SECPOLYC

The project entitled ’Changing role of SEcondary Cities in the POLYcentric development of Visegrad Countries’ (SECPOLYC) addresses a crucial limiting factor of socio-economic development of each of the Visegrad countries, Czech Republik, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. In all the four countries the capitals dominate the economic performance, concentrate on the most skilled labour force and the innovation capacities to a very high extent, while most of the rest of the countries are struggling with development. The underperformance of second and third-tier cities as reason for unbalanced development have become severe obstacles to development.

Four universities of the region joined to shed light on the question, how the secondary cities (e.g. Brno, Łódź, Wrocław, Kosice, Debrecen) could support a more balanced, economically more efficient and more sustainable development of the four countries.

The core project team covers expertise in both academic spatial researches and regional-urban policy planning.

The project aims to increase the understanding and articulation of the specifics and possibilities of polycentric development in the V4 countries by revealing the regional development role of secondary cities. The mission is to support effective policies, regional and urban planning with (1) creating new evidences, (2) initiating policy discourse and (3) prepare for networking within the region.

Implementation period: 01/11/2024–30/04/2026

Webpage: https://www.visegradfund.org/