During their research, they worked closely together with local community, conducted interviews, and analysed topics such as mobility, energy, identity, education, and civic engagement. One of their key findings was that cooperation provided a significant opportunity for sustainable regional development and is not just seen as a pragmatic necessity.

»Our project shows that inter-municipal cooperation between Suhl, Zella-Mehlis, and the surrounding communities is consistently perceived as positive and promising. It was clear that meaningful interactions between social partners can create sustainable structures that transcend pre-exiting differences«, says project coordinator Anton Brokow-Loga, scientific associate in the Professorship of Urban Studies and Social Research at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. »Formal and institutional collaborations, such as power supply for Suhl and Zella-Mehlis, make up only a small part of the currently existing interdependencies. Informal and social partnerships also show the willingness of community members to cooperate. The initial effects are already obvious, for instance in culture and volunteer work.«

The student project provided valuable insights and bridged a gap between science and practice. André Knapp, mayor of Suhl and Chair of the »Kommunalen Arbeitsgemeinschaft (KAG) für ein Oberzentrum Südthüringen« says: »We are committed to tackling the region’s challenges together. Our goal is to increase cooperation in order to promote a strong economy and a higher quality of life.« Knapp further emphasises the importance of new ideas from young talent: »We would be happy to see students return during or after their studies to contribute to the further development of the region.«

The student project is part of the interdisciplinary »Räume in Transformation Thüringen (RiTT)« (transforming Thuringian spaces) project, launched by the Institute for European Urban Studies (IfEU) at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. The project is working on developing innovative concepts for sustainable and equitable spatial planning in the Thuringian Forest. The project is funded by the »NEB.Regionallabore«.

Projects like these give aspiring planners early access to practical experience and actively contribute to actual planning processes. This is not only beneficial to the region, but also provides students with valuable experience, giving them the opportunity to develop and test innovative concepts.

The project results will be published on the »Räume in Transformation Thüringen« website at www.uni-weimar.de/ritt.

Contact:

Anton Brokow-Loga
RiTT Project Coordinator at the Institute for European Urban Studies
Phone: 03643/58 26 47
E-mail: anton.brokow-loga[at]uni-weimar.de