Over 20 geographers, city planners, lawyers and administratists involved in the studies of the development of metropolitan areas participated in the opening meeting the Network. It was attended by the scientists from Warsaw, Cracow, Wrocław, Poznań, Łódź, Katowice and Gdańsk.

The first part of the meeting was dedicated to the functioning of the Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area. Different points of view were presented by Jakub Pietruszewski (Director of the Pomeranian Regional Planning Office), Paweł Orłowski (Member of the Board of the Pomeranian Voivodeship), Tomasz Brodzicki PhD (Economics of European Integration Chair, University of Gdańsk) and Rafał Gajewski – a member of the staff of our Department.

In the second part of the meeting, the participants presented their research interests and exchanged ideas about the principles and scope of future activities of the Network. According to the adopted arrangements, the Network will focus on the following goals: integration of the scientific and expert community, exchange of scientific and organizational information, as well as promotion recent studies.

The next meeting of the Network will be held in Poznań in April next year. The first substantive project will be publishing a report on the processes of institutionalization of cooperation between local authorities within the borders of metropolitan ares in Poland.

The Network remains open for new members and initiatives. In case of any questions, please contact Rafał Gajewski (rafal.gajewski@ug.edu.pl).

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