisms of the integrated development policy in Poland and in the EU.
• Preparation of an opinion or a preliminary position of the KPZK PAN on the EU Cohesion Policy after 2020.
• Identification of the main challenges for integrating development policy in Poland and the EU and preparation of the KPZK PAN opinion on their addressing by national, regional and EU authorities.
• Analysis of ESPON documents and other analytical documents of similar rank regarding the integration of spatial policy and sectoral and thematic policies in Poland.
• Preparation of an opinion or a preliminary position of the KPZK PAN on the integration of spatial policy and sectoral and thematic policies at the national and EU level.
• Development of a road map for integration of spatial policy and sectoral and thematic policies in Poland.

Task Force for Rural Areas

The task force’s objectives are to encourage a scholarly debate and publish the scientific output on rural areas, with special emphasis on the following: 

• Suburbanization in Poland – the level of advancement of the process, its effects on rural development, new relationships across local and regional rural structures,
• Role of small towns in rural development of – was Walter Christaller right in his hierarchy of central places? How much does the development of local centres depend on the situation of its rural neighbourhood?
• Dichotomy in rural development in Poland and in Europe – pace, spatial distribution, and the scope of marginalization of rural areas on a regional scale; the extent and causes of marginalization of rural areas (the emergence of local, regional, national and European peripheries (periphery-like zones). Identification of causes and assessment of impacts.
• Role of tourism in rural development – development of the tourist function, innovative solutions in tourist services, tourist clusters, tourist brand, brand product-making in rural areas, cooperation networks in tourism, image-building of tourist spots/destinations.
• Changes in demographic, economic, and spatial structures in rural areas – transformation of the population structure by gender, age, education, and its effects on rural development, areas of demographic depression and their development trends, changes in rural functions, new locations in rural areas and their role in rural development, evolution of rural physiognomy.
• EU funds and rural and agricultural development in Poland – the extent and purpose of use of EU funds in rural areas and farms and their role in the economic and social transformation in rural areas.
• Effects of the cohesion policy on rural areas in Poland and in Europe – assessment of cohesion policy effects.

Task Force for Urban and Metropolitan Areas

The task force’s objectives are special emphasis on the following:

• Development of a multidisciplinary approach to the question of analysing and shaping the development process of urbanised structures.
• Conducting scientific debate and publishing output concerning contemporary spatial development processes in metropolises and urban functional areas.
• Mobilisation of the research community for urban and metropolitan development for the dissemination of knowledge in the field of urban studies.
• Cooperation with local authorities and their associations, non-governmental organisations dealing with urban structuring issues and urban movements.

Task Force for Personnel Training in Space Management

The task force’s objectives are special emphasis on the following:

• Coordinate the development of a highly qualified, interdisciplinary workforce in land management.
• Cooperation with governmental and self-governmental administration in the assessment of human resources needs in the field of spatial management and taking initiatives to profile education at all levels and to improve qualifications.    

Task Force for Large-Scale Development Projects

The task force’s objectives are special emphasis on the following:

• Initiating and leading scientific debates on large-scale infrastructure projects proposed in Poland (such as the Central Transport Port, High Speed Railways, modernisation of the inland waterway system); publication of output concerning these projects.
• Multi-criteria evaluation of large-scale infrastructure projects, from the point of view of their impact on land use, economy, society and environment.
• Cooperation with government institutions and other entities responsible for the implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects, including cooperation with the Government plenipotentiary for the construction of the Central Transport Port (in this respect)

Task Force “ad hoc” for Legal and Urban Planning

The objectives of the team's work focus on the key barriers and problems in the spatial planning system, on the borderline between legal and urban planning perspectives.