The 6th seminar of the UniGR-Center for Border Studies organized by the University of Liège was held online on 8 and 9 June 2020. This new format was chosen in response to the health crisis and the constraints imposed on participants in the different parts of the Greater Region. This edition of the seminar was devoted to the long-term challenges linked to cross-border mobility in the Greater Region, with a particular focus on the relationship between this mobility and the organization of work in this territory.
This webinar experience was the opportunity to extend the invitations to a wider audience. The first day consisted of two sessions gathering three contributors each, designed to welcome the maximum number of people interested in the seminar and its theme. 92 participants from UniGR partner universities, consultancy firms, regional authorities and research centres were thus able to follow the exchanges held during these plenary sessions. At the end of the day, three simultaneous sessions allowed more informal exchanges on related themes, namely: dense and mixed real estate projects in station districts, challenges and prospects related to cross-border commuters mobility in 2050 and the relationship between commercial development and sustainable mobility. The second day was devoted to exchanges between UniGR-CBS researchers in the different working groups, each of them tackling the issue of mobility with their own approach.
The seminar made it possible to approach mobility in the Greater Region from a prospective, critical and interdisciplinary angle. Prospective first of all with the evaluation of transport flows up to 2050 and the impacts of this evolution on mobility and work organization in the cross border territory. The ongoing health crisis and its short-term impacts on cross-border commuters daily habits was a major topic of discussion in this regard. Critical then, given the saturation of the infrastructures involved and the urgency of designing and implementing alternative approaches to meet the identified challenges. In particular, the satisfaction of transport users to and from Luxembourg was addressed in order to judge the best alternatives to be implemented. Interdisciplinary, finally because mobility brings together many fields and actors who were able to exchange during this seminar.
Program available in French or German
Contact:
Jean-Marc Lambotte, University of Liège, jm.lambotte@uliege.be
Sylvain Marbehant, Université of Liège, sylvain.marbehant@uliege.be