This workshop will focus on the challenges and opportunities arising from attracting and retaining talent in EU rural areas. It will delve into the experiences of EU regions to identify key factors that can be leveraged through the Rural Pact to help retain talent. Moreover, it will explore various initiatives and funding opportunities – including the Rural Toolkit and the Startup Village Forum initiative – that can facilitate the attraction and retention of talent in EU rural areas.
- Territorial | Rural | Local and regional | EU/ European | Cohesion | Demographics (depopulation and ageing) | Education and culture | Industry, entrepreneurship and SMEs (enterprise/ startup/ business) | Research and Innovation
- Code: 11PL23476
- SQUARE Brussels Meeting Centre, Hall 400
Speakers
Moderator
Maria Gafo Gomez-Zamalloa
Practical information
- When
-
Wed 11/10/2023, 09:30 - 11:00 CET
- Where
-
SQUARE Brussels Meeting Centre, Hall 400
- Format
- Participatory/Political lab
- Theme
-
Retaining talent for regional growth
- Language
- English
- Websites
-
https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/index_en
https://rural-vision.europa.eu/rural-pact_en#the-rural-pact-support-office
- Social media
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@EU_ScienceHub
@S3Platform
@EUAgri
@EURuralPact
@EURuralPact
@EUruralpact
Partners
Reporting
Session summary
• One of the most important challenges to retain talents in rural areas is the need to recognise the relevance of alternative educational programmes to the traditional university degrees (Bachelors and Masters’ degrees), such as traineeship programmes of support for young people starting new companies. This is often coupled with a mismatch between the need for accommodation in rural areas and the available offer of houses and apartments.
• Initiatives like the Startup Village Forum play a central role in promoting a new vision for rural areas and raising awareness that innovation can thrive in rural settings, not just in cities. This can motivate talented individuals to consider relocating to these areas.
• The Common Agricultural Policy plays important role in ensuring the retention of talent in rural areas and agriculture, including through measures dedicated to young farmers and cooperation. It is accompanied by other EU funds, such as ESIF and Erasmus +, which help supporting study abroad for young people and the exchanges between employees in SMEs.
• Finland has a dedicated rural policy, which focus on food security, farm competitiveness, increased environmental and climate ambition, and vibrant rural areas. This is an example of a national holistic rural policy that may sparkle interest in other Member States.
• 9000 people moved to rural areas in Castilla-La Mancha thanks to their law against depopulation. Possibly a small number on a global EU-wide scale but certainly a big deal for the communities involved.
• Now is the time to take action and leverage all the resources at our disposal. Multilevel coordination is essential for retaining and attracting talent in rural areas. Local governments form the foundation of this effort, national governments act as the walls, and European institutions provide the overarching structure. If local governments and communities are not involved in programmes and policies to attract and retain talent in rural areas, the entire structure falls apart.
