FEM Researchers at the Working Group Meeting On Regional Development Strategy Elaboration for Sumy Region

Last week (on 19.06.14) scholars of the Faculty of Economics and Management of SSU (vice-rector for scientific and pedagogic work and financial and economic activities, Ph.D., Associate Professor of the Department of Economics and Business Administration V.O. Kasyanenko, Head of the Department of Economics and BA, Prof. L.G. Melnyk, Head of the Department of Management, Prof. O.M. Telizhenko, Ph.D., Professor of the Department of Economics and BA O.I. Karpishchenko, Ph.D., Associate Professor of the Department of Management V.O. Lukyanihin) participated in the meeting of the working group for 2020 Regional Development Strategy elaboration.

At the meeting the results of Sumy Region socio-economic analysis were presented and an overview for the Strategy elaboration process was made.

During the Strategy discussion the Head of the Department of Economics and BA, Director of the Institute of Development Economics of MESU and NASU, Prof. L.G. Melnyk gave his comment. He suggested the creation of Sumy region environmental brand. The region should be recognized on the national level and worldwide. The formation of the regional specific scientific and industrial-educational complex (a kind of Eco-polis) has been going for the last 10 years. This complex specializes on the production of environmental goods and services. A lot has already been done, and most of the goods produced in the region have such specificity. Prof. L.G. Melnyk mentioned an urgent improvement in the field of communications with other cities as a major problem. It means a fundamentally new quality of railway connection (high-speed, regular, high-quality connection with major cities in Ukraine and abroad) and the restoration of regular air service. It can transform the area from “remote province” into a kind of scientific and production center – on the principle that we observe in nature, “center is everywhere, province is nowhere”.

The participants were divided into five workshops and conducted Sumy region SWOT-analysis. They also discussed the strengths and weaknesses (opportunities and threats) of socio-economic development of the region.

Next meeting is scheduled for July 2014.